Why is representation in literature important?
Imagine being a student in kindergarten. Your world is filled with hope and joy. You love to read, and each time you get the chance to dive into a new book, you leap at the opportunity. The picture books you see are full of wonder and amazing tales. You read about heroes, princes, princesses, and people having fun with their friends. As you read more, you realize none of the characters look like you. You try to ignore it, but it starts to upset you. Why does nobody in the book remind you of yourself?
You grow older. Now, you're in jr. high. You hear about the iconic stories written by people whose names have been famous for generations. You pick up these stories only to find more of the same. You are not included in the stories you want to read, or the ones you have to. Why is that? You start to question if you haven't been included in these stories over the years because you're not good enough, you're not special enough, you're not smart enough. None of those statements are true, but that's how you feel.
The love you once had for reading is all but gone by the time you're in high school. Books have almost gotten to a point where they make you angry, not because you don't actually want to read, but because you have grown tired of not being represented. You wonder why the literary world hasn't paid attention to you. You want to know you deserve to have stories written for you.
The world is filled with people of many different backgrounds, so why does it seem like books are not? It is imperative we all feel seen and heard. It is crucial we all feel respected. It is necessary for everyone to feel others care about them. These are just a few of the reasons why diversity in literature is important. If the world is not monochrome, then the characters in our books shouldn't be, either.
You grow older. Now, you're in jr. high. You hear about the iconic stories written by people whose names have been famous for generations. You pick up these stories only to find more of the same. You are not included in the stories you want to read, or the ones you have to. Why is that? You start to question if you haven't been included in these stories over the years because you're not good enough, you're not special enough, you're not smart enough. None of those statements are true, but that's how you feel.
The love you once had for reading is all but gone by the time you're in high school. Books have almost gotten to a point where they make you angry, not because you don't actually want to read, but because you have grown tired of not being represented. You wonder why the literary world hasn't paid attention to you. You want to know you deserve to have stories written for you.
The world is filled with people of many different backgrounds, so why does it seem like books are not? It is imperative we all feel seen and heard. It is crucial we all feel respected. It is necessary for everyone to feel others care about them. These are just a few of the reasons why diversity in literature is important. If the world is not monochrome, then the characters in our books shouldn't be, either.
