scary tales essay by jackie torrence

Essay Example: Children Should Read Scary Stories

In Jackie Torrence’s essay, “Scary Tales” she shares her perspective that children should read scary tales. In her essay, she includes valid points convincing readers like myself that children should read scary stories. Many parents think their children shouldn’t read scary stories as it could be traumatizing but without them, how are children supposed to learn coping mechanisms and learn life lessons? As long as a child is being read just enough age appropriate scary stories, it’ll be beneficial and be a learning experience for them.

Most scary stories teach children important life lessons and coping mechanisms. Those life lessons and coping mechanisms will come into use when the child is experiencing a difficult situation. Some scary stories may teach the lesson of being cautious—or even don’t buy creepy toys. Torrence also states on page 101 lines 56-59, “You should be a little hesitant sometimes, his stories were saying, you should think twice before you go into the woods, there just might be a hairy man and you need to be cautious.” This quote proves that scary stories can teach life lessons. If a child’s in a dangerous situation, they can put to use the lessons that they have learned from those scary stories. Scary stories don’t only just teach important lessons but they teach coping mechanisms too. They’ll teach children how to react after experiencing difficult situations and how to assess the situation.

Children should read scary stories—not a lot but enough for them to be beneficial rather than traumatizing. Scary stories may be beneficial to some children by teaching them life lessons and coping mechanisms. Scary stories aren’t always traumatizing and they should be read to children. Everyone—not just kids but adults too, need to experience and practice fear whether it’s through reading stories or movies because it’s an emotion that we all need.

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Scary Tales

Description: scary tales, read the text version.

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INDEPENDENT READING Scary Tales Essay by Jackie Torrence © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company • ©Danomyte/Shutterstock BACKGROUND Jackie Torrence (1944–2004) spent much of her childhood on a North Carolina farm, where she grew up listening to traditional stories told by her grandfather. Years later, while working as a librarian, she was asked to read stories to some young children. She agreed, and the children were instantly captivated. Before long, Torrence was invited to tell stories in local and neighboring communities. Torrence, who was later dubbed “The Story Lady,” went on to gain national prominence as a storyteller. SETTING A PURPOSE As you read, pay attention to the points the author makes about scary tales. Would most people agree with her ideas? I1 guess I like scary tales so much because my granddaddy liked scary tales. He’d have to tell one if it killed him. He was sick a lot, but if visitors came, he’d prop himself up in an armchair and put a quilt on his lap. So nobody could see his nightshirt. Then he’d put his derby hat1 on, he loved that derby, and somebody would say, “Mr. Jim, tell us about that time when the fire dog followed you down through the wheat field.” And my grandma would say, “Hold it, let me leave the room, lightning’s going to strike.” She always said Granddaddy was the biggest liar God ever blew breath into. So she’d leave, but not me. I’d get closer to Pa ’cause I wanted to watch the people listening to him. 2 There used to be an old man who came to our house named Hall. I would hear people say, “Mr. Hall wears a rug.” I didn’t know what a 1 derby hat:  a hat made of stiff felt that’s round on top and has a small, curved brim. Scary Tales 1 rug was. I’d lay down on the floor and Grandma would say, “What are NOTICE & NOTE you doing?” “I’m trying to find Mr. Hall’s rug.” And Grandma would say, “Get up, get up! That ain’t nice.” Well, one day Mr. Hall was there and Grandpa started into one of his scary stories. There was a piece of wood burning in the fireplace, sort of sticking out, and Pa spotted it. I watched him put his tobacco way back in his mouth so he could get a good long shot. At just the right moment in the story, he threw his head forward and that tobacco came out and hit that wood just right; it fell off on the floor and the fire sparked up. Somebody threw a baby on the floor, men ran out, and Mr. Hall ran out too. When he passed us, Mr. Hall’s scalp was as naked as the palm of my hand. Jesus have mercy! Granddaddy scared the hair right off Mr. Hall’s head! Well, I went over to his chair, and there in Mr. Hall’s hat was his scalp! I picked it up. “Grandma! Is this Mr. Hall’s rug?” Grandma said, “Put that thing down and go wash your hands.” Oh, I loved those days when Grandpa told his scary stories. 3 So when I started telling stories in school, that’s what I chose, scary tales. I’ve got storytelling friends who’d rather be killed than go to junior high. But not me, I love junior high. That’s sixth, seventh, and eighth grade, and those kids can’t believe they’re going to have to sit there and listen to me tell a story. So I do just what Grandpa said, “If you want to get the attention of a mule who’s too stubborn to listen, you take the branch off a tree and come right down across the top of his head.” What is my branch? A good scary story. When I tell those kids, “I’m going to scare you,” when I start to give them a little bit of fear, well, they’re ready to listen. © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company • ©Sunrise Illustration/Shutterstock Scary Tales 2 4 A lot of people have told me I really shouldn’t tell children scary NOTICE & NOTE things. Well, children can frighten themselves without your help. When they’re alone in bed they hear things and they see things. So I just help them along. “It’s daaaaaaark, ” I say. And there’s a strange voice, “Where’s Myy Haaairy Toe…” That’s all they need. They remember the dark and they’re scared again and that’s good. 5 Children need to be frightened. We all do. It’s an emotion that was given to all of us and it should be exercised. When you don’t exercise it, you lose your sense of fear. That’s why my granddaddy told me scary stories. He wanted me to know that only fools rush in where angels fear to tread. You should be a little hesitant sometimes, his stories were saying, you should think twice before you go into the woods, there just might be a hairy man and you need to be cautious. 6 My grandfather scared me to death. Grandma would say, “Get up on your granddaddy’s lap and kiss him good night.” I’d throw my arms around him and say, “I’m going to bed.” And he’d say, “It’s dark up there.” And I’d say, “I know.” “You know what’s in the dark?” “Nooooo.” “Monsters,” he’d say. “What do monsters do?” “They’ll drag you off the bed and put you in the keyhole,” he’d say. Well, I yelled and screamed going up the stairs. My grandmother would say to me on the way up, “Would you stop crying? There’s not a keyhole big enough to put you in.” So I remained fat for the rest of my life. That’s why no monsters have ever bothered me. © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company “Scary Tales”from Jackie Torrence: The Magic of Creating Stories and the Art of Telling Them by Jackie Torrence. Text copyright © 1998 by Jackie Torrence. Reprinted by permission of The Estate of Jackie Torrence. Scary Tales 3

Jennifer Cantu

Related publications.

Analyzing Jackie Torrence's Argument and Style in "Scary Tales" with ACE

Description

In this three-page handout, students will be guided toward higher-level thinking and analysis, as they delve deeper into Jackie Torrence's humorous yet argumentative essay in favor of scary stories. Her essay is an enjoyable essay that permits us all to examine the rich interplay of argument and style! This essay is available in many textbooks, as well as online.

Using ACE, my students have learned so much about how to examine an author's argument and style, make a strong claim, and support it! This handout includes several helpful supports for struggling and students who are newer to English:

1. a concise explanation of ACE

2. basic argumentation terms

3. words that describe style

4. words that introduce concrete details (quotes)

5. MLA parenthetical citation reminders and examples

Students will ACE questions about her argument, complete a chart and analyze her style, and then put it together in a well-organized paragraphs. Students will gain confidence in analyzing and evaluating an author's work. With scaffolding provided at each step, all students can do this!

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