Children’s Literature in a Postmodern World

1. Children’s Literature in a Postmodern World Dr. Martha J. Bianco

2. Children’s Lit: Simple? Hardly. • Deconstructing children’s literature • Understanding dominant ideologies • Cultural myths • Narrative & aesthetic representations • Our insights derive from “simplicity” Dr. Martha J. Bianco

3. Moral and Gender Narratives Male imperative in early 20th century Dr. Martha J. Bianco

4. Moral and Gender Narratives Little Women – feminine piety or [feminist] tomboy? Dr. Martha J. Bianco

5. Censorship of Kiddie Lit: What is censorship? Is it ever okay? Dr. Martha J. Bianco

6. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finnby Mark Twain (1884) Dr. Martha J. Bianco

7. Little Red Riding HoodGrimm Fairy Tales (McLoughlin Bros, 1888 edition) Dr. Martha J. Bianco

8. A Fishy Tale Story Time Arlene Sardine, by Christopher Raschka (1998) Dr. Martha J. Bianco

9. The Merits of Arlene Dr. Martha J. Bianco

10. The Merits of Arlene Vegetarianism: Don’t eat dead animals including fish Dr. Martha J. Bianco

11. The Merits of Arlene Farming and Fishing: Noble Professions of land and sea Dr. Martha J. Bianco

12. The Merits of Arlene Altruism Self-Sacrifice for the Common Good suicide bombers? There are those who do not fear death: the promise of immortality Dr. Martha J. Bianco

13. The Merits of Arlene Self-Love and Acceptance Arlene accepts her normative fate It is what it is. I’m a sardine. I die. That’s what I do. Get used to it. Dr. Martha J. Bianco

14. The Merits of Arlene OR . . . Dr. Martha J. Bianco

15. The Merits of Arlene The price of giving in to your oppressors: DEATH Dr. Martha J. Bianco

16. The Merits of Arlene “So You Want to Be a Sardine.” These are the consequences. Celebrate Conform Accept Die and that may be okay. Dr. Martha J. Bianco

17. Fantasy in Children’s Fiction • The appeal? • Metaphorical “portal” Dr. Martha J. Bianco

18. Hieronymous Bosch: left and right wings of Last Judgment triptych (ca. 1500) Dr. Martha J. Bianco

19. Fantasy in Children’s Fiction “can be said to hover between the states of perception that William Blake had labeled innocence and experience. From the vantage point of experience, an adult imagination re-creates an earlier childhood self in order to steer it toward the reality principle. From the vantage point of innocence . . . That childhood agent may resist the imposition of adult values. . . .” U.C. Knoepflmacher, “The Balancing of Child and Adult: An Approach to Victorian Fantasies for Children” (1986) Dr. Martha J. Bianco

20. Hieronymous Bosch: central panel of the Last Judgment triptych (ca. 1500) Dr. Martha J. Bianco

21. Dr. Martha J. Bianco

22. Hieronymous Bosch: Garden of Earthly Delights (ca. 1500) Dr. Martha J. Bianco

23. Fantasy in Children’s Fiction • The Literary Construction • Beginning: Fictional Reality • Middle: Adventure, Dream, Magic • End: Resolution, or Return to Reality Dr. Martha J. Bianco

24. Fantasy in Children’s Fiction • The Fictional Reality • May embody normative middle class values • Represents safety, predictability • “Ignorant Bliss” Dr. Martha J. Bianco

25. Fantasy in Children’s Fiction • The Magical Adventure • Complete defiance of natural laws • Indulgence in forbidden wishes & emotions • Dangerous tragedy Dr. Martha J. Bianco

26. Fantasy in Children’s Fiction • The Return to Reality • Enter, perform symbolic task, return • Enter, dream, return • Enter, locate fantasy, repeat Dr. Martha J. Bianco

27. Fantasy in Children’s Fiction Dr. Martha J. Bianco