New Horizon English, A thought provoking read.
Good morning. World's still turning, and for us each day is getting warmer and brighter. ...In the good, seasonal non-greenhouse way.Has anyone ever written a consideration before on the stories in the New Horizon English textbooks? After reading each story for the first time, I felt like pausing and considering them. ...At least the two stories in the sannensei text.
A Mother's Lullaby is distinctly sad and blunt. An old tree witnesses the deaths of a girl and little boy from the effects of the Hiroshima a-bombing. There are burned and dead people, and despite the humanity of the girl attempting to care for the little boy, both die.I compare this to stories about slavery in US schools. Only on that subject do I remember junior high readings that were equally meant to be horribly direct and sad on a topic so culturally scarring.
Also, it feels a little strange to be be an American in a Japanese school, teaching English, and reciting a story of the death of children due to our atomic bomb, theatrical gestures and all. Interesting. Oh, and this is overreading, but the 'sentient old tree' is found many times in Japanese stories, and is a little example of the country's connection to Shinto.
Towards the end of the text is The Fall of Freddie the Leaf. Very different story, underlyingly Asian ...maybe just Buddhist. Honestly this one's pretty cool, definitely different from children's stories I remember from my childhood.It is a moral tale, told in an Asian story staple of a young man being cleared of his misconceptions by a wiser man. Hey, sentient trees again! See the trend...
By the end of the story, Freddie dies contently having learned that life itself is eternal, even if he isn't, and a worthy life is a purpose centered around others and enjoying the world around him. And in the world's cyclical nature, as Freddie dies, new life is already being created.
Other than Asian and/or Buddhist stories, I can't think of any children's stories I read that had both characters die with smiles after discussing and accepting their transitory existence.
Again, maybe way overreading into the thing, but the story feels very Buddhist, with the last couple of lines reminding me of Thich Nhat Hanh and St. Augustine. The reference to it being winter, but leaves already 'planned' for the spring is like T.N.H.'s words using the same analogy on seeing into total existence and beyond the immediate. All things are changing, and those leaves are real, just the conditions aren't right for their manifesting. And Augustine spoke of being so in touch with God that a tree appeared full of leaves and blossoms in the dead of winter.
Aaaand this post is already long, so I'll ignore the ninensei text's stories. Those were less interesting anyway. One tells us there's no magic answer to garbage, and the other is about a magical lizard ...or magic priest ...or guy blessed by God with a magical lizard. Something.I know 'alls waiting because last week I said I'd tell a story about oranges and people in clam shells. I'll tease it again and say it's coming up tomorrow or Wednesday.
So that's it. Go help with graduation prep or something.
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