"the hundred dresses" has been on my to-read list ever since i saw it as book clutch on etsy. i didn't buy the book clutch but thought it was super cute.
(adorbs, right? but i couldn't afford or justify paying $175 for it.)
grandma bea bought me "the hundred dresses" a kid. i owned a copy just like the library book. i wouldn't call it one of my all time favorites but i do remember loving the fact that the little girl in the story drew a hundred dresses.
"the hundred dresses" is told from the perspective of maddie. the story is about a girl, wanda, maddie's classmate, who was teased by the other girls for being different. wanda was poor and polish. as the book explained, she had a "funny" polish last name. maddie's best friend, peggy was the one that started the teasing. the teasing began one day when another girl had a new dress which everyone admired. wanda then shared how she had one hundred dresses. since she was obviously poor, peggy turned it into a sort of game, asking wanda every day about her hundred dresses and having a laugh at her expense. maddie knew that it was wrong and felt guilty but sadly didn't stop it. maddie was also worried that peggy would make fun of her for being poor and having a different last name.
one day, wanda doesn't show up at school and maddie begins to feel guilty. also, there was a drawing contest at school and the winner's drawings would be posted in the class, all the kids were excited to see who won. when they went to their classroom, they saw one hundred dresses all drawn by wanda. peggy and maddie realized she did have one hundred dresses! however, wanda was not there to see that she won. their teacher than read a note from wanda's father explaining that they had moved to get away from the racial discrimination and prejudices they had experienced.
maddie and peggy realized what they had done wrong and wrote a letter to wanda letting her know she had won. wanda than wrote back and said all the girls could keep her drawings. she gave two special ones to maddie and peggy which they then realized were drawings of themselves!
rereading "the hundred dresses" as an adult, i realized there were some things that went over my head as a kid. for example, as a kid, i didn't realize how racist and classist the girls were when they picked on wanda. this was something that i never noticed as a kid probably because a) i wasn't sure what it meant to be polish and b) as a kid you never really notice race or class (i for one didn't).
being a mutt (my maternal family is mixed), i was raised without a strong racial identity. i look filipino but grew up eating mexican and singaporean food, and only speaking english. as a result, i never have felt loyalty to a specific race or ethnicity nor did i ever feel i had to stick to my race. and i do want to clarify that i do have racial prejudices and make horrible racial comments and jokes but unlike the girls of "the hundred dresses", i never allowed race be a factor when choosing friends.
random digression there is a story that my mom used to share about me when i was a kid. we were at a family party and a kid that was not related to us came up to my cousin nalin (who is part black) and told us that we couldn't be cousins because we weren't the same race. according to my mom, i then told the kid that we were cousins and that in some way everyone in the whole world was related and it didn't matter. i have always been accepting of other cultures, if i like you it doesn't matter your race. in high school our clique was diverse, we used to say we were the real international friendship club (there was an actual one on campus).
now the issue of class is different. i never considered our family rich but other kids thought we were because i had nikes and wore guess. i actually had someone tell me that in 6th grade. what this girl didnt realize is that my family wasn't rich, but my aunt and my grandparents helped my mom out. if it was just our mom, i would not have sported those clothes. and maybe it's because we never really went without that i never noticed a thing like class. but i don't remember judging other kids based on wealth. looking back if anything all of my friends' families had more money than mine, so i am glad they weren't prejudice against me.
due to this, the reasons for the girls' teasing wanda went over my elementary school head. however, as an adult, i fully understood. and without sounding like a product of 90's politicial correctness, i am not accusing the kids of maliciously being racist and classist but noting the racist and classist undertones of their teasing. at the end of the day, kids are kids and when they tease it is due to the unknown versus actually founded class/racial prejudices.
though i did enjoy the book and believe that it is important for kids to read it, so they can realize how their teasing harms others. especially with anti-bullying movement in schools right now, "the hundred dresses" should be require reading. however, i did not love this book because of the ending. it seemed to be too soft on maddie and peggy, i understand that they recognized the error of their ways and decided to right the wrong they had made but it broke my heart when they realized that wanda had drawn the dresses for them. the reason it broke my heart was because even though peggy and maddie teased her, wanda still wanted to be their friend. it is so sad how wanda just wanted to be liked by her bullies, which i realize is how it is in real life. it's a sad fact of life. furthermore, it also seems unfair that the victim has to be the bigger person and forgive their bully when the bully doesnt have that type of compassion (they wouldn't be a bully if they did). as i write this, i have realized, the ending is realistic, it was the best solution for the situation. if it ended with wanda getting revenge, she would then be the bully. so i guess it is a great book!
the hundred dresses is also listed as part of flavorpill's 50 books every parent should read post. and yes i am on a mission to read those too!
Okay first question? What party are you referring too? Now I'm curious and wonder if Nalin would remember that happening.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I did not grow up thinking or noticing kids racial heritage. I've always wondered if that was a "Hawaii Thing" (being that this is such a much-cultured melting pot). But with reading how you thought now I wonder is it a "family thing" because we are all sooo Mixed Up! (not in that way - but for the purpose of this blog it's not what I'm referring too - heehee). In this day and age I find it so mind-blowing that people continue to judge people by race. What about the character of a person?
My Dad tells me the story of when I was born - I was born in a military hospital on Hamilton AFB - the nurse tells my Mom that I might be "mongoloid", my mom asks the nurse why she said that and the nurse says "loos at her eyes they are slanted" - my mom then says her father has slanted eyes also. . . then the nurse says "OH'. My Mom was furious. . .when I asked my Dad about this story he says because it was a military base they didn't see or hardly saw anyone but "white" babies. . . .UGH! I would think that someone in the medical field would know better but I guess not!
Anyway, my favorite part is knowing that Wanda drew all the dresses and that the two girls did realize they mistreated Wanda and changed the way they treat people.
the party was in chula vista at uncle dick's house. i don't really remember it, i think it's more of a memory because of my mom's telling of it. i'll ask her.
ReplyDeletei really do feel it's our mutt status, i became aware of it with my jewish and indian friends who have to marry with in their race. it's always such a contrast from our family in which you can marry anyone.
that is such a horrible story about your nurse. it's interesting because we think the world has progress but things like this always pop up.
it's a sweet story and i am really shocked their hasn't been a resurgence of it with all of the anti-bullying in schools.
It's funny - I was "just" telling Bria about the parties at Uncle Dick's house and how I used to ALWAYS have to sleep in the same bed as you, Nalin & Jill - not sure why I was always put with you guys and I really didn't mind until all three of you started "kicking me" in your sleep - HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! AHHHH, the good ole' days!!!
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