Lessons in the Warriors series

Kayson Carlin

Bowling Green State University

2 April 2017

 

Into The Woods

Reading is an essential skill for children to utilize throughout their lives. Not only does it foster important developmental skills, such as communication, but reading can expand their horizons. Juvenile literature can open the doors to the imagination and creativity, as well as teaching life lessons. At a young age children are more open to fiction stories than non-fiction, and begin using the narratives to form their own perspective of themselves and the world around them. One must be choosy, however, to select a book that depicts an accurate and diverse world like the one we live in. For this reason, The Children’s Book Council was formed, and compiled a list of the top 100 Children’s Books. A personal favorite, Warriors by Erin Hunter, has many redeeming qualities and should be included by The Children’s Book Council’s Top 100 List because it depicts various cultures, represents characters with disabilities, and explores morality in conflicts.

For a bit of background, Warriors is about feral cats who have created a society which is divided into four factions. These factions, called clans, have their own standard of living, however all four abide by a Warrior Code that promotes loyalty, honor, dignity and humility. These clans have developed a hierarchy of power, as well as social customs, and even a religion. The story follows a young housecat that stumbles upon these Warriors, who then must navigate their foreign way of life if he wishes to be a part of the clan. While this book is considered children’s literature, it is intended for older children ages 8 – 12.

An important aspect to consider when choosing a book, is making sure it includes accurate representations of other cultures. In an online pamphlet, the Anti-Defamation League states children’s books “that represent all cultural groups equally will help convey to children that all people are valuable.” Despite being a story revolving around cats, Warriors addresses the topic of different cultures interacting with one another. Each clan, as stated above, has their own customs. RiverClan cats live near a river, and have embraced swimming in water, something that the other clan cats cannot fathom as they do not like getting their fur wet (34). In these interactions, it is shown that despite having differences in daily living, all cats are treated with respect. Another example is when a group of clan cats meet mountain-dwelling cats who call themselves the Tribe of Rushing Water. The Tribe, as they are referred to, have a completely different society and religion. Some cats argue which lifestyle is “right”, and which beliefs are more dominant. Although it takes some effort, the clan cats learn to respect the Tribe’s way of life, eventually learning that neither groups way of doing things are “wrong”. This is explored deeper when there is a clash of religious beliefs. The clan cats believe in “StarClan”, while the tribe cats believe in the “Tribe of Endless Hunting” (214). Both beliefs are portrayed as valid and fully capable of coexisting, a lesson the cats learn after many disagreements. And though they are cats, Warriors incorporates the use of people from different cultural and traditional ways of thinking working together to solve a common goal, which can be applied to the real world. This type of inclusion also extends to individuals.

It seems like characters with disabilities are far and few between, especially when it comes to children’s literature. Having a diverse cast of characters, including those who are differently abled, help show children that not only do these people exist, but that they’re just like everyone else. Warriors does a great job of including cats with these characteristics. Brightheart is a cat with half of her face disfigured and only one eye. She overcomes her obstacles and learns to be an amazing fighter, never letting her disability affect her attitude, thus earning her name (81). She is even praised and looked up to by her fellow warriors. Of course, not everyone can emerge from their battles victorious. Other cats such as Briarlight, who become paralyzed, find themselves helping the clan in other ways like watching over kittens in the nursery and helping them grow. Elderly cats are honored, and revered for their experience and wisdom. It is not unusual to see leaders seek out their advice. Even cats that are completely blind have a place within the community. Jayfeather is a young tomcat that was born blind, who uses his other senses to find herbs, medicinal plants, and even detect sickness in others. Having characters with disabilities reflects everyday people, but it can also act as a mirror for children who are also disabled. Visibility in popular culture builds validity for those who often do not see themselves represented. And if such characters are portrayed positively, it helps increase self esteem with those who identify with them. All these characters who are differently abled are shown to be important, valued members of their community. Valuing others can easily be translated from cats in a book, to people in children’s lives.

A major theme in Warriors is “good versus evil” and the concept of morality. This topic is explored through character development and conflict. There are no completely “good guys” nor are there completely “bad guys”. Characters are presented in shades of gray instead of strict black and white, where all types of qualities are displayed. For example, the antagonist Tigerstar is widely accepted as an evil character, yet he displays traits that are considered “good” such as fierce loyalty. He also displays courageous behavior, something that other cats admire him for (50). Despite his actions that end up causing massive problems, there are still good things about him. This opens the reader to determine the validity of the character for themselves and whether or not there are truly absolutes in the world. Even in the book, cats are divided on what to think of Tigerstar, presenting a complex issue on what it means to be “good”. What one character may view as “bad”, may not be the same to another. In one chapter, WindClan is seen stealing prey from ThunderClan territory. This is considered abhorrent, going against the Warrior Code. When it is revealed that WindClan is hunting prey on other’s territory because their land is experiencing drought, the question of morality is brought up. Taking prey is forbidden, yet there are cats who are starving. Is stealing moral, under certain circumstances? These moral conflicts are often present in Warriors, presenting the world in shades of gray. Instead of commanding a clear line between two sides, everything is mixed. This encourages readers to make their own decisions about right and wrong, good and bad, without dictating what they should think.

While reviewing Warriors, there is an understandable concern that it should not be included in the Children’s Book Council’s Top 100 List because of some of its content. A reoccurring factor in this book is death, a topic that some people may not find appropriate to be present in a book intended for children. An example is that it depicts the death of cats, including kittens. In one scene, a newborn kitten is abducted by an eagle and is taken away, presumably to its demise (88). The death of elderly cats is also included, along with tragedies of younger cats who die in fights or illness.

It’s arguable that the inclusion of death is a topic that cannot be avoided, as it is a fact of life. The depictions in the book are not graphic or violent, which helps present itself to readers more easily. Depending on the reader, it is also easier to digest this topic when the characters are not human, though for some it may be harder because they are animals. However birth, life, and death are shown as a natural cycle of the world, and teaches that though someone is gone from the physical world, they never truly disappear from our hearts. This is a lesson that children need to learn in order to become well adjusted adults.

Warriors is a wonderful book series, with a plethora of lessons to teach young minds. Through complex world building it captures cross-cultural issues that are present in our world today, and breaks it down for kids to understand. Coexistence of different ideologies and ways of thinking is a key concept in this series, helping readers to connect and understand other people in our environment. Overlooked groups such as those with disabilities are included and portrayed in a positive light, reinforcing the idea that everyone has value no matter what they look like or what they are capable of. It also demonstrates how multi-dimensional real people are, by having conventionally “good” characters display negative behaviors, and conventionally “bad” characters display positive qualities. It opens the door to higher comprehension of morality, which can be applied to all types of situations in life. By having all these facets combined into an easily digestible format, children are encouraged to build skills that will help them learn their place in the world. As the author, Erin Hunter is quoted saying “one of the good things about writing a book about cats is that we can tackle difficult human issues such as death, racial intolerance, and religious intolerance [without seeming so heavy].” This is only a portion of what Warriors has to offer. By containing these values, skills, and lessons, Warriors is an exceptional book series that should be included in the Children’s Book Council’s Top 100 list. Surely children from all backgrounds and environments can enjoy and learn from this book and its character. After all, “it doesn’t matter where you come from, only who you are inside” (122).

 

 

Works Cited

Anti-Defamation League. Assessing Children’s Book Collections Using Anti-Bias Lens. New York, 2013. PDF.

Crippen, Martha. “The Value of Children’s Literature.” Oneota Reading Journal (2012). Online article.

Hunter, Erin. Warriors. New York: HarperCollins, 2003. Book.