Cancel stories

It's been a little over a year since the novels were edited Roald Dahl According to the values ​​of political correctness. The news sparked controversy, and unfortunately it was not an isolated case. now UB Editions publica Stories and cultural cancellation. Controversies and viewpoints about the content of the storiesa collection of articles edited by Nuria Opiolus Soare. From perspectives coming from various disciplines, the book explores the complex debate over cancel culture with particular attention to children's literature, one of the main victims of the issue.

Morally offensive content is usually the key to not trusting children's stories. With a desire to preserve the innocence of creatures, stories that feature dark elements of the human condition, such as violence, injustice, or death, are rejected. In this sense, it is folktales that receive the most attention, precisely because they highlight the contradictions of human existence.

Conservative political sectors are those that openly oppose the abolition of traditional stories; “What remains paradoxical,” Obiols Soare wrote, “taking into account the history of cancellations that have played a role in these situations in the past.” In fact, it is precisely in these sectors that the other side of cancellation arises: disapproval of works that update stories to current topics and address issues related to gender, race or sexuality, among others.

Stories and cultural cancellation It arises from doubts about the benefits of adapting children's stories. Opius Soare and the rest of the authors – psychologists, educators, researchers in language and literature, writers and illustrators… – explore different aspects of the phenomenon and struggle to preserve a children's literature that speaks about all aspects of human life, with lights and shadows. Any intervention in stories thinks of literature as an educational tool, and looks for stories that are morally impeccable. But do we really have to talk about only the good things? Who decides what is good and what is not? The cancellation of children's literature shows a condescending attitude on the part of adults, who do not trust children's ability to deal with complex topics and enjoy the works for themselves, without having to learn the lesson from them.