Now this is a new concept I just seemed to come up with, so you'll have to stick with me and tell me honestly what you think. As you may know I study English and this has taught me to start reading between the lines in books. This is a good thing but I can't seem to switch off my academic mind, even when I am reading children's fiction. So. Here goes.
Yesterday Dexter, my mum and I went to the library to get some books out for Dexter's bedtime stories. I thought to get Elmer because I've heard of it but didn't actually remember the story. Basically, if you don't either, it's about the patchwork elephant who wants to be the same as everyone else because he thinks the way he looks is why he's being laughed at. He decides to go on a journey across the jungle to rub berries on himself to make himself grey like everyone else. Dexter absolutely adored the book, it's got amazing bright colours and lovely rhyming text. So I highly recommend you read it to your little one if you haven't already. But, it's not just children who can take something from this story.
So, this is how I interpreted it and also maybe took something from it in a way. At the start of the book Elmer is happy because he can make all the elephants smile. This in a way could be when we were younger. We didn't care what we looked like, or who we were. We were happy if we could tell a funny joke or make someone laugh. Then Elmer becomes upset one night as he starts to think about himself and how different he is. This is typical behavior of say teenagers orrr adults. I always felt uncomfortable going into those baby groups that I mentioned earlier because I felt I looked different. I've got a few, quite big, tattoos and two piercings through my nose - it's rare at these places you see someone the same as you. Also I was a lot younger than any of the mums there and I felt they could have been judging me for the way I looked. So I guess that's one of the reasons I may have felt so nervous going, and avoided them at any cost.
All the animals in the jungle would say hello to Elmer as he walked along because they recognized him, he was very different after all. But this was what made Elmer sad in a way. He was known as the joker, the funny one, the one who was different. Once he had made himself like everyone else (rolling in grey berries), he was pleased at first that people didn't recognize him. I believe in life, we do this when we are feeling insecure. We put on a front and try to fit in because we're too ashamed to talk about our emotions. This could be by putting on loads of make up and nice clothes to make yourself feel better, maybe even just trying too hard to fit in. Following trends, buying the same thing as someone else just to the same. Or even forcing a smile when you really don't feel like it. I know I'm guilty of a couple of those and I bet some other people are too. But in the end, none of the other elephants even noticed Elmer once he got back.
(Source)
Elmer had started to realize the world was just grey and dull without him. He needed to do something so he reverted back to his old ways and do you know what? The other elephants celebrated him for that. We should all celebrate our weirdness from time to time and make sure we don't just cover it up when we're feeling alone or out of place. There is always someone who's willing to listen to you. And those people will care for you and appreciate you for you. Flaws and all. The world would be a boring place if we all had the same emotions and looked the same. And believe me you won't be the only one with that problem you may be having. So it's always best not to cover it up, and just celebrate it as a part of who you are.
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