A bit disappointing: Tale of Despereaux
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Publisher's
Description:
DiCamillo,
Kate. (2003) The Tale of Despereaux. Cambridge,
MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN 0—7636-1722-9. Author
recommended reading age 9-12. Litland.com sees it of
interest to ages 10-12 but is uncomfortable
recommending this book as some foundational lessons of
the story are disturbing.
Publisher’s
description: “Welcome to the story of Despereaux
Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and
a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat
called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a
world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery
Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple,
impossible wish. These three characters are about to
embark on a journey that will lead them down into a
horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and,
ultimately, into each other’s lives. And what happens
then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: Reader, it is your
destiny to find out. “
Respect for self and others: This
includes integrity (adherence to a code of
conduct or value system), honesty vs. manipulation or
lying, compassion, caring for others (characters not
focused on getting their way no matter what) self
respect--main character does not let others
denigrate him or her; use of self control and
self-discipline ; taking charge of own behaviour;
fairness to others (such as taking turns and
avoiding the blame game). Reader should ask themselves
“How does the protagonist depict their peers?” “Would
you want others to treat you this way? Should everyone
act this way?” This includes true friendships
that do not involve regular lying, deceit or
manipulation; considering consequences of actions
prior to acting; owning up to responsibility once
an action has been taken.
Rather than spoiled, the
Princess Pea character also shows intelligence, courage,
empathy and compassion.
Disturbing, however, is
the author’s treatment of forgiveness. In separate
incidents, we are told that both Despereaux and Princess
Pea fake their forgiveness to the other person as,
instead of wanting that person to feel better, it is
merely done as an attempt to cure their own brokenness.
In fact, we are told that it is impossible to forgive
the other person! This is not only profoundly
wrong, in itself it portrays a serious weakness in the
story. It is possible to forgive others, even of the
most grievous crimes. More importantly perhaps, neither
the abuser nor the victim can truly achieve healing and
happiness without sincere forgiveness. So for this
author to be so blatant in stating not once, but twice,
that this was not possible teaches a hideous lie to its
readers.
Portrayal of Authority
figures: The positive portrayal of parents, teachers, police officers and other “good” authority figures common in a child’s life is a positive influence upon the child’s own moral development. This includes
actively-parenting mother and father figures. Minimization of parental involvement in the character’s activities or the portrayal of authority figures as
inferior present poor role models. Also to be avoided are main characters that
deceive parents and teachers to accomplish goals, and overuse
sarcasm towards authority figures. Ask yourself “Are parents seen as positive or negative influence in the character's life?”
The authority figures
portrayed are often true to traditional fairy tales of
medieval times. Princess Pea is respectful of her father
but others as well; Despereaux also postures respect of
position.
On the other hand, in traditional style we would expect
upon the reuniting of Mig and her father for them to
have a happy family again. Instead, we are told that he
spent the rest of his days treating her like a princess.
This is more typical of today’s children’s entertainment
in that children are portrayed as having equal rights to
adults and as the center of attention. So we are left
with the father pandering to his daughter rather than
the feeling of a normal hierarchical relationship.
Another inappropriate lesson that has a major impact
upon the reader.
Citizenship and
Patriotism: Loyalty to family, team or group, school, community and world; caring for and being considerate of these
groups. Pride to be part of that group or nationality.
Examples of loyalty or unity are mixed. Princess Pea,
the King and Queen have a very loving and loyal family,
and their servants demonstrate loyalty and love for the
royal family as well. However, our protagonist isn’t
Princess Pea but, rather, Despereaux, who has cruel
parents and siblings. While he offers his father
forgiveness near the end, the family unity is not
restored. Forgiveness is not sincere as it is stated as
serving Despereaux, not done selflessly and with love
for his father. There is never family loyalty or pride,
and the dysfunction in the family is disturbing.
He is loyal out of love
for Princess Pea, and since a cross-species relationship
would not be appropriate, they remain friends.
Justice and Balance: A just distribution between good and evil (with
good outweighing evil in the presence of the storyline);
demonstration of right and wrong; making decisions to enact the above values rather than simply choosing from two bad possibilities; Ask yourself “Is the emphasis on the positive elements or negative?”
This
book in some aspects is excellent in good overcoming
evil, portrayed as light and darkness. Rosuro is sure
that his job is to make people suffer. Yet once he felt
the light (goodness), he couldn’t resist it. It is
realistic in that, since Rosuro chose revenge when his
heart broke, he never quite heals nor experiences the
fully happy ending that Despereaux and Princess Pea
have. A lesson to do the right thing; sins can be
confessed and forgiven but their effects never
eliminated. Deep seated pain, the kind that comes from
broken love, can cause someone to turn to evil and, once
done, they are never whole again.
However, by the story’s end, the preponderance of
justice is unbalanced. Although Despereaux succeeds and
can continue a friendship with Princess Pea, neither of
them overcome the evils that plague their family
relations nor does Rosuro or Mig. Thus there is no real
resolution as the negative elements in the story
outweigh the positive.
Aesthetic aspects Of
life ExperienceLook for a storyline portrayal of
beauty, health, and selfless love vs. hedonistic behaviours (sexuality, selfishness, obsessiveness, materialism),
profanity, gore and violence. Are nature and environment respected or exploited? Look for
dark elements; watch out for humor that is negative, denigrates others excessively, uses metaphors to
denigrate the sacred.
The
writing style of the book almost is like music, seeming
to be a song. DiCamillo’s structure of this story
aids the reader to be part of the experience. The lives
of the main characters are told separately as if they
were books within a book. The narrator talks to us, the
reader, and we traverse back in time then forward into
the present within each chapter with sufficient
explanation so as not to be lost. The style holds the
reader’s attention.
Despereaux’s
self-efficacy feeds his courage and he is filled with
hope. The love of the royal family is strong and
prominent. “The king loved the queen and, without her,
he was lost.” And what was extraordinary about the king
was that he was a “man who was able and willing to love
with the whole of his heart”. So hope and love are
reoccurring themes.
And yet, because much of the story describes the abuse
suffered by Mig, her simple-mindedness, and abandonment
by the family (Mig and Despereaux both abandoned by
their fathers in different ways), it is
unnecessarily dark for long stretches of the book.
The level of detail of negative elements is true to the
style of traditional fairy tales, not of Disney stories,
which may surprise readers not accustomed to those.
Reading such extensive detail about Mig’s dysfunctions
leaves a deeper impression upon the reader than if
watching the animated character in the movie.
Other things to
Consider:Other aspects of this book of interest or importance. For example, does it portray Wiccan practices and accurate use of tools of which some parents might object, does it contain
hidden meanings in metaphors that may prove offensive to some families; does it address
personal issues such as puberty or pregnancy.
In spite of Despereaux’s success, the reader is left
feeling disturbed.
Throughout the story the beatings suffered by Mig are
recounted and she suffers a hearing loss because of it.
Her physical and mental disabilities are portrayed so
negatively that it could humiliate children with
disabilities, obesity or low self-esteem. Other children
might be conditioned to feel superior to the inferior
rather than compassion, as no compassion is shown in
this story.
The portrayal of the
Tribunal council is questionable. It might be
interpreted as representing organized religion as
hypocritical.
Despereaux’s confession
to initiating forbidden touch and liking it is
reminiscent of the lies that sexual predators tell their
child-victims. It can also be interpreted in other ways,
and ultimately if the author wanted to have the
protagonist break societal rules, she should have made
clear the inadequacy of the rule so that the need to
break it was also clear, and used another type of rule
that was not physical touch.
Because it
is fundamentally disturbing in its darkness and refusal
to permit the basic humaneness with which we are all
born, Litland.com does not recommend this book.
ACTIVITIES: The publisher provides a classroom teaching
guide at
http://www.candlewick.com/book_files/0763617229.mis.1.pdf
So what do YOU
think? Read our thoughts on the book and join in the
discussion on the
Litland.com blog!
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