Animals Are Us: Anthropomorphism in Children’s Literature; Celebrating the Peter J. Solomon Collection
Why do we tell stories to children through and about animals? Are there reasons why we shouldn’t? Animals Are Us invites explores these questions and more through influential historic examples of anthropomorphism in dialogue with contemporary books drawn from the collection of Peter J. Solomon (Harvard College Class of 1960, MBA 1963) and the holdings of Houghton Library. The exhibition invites you to engage critically with animal anthropomorphism, and delight in the artfulness of this enduring literary genre. Catalog of an exhibition on view at Houghton Library, Harvard University, September 1, 2021 - January 7, 2022.
Why do we tell stories to children through and about animals? Are there reasons why we shouldn’t? Animals Are Us invites explores these questions and more through influential historic examples of anthropomorphism in dialogue with contemporary books drawn from the collection of Peter J. Solomon (Harvard College Class of 1960, MBA 1963) and the holdings of Houghton Library. The exhibition invites you to engage critically with animal anthropomorphism, and delight in the artfulness of this enduring literary genre.
Catalog of an exhibition on view at Houghton Library, Harvard University, September 1, 2021 - January 7, 2022.
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C. S. Lewis (British, 1898–1963, author)<br />
Paul<strong>in</strong>e Baynes (British, 1922–2008, illustrator)<br />
The Lion, The Witch and <strong>the</strong> Wardrobe<br />
New York: The Macmillan Company, 1950<br />
21 x 14 cm<br />
Houghton Library, Typ 970.50.5196<br />
Gift of <strong>Peter</strong> J. <strong>Solomon</strong>, 2020<br />
The Lion, <strong>the</strong> Witch and <strong>the</strong> Wardrobe featured masses of<br />
talk<strong>in</strong>g animals overshadowed by a larger-than-life lion,<br />
Aslan, who suggests a Christ figure—a prevail<strong>in</strong>g force<br />
of good over evil. Literary scholars have criticized <strong>the</strong><br />
book for its not-so-subtle exhortation of Christian values,<br />
while schools have banned it on <strong>the</strong> grounds of graphic<br />
violence and mysticism. In one case, <strong>the</strong> state of Florida<br />
was subsequently challenged for overstepp<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> divide<br />
between church and state.<br />
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