The multicultural ethic and connections to literature for children and young adults

Inherent in this philosophy is also the need to have a strong appreciation for one's own culture so that one can better recognize the similarities to, and differences from, the culture of "the mainstream." One should not assume that this will be "taken care of in the home." Such an assumption may not only be unrealistic in terms of opportunities available within the home and the cost and availability of multicultural materials, but, in fact, brings us right back to the issue of exclusivity, which works in opposition to all members of the populace having the opportunity to "know and grow." Multicultural literature must be shared with all and should not be thought of as exclusive property (or the exclusive domain or responsibility) of a designated group. Everyone can and

must benefit through participation in the experience. It is even possible that, through the provision of a more "open" environment, new groups emigrating to the United States will find it a bit easier to adjust to American society, a situation not the exclusive dilemma of people of color.

The second issue of the "insider" versus the "outsider" is one which is being hotly debated. For years, minority populaces have been written about and "described" by essentially white authors who are outside the cultures about whom they are writing or illustrating. This practice has had negative and positive effects. On the negative side, it has of ten resulted in biased viewpoints regarding those groups being written about, showing agendas which are linked to social or political prejudices. This has been the case with African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Asian Americans. The second effect of the practice has been a good one. As a result of the interest of nonminority individuals who have researched their subjects carefully and who have empathy for the people about whom they are writing or illustrating, more information about cultures other than mainstream white cultures has been shared with the populace at large.

The question posed and of ten debated is whether or not material written by so-called "outsiders" is actually valid material. It is suggested here that, while the experience of having lived as a member of the culture one is writing about offers one the opportunity of communicating that experience in a unique way, it is also felt strongly that, if the material is properly researched and genuine and authentic in intent and presentation, the contribution of the "outsider" has the potential of being a valuable one. This view recently been addressed by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (1991) in his article "'Authenticity," or the Lesson of Little Tree," in which he states:

our histories, individual and collective, do affect what we wish to write

and what we are able to write. But that relation is never one of fixed

determinism. No human culture is inaccessible to someone who makes

the effort to understand, to learn, to inhabit another world. (p. 30) This view is particularly interesting since it represents one not of ten voiced, if voiced at all, by black authors. In another article, Gates seems to call for a productive sharing of culture in an equitable way, as he also suggests that we "think of American culture as a conversation among different voices--even if it's a conversation that some of us weren't able to join until recently" (Winkler, 1990, p. A8).