Summary

Chapter 12, “Language and Meaning.” At the beginning of this chapter, author King focuses on the detailed, time-consuming, but ultimately rewarding process of preparing a script for “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood,” a process designed and defined by Fred’s belief that very young children are likely to take what they hear very literally. The process involved extensive consultation with Margaret McFarland, whose way of working (according to one quoted staff member on the show) was often confusing, but always right. The process also involved extensive rewriting into a style that came to be nicknamed “Freddish” (183), after Fred himself. That detailed, step-by-step process involved clarifying, simplifying, and shaping language so that any child could relate to it. Author King then comments on how some staff members found it difficult, and sometimes frustrating, to go through such a complex process. There are also comments about how...