Thursday, February 09, 2012

How Are Introverts Portrayed In Children's Literature?

The February 6 issue of Time had a cover story The Upside Of Being An Introvert (And Why Extroverts Are Overrated). (The actual cover says "The Power of (shyness)," which is not what the article is about at all.) This will be of interest to writers because conventional wisdom says that introverted types are drawn to writing.

I think it ought to be of interest to children's writers, too, because the article claims that extroverts tend to be more valued in our culture, yet introverts have qualities that often help them to become high achievers. At the same time, schools focus on and reward extroverts. (Group projects...team players...the belief that everyone needs to be well-rounded--whatever that is.)

What does children's literature reflect? The reality (according to Time, anyway) that introverts are achievers or the stereotype of introverts as outsider outcasts?

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