Babar the Elephant

Babar the Elephant is a popular French children's fictional character who first appeared in L'Histoire du Babar by Jean de Brunhoff in 1931 and enjoyed immediate success. English language versions entitled The Story of Babar, appeared in 1933 in Britain and the USA. The story is based on a tale de Brunhoff's wife, Cecile, had invented for their children. It tells of a young elephant called Babar who leaves the jungle, visits a big city, and returns to bring the benefits of civilisation to his fellow elephants.

Criticism

The books are written in a charming and appealing style with an attention to detail which captivates both children and adults. Underneath they could be seen as a justification for colonialism, with the benefits of French civilisation being visited on the rustic African elephant kingdom. Some writers, notably Herbert R. Kohl and Vivian Paley have argued that whilst delightful the stories are politically and morally offensive. Others argue that the French civilisation described in the early books had already been destroyed by the Great War and the books were originally an exercise in nostalgia for pre 1914 France.

Related Topics:
Colonialism - Herbert R. Kohl - Vivian Paley - Great War - Nostalgia - 1914

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