Lesson 7 Assignment #1: Moral Messages in Adolescents’ Literature
This project is a preliminary examination of the values that are being emphasized in adolescent literature. Go to a public library and ask the librarian for assistance in locating adolescent literature that has been excellently reviewed (e.g., has received awards or good critical reviews), and also deals with situations requiring moral decisions OR you may select books you have already read as an adolescent or as an adult but adolescents also read. Choose three books. Write a summary of your impressions, including whether the books emphasize, minimize, or even ignore the following issues:
Achievement, nurturance, cooperation, competition, honesty, endurance, taking chances, doing one’s best, kindness, caring.
Does the book emphasize doing right in order to:
1. Have a good life?
2. Be liked or appreciated?
3. Avoid punishment?
4. Do the right thing?
5. Follow the law?
Provide complete references for each of your selected books.
Complete the table
Book 1 Book 2 Book 3
Values that are Emphasized:
Reasoning for Acting moral:
Consequences for Acting badly:
Other:
Questions:
1. What values were most evident in the three books you read? What values are largely missing?
2. Which of Kolhberg’s stages are emphasized? Be specific, use textbook. Is it influenced by children’s typical reasoning stages? Is a caring orientation or a justice orientation provided more often?
3. What consequences are given to those who choose to act improperly?
