Happy Anniversary, Tollbooth!
- Print
- 7/5/2011 |
- 10:00 am
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the publication of The Phantom Tollbooth, a book that, in the words of one early critic, set about to “awaken the lazy mind.” In honor of its birthday I read it again, and found that it stirred some thoughts that I've been mulling for some time regarding the reputation of knowledge.
That's a funny way to put it, I know. But today it's not simply that education, or knowledge, is in peril; reading through the pages of Norton Juster's classic book for kids reinforced my suspicion that our 21st century attitude toward knowledge hovers somewhere between apathy and disdain. I have to believe that Juster had a foreboding of what was to come.
The Phantom Tollbooth, for those who are unfamiliar with it, is a modern fairy tale of sorts, a book brimming with lessons and morals, all neatly encased within a wildly fantastical tale of adventure and discovery. But instead of the patronizing message normally found layered into today's children's books (you are special, you are unique, you are beautiful, you you you ad nauseum), the Tollbooth dares to incite young minds to look outward and, indeed, inspires a love of learning.
I miss that. Anymore it seems that learning is swallowed grudgingly, like a tablespoon of sour milk. Spelling, grammar, math skills, geography; rather than appreciating their significance in our lives, it’s more like we're inconvenienced by them. And woe to the person who advocates for proper usage, for they will surely know what it means to be savaged by the pack.
The Phantom Tollbooth took a somewhat whimsical approach in its battle against ignorance, but at its core it recognized that the issue was significant. Juster even created the mythical Mountains of Ignorance to symbolize the challenges confronting education. Fifty years later the architect-turned-author is likely aghast at how real his fantasy world has become. The mountains can no longer contain it all.
So this much-loved educational fable turns fifty this year. I’m happy to report that the funny and fascinating travels of Milo, Tock the watchdog, and Humbug are still relevant today - maybe more so. Certainly they’re needed more than ever. But sadly, what might keep millions of young students from appreciating the Tollbooth’s puns and corresponding lessons is a toxic mindset that learning is for losers. I hope that I’m wrong.
-
Sarah
July 7, 2011 6:04 am
This is my favorite book of all time. My mom read it with me as a child and I've read it many, many times since and even used it to do a hero's journey paper for a class in college. As I get older I have a different understanding about the book and it's meanings. I am beginning my second career in teaching. I see this book in many classrooms and know that there are a lot of teachers that are using this book! I plan to do the same in my own classroom as well.
