Power, voice and subjectivity in literature for young readers

cover image

Where to find it

Davis Library (7th floor)

Call Number
PN1009.A1 N565 2010
Status
Available

Information & Library Science Library

Call Number
PN1009.A1 N565 2010
Status
Available

Authors, etc.

Names:

Summary

This booknbsp;considers one of the most controversial aspects of children's and young adult literature: its use as an instrument of power. Children in contemporary Western society are oppressed and powerless, yet they are allowed, in fiction written by adults for the enlightenment and enjoyment of children, to become strong, brave, rich, powerful, and independent -- on certain conditions and for a limited time. Though the best children's literature offers readers the potential to challenge the authority of adults, many authors use artistic means such as the narrative voice and the subject position to manipulate the child reader. Looking at key works from the eighteenth century to the present, Nikolajeva explores topics such as genre, gender, crossvocalization, species, and picturebook images. Contemporary power theories including social and cultural studies, carnival theory, feminism, postcolonial and queer studies, and narratology are also considered, in order to demonstrate how a balance is maintained between the two opposite inherent goals of children's literature: to empower and to educate the child.

Contents

  • Series Editor's Foreword
  • Acknowledgments Introduction: Why Does Pippi Sleep with Her Feet on the Pillow?
  • 1 Harry Potter and the Secrets of Children's Literature
  • 2 Othering the Sense: Language and (Mis)communication
  • 3 Othering the Genre: Fantasy and Realism
  • 4 Othering the Child: George MacDonald's Fairy Tales
  • 5 Othering the Future: Stereotypes of Dystopia
  • 6 Othering the Setting: Orientalism and Robinsonade
  • 7 Othering Gender: New Masculinities, New Femininities
  • 8 Othering Voice: Crossvocalization and Performance
  • 9 Othering Ideology: Literature in Society's Service
  • 10 Othering the Species: The (Ab)use of Animals
  • 11 Othering the Visual: Power Structures in Picturebooks
  • 12 Othering the Reader: Identification Fallacy Conclusion: The Adult's Self-Denial
  • Bibliography
  • Index

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