Arthur's Nose

By Marc Brown

Copyright 1976

If a person is caring for young children day in and day out, they will likely end up watching some PBS shows.  Way back in the sixties and seventies, the options were fairly limited.  I remember watching a lot of Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers, and then a little later, Electric Company and Zoom.  By the time my children were watching PBS, we had quite a few more options.  Barney, The Big Comfy Couch, and Thomas the Tank Engine had joined the mix.  While many children’s shows can drive an adult crazy with their goofy plots and silly songs, one show was actually a joy to watch.  Arthur, based on the books by Marc Brown, tells the story of 8-year-old Arthur the Aardvark and his diverse group of anthropomorphic animal friends and classmates.

This book, Arthur’s Nose, was the very first Arthur book ever written.  It is a story with a wonderful message for children:  you are fine just the way you are – don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.  The plot is simple. Arthur is teased by his friends for his huge, aardvark nose.  He decides to go to the doctor to get a new nose.  But, after checking out all of his choices, he decides to keep the nose he has.  His friends are happy about his decision, because it turns out that they like him just the way he is.

Over the course of our adult lives, we grow and transform in many ways.  Our natural talents develop and we begin look at things from different angles.  Marc Brown is no different.  Over the years, the way he depicted his characters developed and changed.  The irony in the story of Arthur’s Nose is that by the time the PBS show aired, Marc Brown had given Arthur a nose job.  His aardvark-like nose is completely gone and has been replaced by a pair of small nostrils.  

And so for me, the lesson in this story is not one of self-acceptance, but one of continual growth and change.  Just because things have always been a certain way doesn’t mean they should stay that way.  As we continue to learn and discover and develop our talents, we may find a better way of doing things – and that’s okay!