Microsoft Word Hollie Adams ma thesis

 

---

ii 
 
Abstract 
Hollie Adams
The Representation of Gender in British and German Children’s Literature after 1950: 
A Comparative Study of Six Selected Children’s Books 
Children’s literature has the ability to educate, entertain, and influence children, 
especially in relation to the construction of their identity. A critical construct of identity 
that appears amongst the work of children’s authors is gender; a social construction 
built on one’s biological sex. Gender influences how we act, dress, and live and thus, 
the teachings on gender are vital to help one navigate who they are. Children’s literature 
is of importance as it is a medium by which children may acquire knowledge their 
gender identity, and the way in which their gender is performed. However, gender 
norms and roles have changed in society and so, have changed in literature. Taking a 
comparative approach, this essay compares selected classics from two periods in post-
war British and German children’s literature which are separated by the feminist 
movement of the late 1960s onwards, the 1950’s early60’s at one end and the1990’s, 
early 2000’s at the other, analysing gender representation in order to find whether 
traditional gender roles and norms have been abandoned for a progressive, gender 
neutral type of literature. The study thus encompasses both a historical and a 
comparative dimension. In this analysis, it can be seen that some countries strive more 
for gender neutral characters than others, and a country’s history may affect the issues 
addressed in literature. Germany has foregrounded other issues to educate their nation 
on, whilst Britain has tended to focus on social issues in their literature and thus, their 
representation of gender, and progression of gender representation differs. In an 
evolving, liberal society where gender is no longer constricted to male or female, it is 
vital to analyse literature that is being read to our children to understand whether 
authors from our changing society adhere to strict gender traditions or whether children 
are being taught about fluidity in their gender identity. This is a first preliminary study 
in the underdeveloped area of comparative children’s literature which will test the value 
of the approach taken. Further studies on other countries, more texts, and other time 
periods will have to establish how widespread some of the patterns explored here are 
and what paths the progression towards gender neutrality in children’s literature have 
taken Europe, or indeed, world-wide