Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Should Parents Be Allowed To Beat Their Kids?

Threats, beatings, and other harsh punishments, these are a few example of what some parents do to get their kids to obey them. Can they do that? Yes. Is it right? No. This is wrong because they only rule by fear, set a bad example as a parent, and make their children more prone to violence.
First, their abuse does not make the kids listen to them. It is the fear that comes from it that makes them obey. The parents gain no respect from their children, only hatred. At the beginning of chapter 6 in Huckleberry Finn, Pa threatens to beat Huck and makes him get money for beer. This only makes Huck hate him and run away.
Second, it is just setting a bad example as a parent. They are showing their children the wrong way to treat their future children. It’s the whole ‘monkey see, monkey do’ thing coming into play. Children learn from their parents and act the same way because that is the way things were done in their house. They’re teaching them that it is okay to use violence over any little thing. Inflicting pain is the only way they think they can make someone listen.
Finally, it makes the children more prone to violence. They don’t learn to stop and talk things out. By causing them pain, they get angry. In order to release their anger, they get into trouble and get beat again. It’s an endless, vicious cycle.
As you can see, no good comes from it. The only things that come from beating your children is being feared, setting a bad example, and having your kids cause trouble. Stop, think, and try every other alternative you can think of before you lay a hand on them. You’ll all be happier in the long run. I know from experience.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Should Huckleberry Finn Be Taught In Schools

What is the big to do about this book? Why does everyone say it should be banned? It is full of very important lessons. This book teaches us about the South from a historic point of view, encourages individual thought, and shows people can change.
First, it’s historical because it shows what life was like back then, In one part, the book says ‘soon as the river begins to rise, here comes pieces of log rafts; so all you have to do is catch them and sell them to the wood yards.’ Another part talks about how slavery was acceptable. Life was very simple and different from what it is now. Reading this book, written by someone who was actually there, helps us to understand that.
Second, it encourages individual thought. Huck has a father who was a horrible influence and decided to escape by faking his own murder. ‘They’ll hunt the river for my dead carcass, get tired of that, and won’t bother me no more’ he thinks at one point. Jim, a slave turned friend, runs away from his owner when he hears that she is planning to sell him.
Finally, it teaches us that people can grow and change. Raised, practically in the woods, Huck learns to like school. ‘At first I hated school, but by and by I got so I could stand it’. He also befriends a slave, though it goes against everything he was raised to believe.
Obviously, Huck Finn isn’t as bad as everyone seems to think it is. All of these vitally important lessons are taught in it. We are taught to learn from mistakes, being an individual, and about the past. Would you really want to stop your kids from learning these? Check this book from your local library and give it a read.