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Summary Of Chris Crutcher's Whale Talk

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Throughout the course of his article, “How Do They Do It” Chris Crutcher argues that the school systems should not take books that are relatable and significant to students out of the curriculum because of parents or un-educators urging them into censoring books with no proof of wrong effects on the students. Crutcher makes his argument through the use of his personal experiences, prejudice or biased opinion, and allusion throughout the article.
When making his argument Crutcher uses his personal experience and observations to show the effects censoring his book had on the students and teachers in the school. Crutcher’s book, Whale Talk, was censored by the school system in a school in Fowlerville, Michigan after one parent complained for disturbing …show more content…

Crutcher emphasizes the impact it had on students by mentioning the relatable connection and emotional relief they had when reading it in such an innovative way. Nevertheless, the school system was quick to censor it because of the opinion of one parent who home schooled her child. In his article Crutcher shared this experience and indicates how influenced the school system was by one parent. Crutcher suggests, “That, of course, requires administrators to stand up for their teachers before they stand up for non-educators…” (Crutcher). Chris Crutcher essentially states that the school system let one voice stand up louder and overpower the rest. Students, as well as teachers in this school had emotional connections with the book and felt empowered and understood, yet the school system did not …show more content…

He indirectly goes on about parents criticizing the educational community. Crutcher implies that these parents, as well as school systems that go along with it, prefer their ideology in comparison to the “good of the kids.” When building his argument Crutcher proposes, “these folks cling to some obscure holy pronouncement that allows them the illusion of control” (Crutcher). Crutcher wants to show that these people should not be given this amount of control and power when it comes to censorship of books because he believes that in turn one day it will hurt the students involved as well as the authors and even teachers. He continues to allude to parents and the school system when arguing that the school system completely disregards the student’s confirms facing the relation to the book and stand up for un-educators and parents who shouldn’t have such a large say in these certain things. Crutcher uses allusion to emphasize his point that parents as well as the school system unfairly censors books without reason yet believe their view on what is displayed throughout the book allows them to have control over what students can and cannot read no matter what their impression may

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