In June Cummins’ article, The Resisting Monkey: “Curious George,” Slave Captivity Narratives, and the Postcolonial Condition, many interesting comparisons between George (the monkey) and slaves and children are made. Cummins states that the children’s book Curious George is actually a story about slavery and slaves relationships to their masters. Cummins compares George to slaves and the Man in the Yellow Hat to the masters. She also goes one step further, and states that George also represents children and the Man in the Yellow Hat also represents parents.

When I was younger, I grew up watching Curious George and I never once associated George with anything but a monkey that was taken from his home and brought to the city, where he encountered many adventures and caused mischief. Cummins, however, argues that even the title of Curious George is a pattern that reinforces the notion that there is deeper meaning behind the book than meets the eye. Cummins states that curiosity is George’s most notable trait and that George’s curiosity is a result of his deep desire to escape from the city and return home. George’s acts of mischief and trickery are compared to the acts of trickster slaves who also used their “intelligence and cunning to outwit their masters.” I think Cummins, here, makes a great comparison of the similarities of George and slaves. She points out how both the actions of George and slaves are a result of their confinement and lack of freedom, and not an unexplainable need to just cause trouble.

George can also be seen a representation of children, because both are childish and possess great amounts of curiosity. Children can easily relate to the character of George because of their shared mischievous and presence of adult figures in their lives, who try to teach them something. Both George and children have an imbalance of power relationship. For George, humans represent the more dominant and superior presence in his life, while for children, their parents represent the authority figure to them. George is much like a rambunctious child who does not always obey the superior figure in their life, instead they need to be disciplined and taught to listen.

I believe that Cummins makes many valid points of comparison between Curious George to slaves and children. Despite this, I also believe that children such as three and four year olds, should enjoy their innocence and watch t.v or read books for the pleasure of doing so. Of course, being raised to learn the importance of being kind, or understanding, or any moral is valuable and necessary. However, to learn about slavery and how George is comparable to a slave and the Man in the Yellow Hat can be seen as a slave’s master, is more than I could have comprehended as a young child. I do agree though with her statement that adults can take this book as an opportunity to better inform their children about the issues concerning discipline and control.