Appreciation
Stan Berenstain, co-author of the Berenstain Bears died a few weeks ago. I think it’s safe to say that he was my first favorite author. I remember spending Shabbos at my cousins when I was around five, discovering a whole shelf of Berenstain Bears books, and staying up until I read every last one...
From Time:
The bears generated some criticism for stereotypical roles—Mama Bear tends to the cubs, for example, and Papa is a bit of a buffoon—to which the creators routinely replied, “But that’s the way it is in Bear Country!”
posted by Goldie at 8:17 PM
2 Comments:
Reality never was a factor for the people I am imagining were his critics.
But either way, Berenstain bairs rocked!
Well I think the critics might have been trying to push a new reality. Children are influenced by what they read, and if writers are more progressive, perhaps they could change what children perceive as "normal." It could be a question of should art imitate life or life imitate art. The Berenstain Bears represented a typical household in the eyes of the authors. Sure, they could have implemented some more progressive ideas into their tales, but maybe then their books wouldn't have been as popular, since, afterall we relate to what's familiar.
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