Gender issues in children's literature
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Date
2012
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University of Management and Technology
Abstract
This research intends to explore the reasons of gender discrimination ethnographically and psychologically in a society at grass root level. Books are always considered a great source to reflect societal values, attitudes, norms and culture with some purpose; therefore, gradually but consciously this material especially the children's literature works on an epic scale to shape and sculpture human personality. Awareness of gender recognition with its related and associated features is a phenomenon which starts in the early stages of life and gets powerfully influenced by the type of literature children are exposed to. It is the basic dimension through which the children find out their place in society and try to understand the social world. Founding and concern of gender identity which has often been allied with the sex-role in the society is a foremost developmental mission which starts at the age of two or three years and becomes quite solidified within the ambit of growth and grooming when child turns six years old. Its social interaction with society, parents, teachers, caregivers, oral and written literary material and toys all play a very crucial and important role in explaining the gender image to a child. This aspect of socialization basically points out the bitter truth that when a child reaches level one, he or she simply somersaults from mother's lap into the lap of society as he/she has clearly and definitely adopted the type of role he/she is to play for their stereotypical survival in society. Different researches have been done on the topics of body/mind dualism, methods of disenchantment, kid's books with or without pictures, gender and features of identity, style and artistic devices, patterns of disparity in titles and central characters, change in visuals of fairy tales, relationship between text and image etc.
This study tries to find out that there is linear relationship between children's literature and their intellectual grooming. Only those gender related issues which are directly related to the personality development and grooming of the children are touched to address the research questions. Therefore, we all need a drastic change behaviorally, psychologically and materially (in our children's literature and particularly in fairy tales) to keep a pace with the current century which demands us to be more creative, active and innovative with scientific approach instead of becoming an escapist.
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M.Phil Thesis, English Language and Literature