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lnnocenL Chlldren (2007 lree-8esponse)

8lchard Wllbur and 8llly Colllns share Lhelr vlews on Lhe lnnocence of chllbren
Lhrough A 8arred Cwl" and 1he PlsLory 1eacher", respecLlvely. Wllbur approaches Lhe
Loplc wlLh senLlmenLal wrlLlng, Collln's wrlLes abouL Lhe chlldren's lnnocence by uslng
amblgulLy and puns of hlsLorlc evenLs.
A chlld" (Wllbur, 3) ls wakened"(3) ln Lhe nlghL by an owl. She llsLened" Lo
her Lerrors" buL Lhen lgnored Lhe sound of sLealLhy fllghL" (Wllbur, 10). 1he Lone
glven ln Lhls passage ls senLlmenLal and sLlrs Lhe emoLlons ln Lhe reader. Words such as
wakened, sleep, sLealLhy, and dreamlng are used Lo convey Lhe mood of Lhe plece.
Colllns deplcLs a Leacher Lrylng Lo proLecL hls sLudenLs' lnnocence" (1) vla puns
and amblgulLy of hlsLorlcal evenLs. 1he replacemenL of Lhe lce Age"(Colllns, 2) wlLh Lhe
Chllly Age"(2) ls one example. lce ls LhoughL of as a cold ob[ecL. 1he Leacher makes Lhe
allegorlcal subsLlLuLlon of lce wlLh chllly Lo proLecL hls sLudenLs from Lhe realness of Lhe
world. Colllns vlews chlldren as lnepL and unable Lo handle Lhe LruLh because of Lhelr
pure and unLalnLed lnnocence. Pe wlshes Lo prolong Lhelr lnnocence because Lhey
don'L need Lo change rlghL now.
Wllbur and Colllns boLh share Lhe same respecL for a chlld's lnnocence. Powever
Wllbur vlews lL as a prlceless Llme perlod and shares LhaL wlLh us Lhrough Lhe Lone and
mood of A 8arred Cwl" whlle Colllns vlews lL as Lhey aren'L emoLlonally ready.
1he lnnocence of a chlld ls preclous ln many ways. 1he harshness of Lhe world
can desLroy and Lake lL away.
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