How is storytelling an effective weapon against hate?
Hi, my name is Erin, welcome to my blog! I am a grade 12 high school student in Canada. I am part of the PLP program at my school. We recently finished a project about storytelling and intolerance. We wrote and illustrated children’s books about intolerance and visited an elementary school to read the books and teach the kids about it. Keep reading to learn all about it!
Building our Knowledge
To begin building our own knowledge of intolerance and the Holocaust, we read the book “Night” by Elie Wiesel, which told the horrors and injustices endured by millions of people during World War II. This book was a a very powerful and impactful reminder of the consequences of unchecked hatred and intolerance. “Night” taught us the importance of ensuring that such atrocities are never repeated.
The Stories
We got to visit an elementary school class. The first visit was spent learning about and getting to know the students. Learning about them, what they liked, and their perspectives. By understanding their perspectives and interests, we could tailor our own children’s books to be both engaging and impactful. We then got to write and illustrate our own children’s books on intolerance. The focus when writing these books was explaining intolerance in a way that the kids could connect to and understand. I chose to write my book about bullying. The process of creating the book was both challenging and rewarding. I wanted to craft a story that was not only entertaining but also conveyed a meaningful message about the impact of words and actions. We got to return to the elementary school class with our completed books. We read our stories to the kids and it was very nice to see the impact of our books on the students. They listened attentively and were very interested and engaged. After reading the books we discussed the topics of intolerance and the students gave feedback on our books.
The Kindness Club
From reading “Night” by Elie Wiesel, and experiencing myself truly how impactful stories can be, to writing my own book for a younger audience, I’ve learnt how important it is to tell and share stories and history. Elie Wiesel’s book opened my eyes to the power of storytelling as a way to document history, honour those who have suffered, and ensure that past atrocities are not forgotten. As I wrote my own book for a younger audience, I realized the immense responsibility of shaping narratives that not only entertain but also teach and inspire. Crafting a story that touches on relevant issues such as bullying required careful thought and consideration of how young readers might interpret the message.
By sharing stories from the past and present, we can help young minds grasp the consequences of hatred and intolerance while also encouraging them to help create positive change. Storytelling bridges the gaps between different experiences and perspectives, fostering a sense of connection and shared humanity.
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