Childhood Games

Malcolm Kelly
English Studies
Instructor: Brad & Liz
08/22/2011

Childhood Games

In the book that I have read titled They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky, we can see how the childhood games that the Dinka tribe gave to their younger relatives had an effect on them. The children in the Dinka tribe would use dirt, mud and water to build little toy cows, goats, humans and also dogs. They even built small farm houses to go with those teaching them how to create with their hands was pushed on them at a young age through this way of playing. They learned to enjoy the company of these animals for different reasons. This game really got the Dinka children familiar with these animals which they would grow to appreciate. The dog could be seen as a symbol for protection and also a guardian of the cattle, keeping them under control. We can see the cattle as well as the farm houses as a symbol of power and wealth. This is because the cows were there money maker and is what gave them stability as a family. The small human sculptures can also be seen as symbols of the people in their tribe that they would grow to know or even the family members of the child.
The games that I played as a child can also be analyzed and seen as factors that have created how I see society in my life. For instance as I child we played board games during down time or time when I wasn’t doing anything. Monopoly is a board game that we often played because it made ‘gaining’ a fun and exciting activity. The object of the game is to gain property and money as you go along the board trying to have the most by the end of the game. This board game can be seen as a symbol for what we strive to get and achieve as adults in society. These games are what helped keep the cultute going though their family. I feel that it is clever to prepare the youth for the future through activities that children want to play and enjoy being a part of at the same time.