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CHAPTER ONE Introduction In the The Preclude (IV l.354) William Wordsworth writes: When from our better selves we have too long Been parted by the hurrying world, and droop. Sick of its business, of its pleasures tired, How gracious, how benign, is Solitude. Almost every one of us knows such quiet moments when we are alone with our better selves. In those solitary and reflective times, questions of personal identity often come to mind: Who am I? What resources do I bring to bear on the problem I face? How do I remain myself in the face of temptations to sell out or give in to social pressure? How can I deal with all of the problems that waylay me? And how can I keep my sense of humor and hope in a world that is often too sad to bear? These questions are as urgent for preadolescent children as they are for adults. They are how we answer the questions in Duke Ellington's song "What Am I Here For?" They refer to those personal dimensions of character explores in this section: courage, self-discipline, integrity, creativity, and playfulness--values at the heart of our ability to make moral decisions which shape the people we become as we deal with our experiences. These values give coherence to our feelings and expectations and lead us to act on our beliefs. Courage The strength to face pain, act under pressure, and maintain one's values in the face of opposition is tested through confrontation with fear. However, courage can become foolish when it is out of proportion to actual danger. There are things to fear, and there are times when caution has to temper courage. The evolution of a sensible calculus of courage is one of the aspects of personal growth that can be enriched through literature, and this section you will find many examples of how courage develops and contributes to the formation of a moral center. Self-Discipline The self-discipline to plan and pursue a project to a conclusions, as well as to persevere in the face of criticism and obstacles, is another dimension of character growth that is particularly important for eight- to thirteen-year-olds. This is the time when planning ahead and being able to carry through a difficult undertaking are crucial skills, necessary to becoming an independent, morally autonomous, and caring adult. This section contains many examples of the tales about the dangers of being overindustrious and forgetting the goals that underlie effort. Integrity The sense of self as a person of moral worth and wholeness lies at the center of all the values that refer to one's self. Integrity implies the consistency of all one's actions with one's values. It is perhaps the hardest value to realize consistently as a young person. There are so many temptations to be like someone else, to follow the lead of others, or to compromise values in order to avoid conflict that stories about such questions are valuable guides to growth. Creativity The willingness to explore unfamiliar ideas and to invent new ways to solve old problems is developed when young people are free to experiment and make mistakes. It is a character value that applies to all the varied challenges of life. While creativity is not to be found just in the arts, writers often focus on artistic expression to convey the excitement of taking on something new and breaking old boundaries. The ability to use one's experience and intelligence to solve problems is a fundamental strength of character, one worth reading and taking about. Playfulness The ability to temper seriousness with a sense of playfulness and humor is a basic survival skill. Without the capacity of playfulness and humor oneself as slightly silly and out of joint, to make light of temporary setbacks or clumsiness, growth would be defeated at every point. In addition, the suspension of reality and the enjoyment of dancing, singing, or just being silly are fundamental and positive aspects of being alive. If you can't play, you stunt your own growth. Courage Eleanor Roosevelt described courage in the following way: Courage is the strength to face pain, act under pressure, and maintain one's values in the face of opposition You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, "I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along." ...You must do the thing you think you cannot do." --Eleanor Roosevelt, You Learn by Living The selections in this section explore different aspects of courage. Stories of courage are both inspirational and cautionary. There are many aspects of this value that can be explored through stories and tales, and we have tried to provide a multifaceted portrait to encourage young people to think of themselves as courageous. Some of the aspects of courage explored in this section are Of course, reading and talking about can't, in and of themselves, create courage. But it can create a climate for the development of courageous behavior and an understanding of other people's fears and the courage they summon up despite those fears. * unexpected courage, the courage you did not know existed, discovered at the center of one's being under pressure.. This kind of courage can be moral as well as physical. When child defends another against bullies or prejudice, her or his courage is showing as much as when she or he rescues someone from physical danger. * courage that maintains itself under threat of criticism from peers, family, or authority figures. This can be the courage to defend your values against people with more power, or the courage to pursue a dream when others call you foolish or incapable. * lack of courage, facing cowardice and finding a way to come to turns with weaknesses you discover in yourself. * fear and the way in which it tests courage. This includes fears that are perfectly reasonable and cannot be overcome, such as the fear of being killed during a war, as well as fears arising from lack of self-confidence. * foolish and dangerous courage, the sense of not knowing your limitations. This can consist of not knowing when to give up trying to solve a problem for yourself and ask for help or acting on the irrational but decent impulse to prevent someone from drowning when you can't swim. * moral, social, and political courage at the risk of your life or health. This is the kind of courage that many children under age twelve manifested during the Civil Rights Movement and at other times of moral crisis.