Reading Literature for Character Formation

I think reading (or being read to) is a fun way for kids to learn about the world, about values and concepts. These stories can really teach children the distinction between right and wrong, and they're enjoyable for them. It's not like somebody is pushing 'knowledge' down their throats (like it often happens at school), it really doesn't feel like learning and that's why it can be more effective.

Hi srjac,A persons personality is shaped by so many influences both good and bad.Genes account for more than 50% of it and the rest comes through various interactions and influences in life.Reading literature has no doubt positive effects on the mind.However,it is not the only thing that attributes to our character formation, there are many other contributory factors as well ...Moral stories have their limitations when put into test in the practical world since some them seem to have been written with the sole idea of glorifying a certain bent of mind and belief...I would say that every single action leaves an imprint on the mind and it depends on the persona capacity or bent of mind, as to how best he absorbs it and assimilates it in his life..all the best and happy mylotting

I think that children should read as much as possible, and I think that when it comes to developing character, then the child has formulate their own. I think that people should build up a child's character in a positive way, and when they do something bad or wrong, show them why what they did was bad and wrong.

That's sweet to have your grandparents or parents to read a bed time story. Pretty much, my parents never did that for me and I simply hated reading when I was a kid. My Dad insisted that I read so that my English skills could improve and that I can do better in my writing at school. As a kid, I didn't really care and I simply could not touch a book. If I was forced to read at school, I simply finished a novel in 5 minutes because I just skimmed through the pages! It wasn't until high school that I realized how important reading was. I started to read, mainly online stories as they were more interesting than the books in the library. I found that my vocabulary improved and that my imagination was so much better, helping me to write better creative stories.

Strange I don't recognize anything of what you are saying. So this can only mean reading bedtime stories or stories told by (grand)parents has to do with the kind of (grand)parents you have but also with where you grow up. None of my grandparents or parents ever told a story and the kind of lessons I remember from stories or poems are not that psycological at all. It's more about threatening kids what happens if you don't eat your soup (you will die within 3 days). Also I don't agree with the so called lessons you can learn from a story, tale or poem. Because the lesson is that what you see in the story. A good example is Cinderella. This story is written in the middle ages. Everybody is telling you if you are a sweet girl, work hard, no matter how bad people threat you, you will be rewarded in the end (the prince). Others say that dreams come true. So we girls been raised in a hard world where we always are the one who have to be friendly, helpfull, understanding, hard working etc. But is it true what the fairy tale Cinderella tells us? Is she rewarded because she worked hard? To my opinion she isn't. Cinderella got what she wanted because she did not listen to her stepmother. She went out althoug she was punished to stay at home. She did not obey. She made her own plan, went out and that is why she got her prince and a way better life. Because she had a goal and did not care about the consequences. She went out and only saw her goal (prince/better life). So Cinderella got her reward/great future because she worked hard for it! Not because she was such a sweetheart and let herself beaten up and be scold at by stepmother and sisters.