Monday 20 June 2016

#Microblog Mondays: Jemima Puddle Duck





Having a child means re-discovering childhood books and traditions. It's still a bit early for most of them, but recently I've become the owner of a few Beatrix Potter books.

I loved Potter's books as a child probably because they were small (not that size ever deterred me from reading a book), and because of the delicate, detailed illustrations, and....well, actually, I don't remember. I just know I liked to get them out from the library, and I must have read all the stories several times over.

AJ loves books, but doesn't yet show an interest in a story, exactly. She likes books with bright pictures, rhymes, and flaps and textures. Because her vocabulary must be well over a hundred words, she can identify what's in the pictures (kitty, bunny, mouse, etc), and she can fill in the words to some familiar stories. However, she likes Beatrix Potter for much the reasons I remember, so far: The books are little and she can hold them and "read" by herself. She'll sit on her chair, flip the pages, and babble happily.

I read the stories too. Reading them removed from childhood, I found myself noticing things I hadn't before. There's more to these little books than you might assume.

I found one of them, The Tale of Jemima Puddle Duck, actually rather disturbing. Jemima is a duck who is not allowed to sit on her own eggs (I have no idea why this is, having very little knowledge of agriculture, and Potter doesn't explain any of it, other than possibly at the end where Jemima calls herself "a bad sitter.") She is however determined to hatch her own eggs, so she sneaks away from the farm into the woods. In the woods she meets a friendly, foxy "gentleman" who makes her at home even as he talks about omelettes and asks Jemima to bring herbs that go well with roast duck. Jemima however is too naive to be suspicious of any of this. Eventually the barnyard dog suspects something is up, and they raid the gentleman's den in time to prevent Jemima from being eaten, but the dogs also eat all her eggs. The full story with Potter's illustrations.

It might be a stretch to call Jemima an infertile or subfertile, but I felt a certain affinity for her and her desperation. Otherwise, what stands out for me about this story is how nobody is really the good guy: while the foxy "gentleman" might seem the most despicable, it's Jemima's naivete that creates the problem, which you could argue was otherwise avoidable. The dogs who charge to the rescue ruin the heroic moment by eating up her eggs. Furthermore, you could make the argument that the problems arise from the various characters behaving like what they are: ducks act like ducks, foxes like foxes, and dogs like dogs. It raises the question: how well do we know our own human nature and that of others? How often do we make foolish or naive assumptions and how can these be avoided?

Will I share and discuss this story with AJ? You bet. I hope she tries to better her human nature as she grows up, because we all should strive to be good people. But I also think Jemima Puddle Duck offers some good lessons about viewing friendly "gentlemen" with a wary eye, as well as white knights, and the dangers of naivete and idealism, even (or especially) when well-intentioned.


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8 comments:

  1. I love this post! I agree with you that picture books often have more in them than the stories the children hear...there's something for adults, too, layered in there. Interesting take on Jemima Puddleduck...how sad for her eggs, but as you said, "ducks act like ducks, foxes like foxes, and dogs like dogs." I think a lot about Horton Hatches the Egg this way, too. Interesting to think on! Now I have to go reread Jemima and try not to get too upset about the eggs... :)

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    1. Isn't it such a tragic story? She's a fictional anthropomorphic duck, but I still feel a bit gutted every time I read it. The matter of fact tone makes it somehow more sad. It's the way people talk when there's nothing more to be said or done. I'll have to look up the other story you mention.

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  2. lovely post and story analysis! i don't recall reading any of the beatrix potter books as a child.. will keep them in mind for the twins!

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    1. Glad you enjoyed! The pictures are just beautiful, and the stories are charming but with an edge - at least some of them.

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  3. I loved these books as a kid although I don't remember any of the actual stories. Rediscovering childhood things is so fascinating and fun.

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    1. I know, the size and feel of those little books is somehow so satisfying!

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  4. I completely missed those books and they're... um... strange storyline for kids. But I do notice it a lot in books I loved as a kid. I have no memory of certain sections of it, and then I re-read them with the kids and think, "Really? An adult thought this was a good idea for a book for kids?"

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    1. Potter books are quite different from contemporary kids' books, for sure! They were also written more than a hundred years ago so there are cultural/historical differences. These are a lot more obvious to me now than they were when I was a kid when I wasn't trained to pay attention to that kind of thing. However, I think it's very healthy and a good policy to expose children to books from different times and cultures. As long as there is something of value in the books. They may be most immersed in their own culture and moment but there is a lot out there beyond that. Never too early to build awareness of that. :-)

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