Trauma and My Books for the Week

An excellent discussion this week on the blog. I really enjoyed reading every one's comments etc.

In response to Janet's question and her exceptional article: everyone else may not agree, but I agree with Kali Tal that com modifying historical traumatizing events isn't always a bad thing, and possibly necessary for future generations. "Kali Tal claims such "com modification" is essential to any historical event if it is to be remembered by society." Now, there's a huge difference in the types of "com modification" we can teach or view through film etc. Again, like any other piece of work it becomes the teacher's job to filter out the bad and find the good, accurate, representative texts.

I am really interested in this filtering of representative texts and teaching of history through secondary witnessing, as I am a big fan of historical texts. I am focusing my presentation in a few weeks and report on the benefits of historical fiction, in terms of remembering historical events through fiction (with fictional characters, but true historical setting or events.) I am interested in the way that literature integrates with social studies, and how when used it is more effective in reaching students. I commented on a study I read for research under Charlie's blog, and the retention rate for students reading historical lit as opposed to text books. Janet brought up a great point to the challenge of such literature in her article, as students "become more historically distant (and hence emotionally and psychologically distant) from an event, the challenges to teach such works are greater. I agree that secondary witnessing and traumatizing students through texts, helps them work past the boredom and old stuff to empathy, understanding an appreciation for the greater good of humanity through characters. In this case, the vicarious traumatization is good and I would even argue expected. How could someone read a work such as Ellie Wiesel's "Night," which I read for this week and not be traumatized? As I stated earlier, it was a book I had a hard time finishing because of the reality of the events and the power it evoked for the suffering of Holocaust survivors and victims. Reading Kali Tal's article, in which she explains the reasoning for Wiesel honoring Henry Kissinger as a fellow survivor, when in fact he was never at Auschwitz, but lost many family members there; seems strange to me. Kissinger may be able to experience secondary witnessing of the event or vicarious traumatization, but I don't see how someone who wasn't a victim could even come close to the same trauma as a survivor, such as Wiesel?

In thinking of teaching historical lit, Janet's comments on the risk that such literature takes as it becomes "less real" and more distant for students, is important to consider. How can we move beyond the cynicism or boredom of such students as "Steve." What can a teacher do to turn this rebellious type attitude? Or furthermore, something I considered; what can an educator or should an educator do when faced with a student who actually believes the extreme ie. (That the Holocaust didn't happen, that minority groups such as blacks were not mistreated in history etc. etc.?)

Being that I was on a trip last week, I had lots of reading time and read two books in the category of trauma. "Night," I already commented on some, and Lisa has, as well. So, I will move to a piece of historical fiction "My Brother Sam is Dead," by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier. I found it very interesting and different than other historical fiction as it approached the topic of the American Revolution. Tim Meeker is living in Redding during the outbreak of the American Revolution. His older brother, Sam, a Patriot, who he admires greatly has enlisted in the "new" American Revolutionary Army. Tim's father is angered by this, as he is a Tory and loyal supporter of the British King, as are most of the members of their community. It is a personal and political struggle for Tim, as he feels pressured to choose between his father and his brother, his king and the new country in which he lives, and what he believes. The discourse between father and son and brother to brother, shows a timeless fight over the injustices and beliefs of war (one that has continued since the American Revolution and still happens today.) Tim comes of age by the end of the novel, through traumatizing events such as the death of his brother (as we get from the title.) Tim mentions several times he doesn't feel like a child anymore. There are several points where different characters express how "war turns men into beasts." Not only does the reader witness the effects of war from the slider's standpoint or politically, but also the trauma it caused family members through Sam's mother, father and brother. I will not give away the ending and the way in which Sam dies (but it is a powerful read.) Although the characters are fictional, the research behind the time period is great and the way in which historical facts are woven into the text makes it a great book to teach. Students will learn about treason and loyalty to the King, the importance of religion in this time, a spilt between the Presbyterian church and the Anglicans, the scarcity of food and clothing for both sliders and civilians, the American colonies, the punishment for desertion and treason of a soldier etc.

Staci