'Enriching Our Literary Heritage': Judy Blume or Madeleine L'Engle?

BreakPoint with Chuck Colson ^ | December 29, 2004 | Chuck Colson

[Unam Sanctam]

It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that Blume received her award, not for literary merit, but for something else—promoting a worldview. By sympathetically portraying adolescent sexual relationships that are free of values (except the avoidance of pregnancy and disease), Blume did as much as anyone else to help bring the sexual revolution to the younger generation.

Precisely.

[Alkhin]

I remember the 'controversy' of Blume's books...the Me Margaret one played very strongly in my social group. Frankly, when I read it, I was utterly baffled by the tone she took...I couldnt believe that a girl was actually looking forward to something like that...so the book came across as an utter lie to me.

L'Engle, however was magical and my absolute favorite...that is, until I picked up this weirdly titled book called "The Hobbit." Forgot all about L'Engle then...

[escapefromboston]

That explains why I missed them. I prefer Bloom to L'Engle. Though I have only read "a wrinkle in time" I found it a bit bland.

The best children's book ever written: The Phantom Tollbooth.

[retrokitten]

It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that Blume received her award, not for literary merit, but for something else—promoting a worldview. By sympathetically portraying adolescent sexual relationships that are free of values (except the avoidance of pregnancy and disease), Blume did as much as anyone else to help bring the sexual revolution to the younger generation.

I don't remember all the sex in "Fudge" and "Blubber", but then again I read them near 20 years ago so maybe they have updated versions or something. ;-)

[Xenalyte]

You're forgetting Wifey. Made Deenie and Forever look almost acceptable.

[stands2reason]

I consider Wifey her adult novel.

[t_skoz]

[two134711]

I'm ashamed to admit that I've never read "A Wrinkle in Time," but I've read almost all of Judy Blume's books. Ms. Blume works display almost schizophrenic qualities. Her books for younger readers such as "The One in the Middle is the Green Kangaroo," "Superfudge," "Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great" (et al) were funny & cute and I'd have no problem letting my daughter read them.

"Are You There God, It's Me Margaret" & "Forever" deal with intense subject matter (puberty, divorce, relgion, teen sex, birth control) but they are tastefully written so that a parent could read them as well and discuss the subject matter with their teens. But her adult works are simply "trashy" (ie something one would expect from Jackie Collins, not a writer of children's books). "Wifey" left a particularly bad taste in my mouth. It concerns a suburbanite housewife & mother who "finds herself" by having affairs (one with a highschool paramour, & the other with her sister's husband!) The heroine displays no remorse & is prevented from breaking up her marriage only because her boyfriend has no intention of leaving his wife.

[Melas]

The NEH seems to have made a good pick in L'Engle, but the NEH and the NEA shouldn't exist. Art is not a legitimate government function.

That statement is rather misleading since the NEA isn't a government entity, but rather a private organization.

[ReignOfError]

The controversy over Blume's books was always out of proportion to the content. Her books were mostly read by girls, but I picked up a copy of Deenie because there was a local move to ban it from libraries.

The controversial scene involved a young girl touching herself in the bathtub. It ran, as I recall, half a page, maybe a whole page. Couched in vague enough language that I waited the rest of the book for the scandalous stuff. That was it.

[pbear8]

The best children's book ever written: The Phantom Tollbooth.

Be very quiet for it goes without saying...

[Melas]

Wifey was a juvenile author's lone foray into adult literature. It doesn't count because it was written for adults.

[Melas]

The best children's book ever written: The Phantom Tollbooth.

Sorry my friend, but The Phantom Tollbooth is silly escapism compared to the true giants in juvenile literature: Anything by S.E. Hinton.

[Mr. Silverback]

That statement is rather misleading since the NEA isn't a government entity, but rather a private organization.

First...from the NEA website:

The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts--both new and established--bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Endowment is the nation's largest annual funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases.

Second, even if the NEA were private, or didn't exist, there is no justification for bushels of U.S. tax dollars going to art. Art is a wonderful thing, but it is not one of the legitimate responsibilites of American government.

[Mr. Silverback]

Thank you!

[T.Smith]

What did she write, besides "The Outsiders"?

[T.Smith]

As an adult, Judy Blume's books would be boring and silly. As a child, I loved every one of them. I was also a fan of Beverly Cleary (I had a sister, so I even got to read "Are you there God, it's me, Margaret. I didn't quite get it).

I think the author of this piece must have had a Judy Bloom book dropped on their toe, or something. Their criticism seems not to regard the age group Judy Bloom was writing for.

[Lizavetta]

According to my wife, Blume's Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret. is a classic "coming of age" book for girls which teaches about menarche in a gentle and understanding way.

I seem to remember it as being about a bunch of teenage girls all hoping to start their periods before the others, and one of them lying about it. It brought back a lot of unpleasant memories for me about peer pressure and bitchy girls that I'd just as soon forget.

[KneelBeforeZod]

this is a crappy article in the vein of "George Washington owned slaves"

the blume books with sex in them are far outweighed by the ones that don't.

[weegee]

Can't even let teens read the newspaper today with journalists bragging about wanting to fellate President Clinton for his support on womens' issues.