Character Analysis in Literature: Effects of Fiction on a Child’s Personal Development
Books have the transformative power of taking you to places that you would typically not be able to go. The books that we read as children are more likely than not to stay in our memories through adulthood. One of the reasons for that is that the hero and heroines that we read during our childhood can shape how we’re brought up and how we perceive the world. Since children are just beginning to understand the world around them and form their own versions of reality, the fictional characters they grow up with play a significant role in children personality development.
The importance of literature is widely known, especially in children, helping them develop empathy, build confidence, and expand their imagination. They also learn to visualize what they’re reading, further enhancing their cognitive skills. When a reader relates to a fictional character, they begin to impact the child’s development significantly. This is why, in school, teachers often emphasize on including children’s literature in the academic course. Students may also be asked to read essay samples on character analysis to understand the effects of reading on child development. By reading through such pieces, students can better understand why stories with rich descriptions of the lives and personalities of inspiring individuals entertain as well as serve as role models for children.
There are several benefits to internalizing literature during one’s childhood. Here are some of the ways in which it can affect children’s personal development.
1. It builds character in the reader
Protagonists of one’s favorite story tales can serve as role models for children. By relating to a fictional character who is honest and respectful and who has a sense of right and wrong can impart such education to a young reader’s mind. Not only does reading build a child’s creativity, but having a good role model can teach them how to live with integrity and civility.
When a reader picks up a novel as a kid, they learn from it. For instance, the book ‘Little Women’ by writer Louisa May Alcott is a classic that teaches young girls that it is okay to chase your dreams rather than give in to societal expectations. Even after years of reading the book, as adults, people still remember the ink-stained protagonist Jo March and her relentless struggle to achieve her dream.
2. It helps them learn about the world
The society that one grows up in has a significant role in the personality of a child. However, when individuals can live in different cultures through the power of books, they begin to expand their horizons and learn to understand that there is much more than the society they live in. It can teach them about different cultures and people and how everyone acts differently due to the society they are brought up in.
For instance, the widely popular book Harry Potter is one of the most important literary pieces that a child must learn. Studies have shown that the individuals who have read the series have significantly lower prejudices than those who haven’t. The antagonist of the book, Draco Malfoy, is a discriminatory character who ridicules and shuns minorities. By reading about such undesirable treatments in books, children learn to identify the wrong in such actions and look at minority groups without bias.
Children’s literature is often filled with adventure, psychological realism, magic, and beauty; things that one begins to learn are limited only to books when one grows up. However, every time someone picks up their old favorite book again in the library, they are transported back to their childhood and the fictional characters who made it beautiful.
