Nursery Rhymes
“Entertainment and Social Bonding through Nursery Rhymes- “Ring Around the Rosie and Humpty Dumpty”
Informant Name: Isiah Swann Place Collected: Hanover, New Hampshire Date Collected: February 19, 2018 |
Informant Data:
Isiah Swann was born in Mesa, Arizona on December 31, 1998. He attended a large public elementary school in Queen Creek, Arizona. He is one of two sons of Jerri and Patrick Swann and has a younger brother who is 14 years of age. Isiah is a current student and football player at Dartmouth College. He is a member of the class of 2020 and his interests are playing football and listening to music.
Contextual Data:
Social Context: Isiah was rather happy and nostalgic while sharing stories of the nursery rhymes that he heard/learned from his parents and friends. The nursery rhymes were primarily sung while playing games outside or before he went to bed. Isiah described how there were numerous rhymes that he had heard while he was a child and that they all had a common thread: social bonding. He agreed that hearing these nursery rhymes was always an activity shared with others—whether it be with his mother, father, brother, or his friends. Singing/hearing nursery rhymes alone did not have much significance to him. This aspect of nursery rhymes proves how collective and dynamic they are. When asked who could sing along/learn the nursery rhymes, he replied, “Well, anyone who wants to! Nursery rhymes are a great way to promote social bonding within a family or a group of friends. I do not think they are specific to a cultural or socioeconomic group.” A description of his account during our interview is described below:
| Nursery rhymes were a major form of entertainment for Isiah between the ages of 3 and 8. He claims that he learned these nursery rhymes from an adult (usually his mother, his father, or a teacher) or from his peers. Not only was learning these rhymes important to him, but also teaching the nursery rhymes to others. Since he has a younger brother, he was able to teach the nursery rhymes to him. Although Isiah has not read or sung a nursery rhyme in quite a while, he still regards them as a major part of his childhood.
One of Isiah’s childhood favorites was “Ring Around the Rosie”. He has vivid memories of singing this nursery rhyme with his friends and his family. Some of the most memorable moments singing this song were while playing a pool game. Although he did not give a specific name to the game, Isiah was able to provide a detailed description. He participated in the game with his mother, his brother, and his friends. The players would walk around the pool chanting the words to “Ring Around the Rosie.” When the last verse of the rhyme was sung, “Ashes, ashes, we all fall down,” the players would all jump in the pool. Initially this was a game that Isiah shared with his mother and friends, but after the birth of his brother, it became something that he shared with him as well. His brother was delighted to learn the game and enjoyed it as much as Isiah did. This moment was very striking to Isiah because it symbolized his ability to pass on a form of tradition to his younger brother. Eventually, the brother was capable of teaching the game to his friends, and they all played at Isiah’s house as well. Ultimately, “Ring Around the Rosie” is important to Isiah because it marks the memories that he shared with family and friends. Although this memory still has significant meaning to Isiah, he does interpret the nursery rhyme differently than when he was a child. He eventually learned that the origins of the nursery rhyme refer to the bubonic plague. He was completely unaware of this interpretation as a child and simply believed that the words of the rhyme referred to bodies falling in the pool. Although Isiah now understands the correct meaning of the nursery rhyme, it does not distort/ruin his childhood memories. Isiah also recalls hearing “Humpty Dumpty” almost every night before going to bed. He and his mother sang this nursery rhyme every night for a few years. He stated that this nursery rhyme was from a large book of nursery rhymes/bedtime stories that had pleasantly vivid pictures. These memories are of significance because they exemplify the strong bond that he formed with his mother. Although he has not heard/sung the nursery rhyme recently, he still regards it as one of his childhood favorites. |
Collector’s comments: To be clear, it was not the nursery rhymes themselves that were most meaningful to Isiah, but rather engaging in them with others. His memories of hearing and learning these nursery rhymes always include other people. These moments can be characterized as times of laughter, learning, and sharing. It was always a bonding experience that was all-inclusive. This aspect of nursery rhymes certainly promotes social bonding and can impact the emotional development of a child.
Item: Isiah in the Pool with Patrick Swann (Father)
Collector's Information: Breiana Campbell, 19 Hanover, NH 03755 Dartmouth College Russian0013 Winter 2018 |