Genre 4: Informational Text - Confucius: The Golden Rule

Posted by Tamra S , Wednesday, July 14, 2010 3:07 PM

Bibliographic Data

Freedman, Russell. 2002. Confucius: The Golden Rule. Illus. by Frederic Clement. New York: Scholastic Press.

Summary and Analysis
Confucius, the legendary philosopher and sage, has a somewhat disputable life. He never actually wrote anything himself. What is written about him and attributed to him came from his followers and stories passed on about him, such as the The Analects of Confucius, which is a collection of his sayings as recorded by his students. Freedman, in his biographical work on the wise Confucius, presents a well-researched and engaging glimpse into the life and teachings of this historic figure.

Freedman weaves together truth that is known about Kongfuzi, as he was known to his students, along with traditional tales that are told about him. Freedman goes as far back as the story surrounding Confucius's birth, sometime around 551 BC, and forward to the lasting influence of Confucius's teachings in modern society, such as in the wording of the U.S. Constitution. Quotes from The Analects of Confucius are inserted throughout the text to convey his character, intellect, and wit. It is written that Confucius said, "At fifteen, I set my heart on learning." Confucius went on to be considered a wise, educated man. He aspired to transform government, though his dreams went unrealized. He saw the corruptness of government and the less than admirable qualities in so-called "gentlemen." He desired to see "gentleman" used to refer to those who deserved to be called that, not by inherited means. Confucius's legacy continued through his disciples as they continued his teachings and revolutionary ideas about government. At one point, the Chinese empire tried to wipe out Confucian teaching, obviously unsuccessfully. Today, Confucius's birthday is celebrated in a festival at the Confucian Temple in Qufu.

Freedman clearly distinguishes between fact and lore. He provides a note at the end of the text detailing his research into the topic, including visiting Qufu, where Confucius was born and spent much of his life. Paintings by Clement appear opposite almost every page of text and add to the text by focusing on a specific portion, with the line of text underneath the painting. The paintings are given an aged, somewhat ancient character, appearing at times to be pages torn from old text. The use of blurred images adds to the mystique surrounding Confucius.

Awards and Reviews
*Publishers Weekly: Newbery Medal winner Freedman (Lincoln: A Photobiography) delves deep into Chinese history in his intelligent, comprehensive biography of the 5th-century B.C. philosopher Confucius, whose teachings have influenced the development of modern government and education in both China and the West. . .Clement's moody, ethereal illustrations complement the thoughtful text yet play up the mystery of Confucius's life.
©2002 Reed Business Information

*School Library Journal: In writing this biography, Freedman faced two obstacles: a distorted popular idea of Confucius, and a paucity of data about the real man. He directly addresses the first, and his engaging book beautifully compensates for the second. . .Clement's illustrations are superb. His "portrait" of Confucius is unidealized, based on written descriptions of him. Each full-page piece of art does homage to Chinese-style painting, simulating old pictures, some damaged, others bearing the seals of many owners.
©2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Connections
*Extract a few of Confucius's sayings before reading the text. Ask students to discuss what they think he meant by what he said.
*Have students choose quotes from Confucius that they find personally meaningful and explain their selections.
*Students work in small groups to create a "Confucius Fact Sheet." Return to the text to identify factual informational and distinguish it from tales about Confucius. Establish criteria for determining what is fact.

References

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