Jorge Eslava’s story that addresses the effects of confinement on children

During the last 20 months the writer and educator Jorge Eslava was focused on creating short texts. In the midst of the confinement caused by the pandemic, he says that his low mental strength prevented him from sustaining longer projects. Thus, a series of album books were created that invite us to question social problems. One of them is “Where is the little monkey?”, A children’s publication whose main character is a small primate who suffers from not being able to discover the world for himself. Recently presented at the Bicentennial Fair, the story addresses with particular intelligence the effect of confinement on children, but it is also subject to other interpretations that Eslava himself mentions: “It is a book with a strong connotative load and consequently, with several readings . It can be read from the children affected by the pandemic to the protection of animals that have also suffered from the situation that we have suffered until now ”.

The beaten childhood is represented by the little monkey, who in history is not even recognized as such. This situation could dangerously be replicated in a large part of the preschool-age population that has been deprived of social interaction. “”, The author points out. That constant discovery of people and physical spaces, adds Eslava, prepares us, along with play, for life.

It is no secret to anyone that the first years of life mark and affect brain development and consequently behavior. In this regard, the writer points out that “never, before or after, are we more absorbing nor do we learn more.”

Can the human being get used to living without freedom? We asked the prolific writer. His answer is overwhelming. “”. This is the main reason why the little monkey in the story rebels against confinement, because he aspires to discover and reconnect with his peers.

In these circumstances the simile between the protagonist of the story and the man becomes more relevant. With the need for freedom on the surface and the impossibility of achieving it comes depression and the whole process of anger and resignation that this implies. The hero of the story lives them in his own flesh until providentially he finds a character who helps him. If we continue with the parallelism between the little monkey and childhood, who could become the savior of children who, in many cases, have been deprived of playing and learning?

More information: the book is already available in bookstores Crisol, Ibero, Entre Pages, SBS and El Virrey.