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C. S. LEWIS, in his recent book. An Experiment in Criticism, discusses literary criticism from the point of view of how men read rather than what they read, defining a good book as one which “permits and invites" good reading. A work of (whatever) art can be either “received” or “used.” . . . “Using” is inferior to “reception” because art, if used rather than received, merely facilitates, brightens, relieves or palliates our life, and does not add to it. Literature, then, is to be valued not for telling us truths about life nor as an aid to culture, but as an end in itself; and the characteristic of the “good reader” is the ability to receive. Emphasis of this point of view may seem unnecessary among those who work with children and books since children have to a large degree the ability to receive. However, in our very earnestness we sometimes destroy what is native to childhood by employing too many devices. At a time of the year when we blithely proclaim, “Books are vacations!” and proceed to set up elaborate “summer reading programs,” we need to be reminded that the finest children's books are literature and literature is an art which should be enjoyed for itself and be allowed to do with us what it has the power to do. The necessary condition of all good reading is “to get ourselves out of the way”; we do not help the young to do this by forcing them to keep on expressing opinions. The child whose life is filled with listening to stories well told and good books read aloud, as well as reading for himself, is developing naturally the ability to receive. He does not want “rewards” nor does he need the stimulation of competition. Among the many happy memories of my years as a children’s librarian are the summer story hours we held in the parks and playgrounds of a great city. As the telling progressed, the audience grew to include children dripping from the swimming pools, and boys carrying baseballs and bats. Merely curious at first, they soon settled down to listen, to receive. So busy were the librarians with storytelling outside and reading aloud inside the children's room that there was no time to listen to book reports or to plan star-studded certificates as rewards for reading. Storytelling and reading aloud, as well as making fine books easily available, all the year round, will keep open the path that leads from the children's library to the great world of literature. Those of us [says Mr. Lewis] who have been true
readers all our life seldom realize the enormous extension of our
being which we owe to authors. We realize it best when we talk with
an unliterary friend. He may be full of goodness and good sense
but he inhabits a tiny world. . . .
From the August 1962 issue of The Horn Book Magazine |
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