Does Rainbow Fish Promote Socialism? Materialism? Uniformity? Or Sharing?
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What Exactly Is the Moral in The Rainbow Fish?
I have seen this award winning book out and about for many years, and I admit it is beautifully done. The illustrations are beautiful, and the use of the sparkly foil is very smart. It is mesmerizing to children. It was so popular, I thought it was great book....until I read it.
Written and illustrated by Marcus Pfister Herbert, this book was published in 1992, but it was only recently that I actually opened this book up and read the story. It has been sitting on my own shelf for a few years, but I only now cracked it open and read it to a child. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of reading it for the first time with a four year old girl on my lap - or else I never would have read it to her. (Note to self: read books to yourself before you read them to children).
Half way through this story, I have a perplexed look of "you can't be serious", and by the end I was wishing that I had just paraphrased an episode of "I Love Lucy" to her again- that always works.
Rainbow Fish
Rainbow Fish Big Book
Amazon Price: $15.70 (as of 06/03/2012)
The Story of Rainbow Fish:
Rainbow fish was the prettiest in the ocean with beautiful shiny scales. Other fish asked if he wanted to play, he just kept swimming. One fish asked if he could have a scale and the Rainbow Fish was a little rude in saying no "who do you think you are?". Then none of the fish would talk to Rainbow Fish. Then the wise creepy octopus told Rainbow Fish he had to give his scales to the other fish to learn how to be happy. Rainbow fish gave a scale to each of the other fish until he had just one left and looked like all the rest. Then they agreed to be friends with him again.
The Story of Rainbow Fish
If you are unfamiliar with the story, I suggest watching the video below. However, I prefer this alternate version of the story: The AMERICAN Rainbow Fish
Does Rainbow Fish Promote Socialism? Materialism? Uniformity? or Just Generosity?
Do you think Rainbow Fish teaches children the right thing?
Yes, I like the story just as it is.
Comet says:
Yes. To say anything that promotes sharing is promoting socialism is typical of the ridiculous black-and-white arguments coming from the Ayn Rand fanboy set who like to make out that there's either pure self-interested greed or communism, no middle ground.
ChrissLJ says:
It teaches children to share and not be greedy.
sandyspider says:
Interesting story. I do think it helps in teaching children the right thing.
Flynn_the_Cat says:
While I can see the 'you need to be like everyone else' message (now!) and don't like it, I always saw it as teching people to share - the special scales are what the other fish wanted, not that they didn't want him to be different.
Also, it is a very pretty book.
Materialism would have been him valuing the scales over the other fishes' friendship. Also, not being American, i don't see the concept of socialism as evil.
No!
Matt says:
Wow...when I re-read the synopsis of the book the first thing that came to my mind was redistribution of wealth. Metaphorically the Rainbow Fish represents someone of great wealth, but all the other "commoners" don't like him because he has so much money (the scales in the story) and doesn't want to share them. But alas the story ends with Rainbow Fish giving away his scales, that the other fish were jealous of, and became happy...
Caroline says:
In this chilling tale, a young shiny fish must give up what makes him unique and become like everyone else, so that others will like him. Hmm... sounds a bit like re-redistribution of wealth doesn't it? Re-read it and replace the words rainbow and scale to dollars. Scary right?
seegreen says:
I think that socialism is a huge stretch. But I have never cared for the book because the message I get is that it is about a fish that buys friends. Be my friend and I'll give you something. My kids disagree with me.
bechand says:
You make a great point with this book - I have always thought it wasnt fair that the fish had to give away it's unique persona to make friends. It promotes changing yourself to fit in with everyone else ... and Now reading what you wrote, I can see the socialism concept too ... (although it does have pretty pics :O)
Uniformity
Children, don't be different.
The Rainbow Fish is told that in order to be happy, he must give his beautiful scales away to everyone. Get rid of them, making them all the same. This books seems to suggest that one cannot be different, cannot be better and still have friends.
Don't be different, don't be prettier, don't be smarter, don't be richer, don't excel, or else others will be jealous of you and not like you anymore. Is this was we want to teach our children? How will a lesson like this encourage our children from being the very best they can in life? How will it encourage them to excel and get the most out of their talents?
Rainbow fish is not just letting them play with his toys. He is giving them a part of himself, part of what God gave him, part of what makes him unique. Why aren't we celebrating his individuality? Why didn't octopus tell him, "Yes, Rainbow Fish, God made you beautiful, but in order to have friends, you must also be kind"?
Would we ask a zebra in a field of horses to give up one stripe to each of them? Or would we teach the horses that even though the zebra is different, he is is still a nice friendly guy who likes to run and play like the rest of them, and teach the zebra that stripes are beautiful, but not better?
Consider this: What will Rainbow Fish's mother say when he gets home?
What's the The Moral of the Story
What We're Taught in Rainbow Fish
To me this story goes far beyond the "sharing" moral which I think most parents who like this book will rationalize. It goes far beyond "being a good friend". The socialist undertones of this book are screaming at you.
The morals that could have been accented
in this story but were missed (or broken):
- Be the best that you can, but be gracious and humble.
- Everyone is different, and that's okay.
- Everyone is beautiful, in their own way.
- Don't be jealous of what others have.
- Individuality is something to be cherished.
- Be proud of who you are.
- You can't buy friends.
- It's not what you say, but how you say it.
- God gave everyone different talents (or traits), it is what you do when them that is important.
- If you've been mean or rude, apologize.
- Don't do or have anything more then your friends or they will be jealous.
- To be happy, everyone should be the same.
- You can buy friends.
- Sometimes to have friends, you must give up what makes you special.
- Ostracizing people for being different is okay.
- You can't feel at home with people who are different than you.
More Rainbow Fish Items
Socialism
Why should Rainbow Fish have to give up his beauty to have friends? What did those other fish do for the scales? Can't a fish be more rich with scales then other fish and still be their friend? Was there no better way to teach Rainbow Fish about getting along then making him give his scales to them?
I can hear some people saying "it's just sharing!", but It's not just sharing. When we encourage our kids to "share", we expect it to be a back and forth. You let him have some of your cookies, later he'll let you play with his toys. It's not an official system of barter, but it is a friendly "what's mine is yours" attitude. We teach them this sharing as an opposite of greediness, and a way of "getting along", but we expect ALL the kids to share, not just the rich ones. What are the other fish sharing? He doesn't let them play with his scales, or try them on, or borrow them. He is told to give them up. In this story, Rainbow Fish is not sharing with them, he is paying them.
Buying Friends
Materialism
This doesn't seem like the healthy social skills we were expecting from good kids book, does it?
If I was the parent of ANY of the fish in this story, I would be dismayed at the course of the day, and do what I could to reverse it.
Are You Happy With What This Story Teaches?
The Best Thing I've Read About Rainbow Fish
So many of my friends love this book. So many of my *thinking* friends despise it.
This book is not about sharing. It is about giving up *one's self* to anyone who asks for it for any reason whatsoever. In the end, the rainbow fish loses all of the beauty and uniqueness that made him different and special. He becomes one of the masses.
The next time you read this story to your little one, think about what makes *your* child special and unique. Then think how sad you would be if he or she went to school and lost that special gift because his or her peers found it to be uncool. How sad you would be.
Teach your child to celebrate their uniqueness. Encourage them to shimmer!
There are better ways to teach your children about sharing without having to debase and degrade what makes them special and unique.
Guestbook
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jacob marx
Jun 1, 2012 @ 10:17 pm | delete
- you are missing the intire point, rain bow fish was a jerk because he thot he was better then everyone else, so he gave up what his scales to show that he is sorry and that he isnt better then every other fish... its not a socilist plot, its tells kids that if you have more then some one, dont hold it over them like a carrot to a horse. share what you can to be a good friend
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sandyspider
Apr 26, 2011 @ 10:55 am | delete
- Great points brought up here and interesting book.
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lisadh
Jul 25, 2010 @ 7:01 pm | delete
- Your points are valid. The Giving Tree is another popular kids book that has some of the same flaws - the tree gives away so much that he eventually has nothing (or at least, that's the message I took away from a very LONG time ago when I read it). Books, like life, aren't always perfect and don't always teach the lessons we'd like our kids to learn. So you do the best you can and either read the book and discuss it like you've done here... or pass that book along to the local library sale and find something with a better moral. :-)
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boshemia
Jul 29, 2010 @ 9:03 pm | delete
- lol about the giving tree... it was one of my favorite kids books, and still is though "Love you Forever" tops it. For a long time I based my adult definition of love on the Giving Tree and? Now I'm a victims advocate... Hmmms?
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bechand
Jul 13, 2010 @ 8:53 pm | delete
- I agree with you - I have never really liked the full concept that it showed, but I did read it to my kids - - - Oh, I think the rainbow fish should have consulted a "giant squid" instead of an octopus - :O)
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Thoughts from Twitter
Best of:
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- retweet | reply greencapt
- @gardnerisgod The Rainbow Fish- the liberal child's indoctrination tool.
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- retweet | reply mrsflinger
- @whithonea The Rainbow fish is a lesson of communism. That is fact.
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- retweet | reply ExEdTeacher
- @mattmurphyshow Be sure to stay away from "The Rainbow Fish", a primer on socialism for children.
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- retweet | reply lynnekelly
- Rainbow Fish and the Pride Parade #failedchildrensbooks
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