In her thesis with the working title "Empowered or disempowered? The
motif of child-other metamorphosis in English-language children's
literature
1950-2001" Maria Lassén-Seger investigates a selection of
English-language
picturebooks, children's and young adult novels in which child
protagonists
undergo transformations into animals, monsters, insects, plants,
minerals
or objects. The aim of the study is to explore how authors have used
the
motif of metamorphosis in late 20th century narratives for children and
to register possible changes in the use of the motif during the time
period
investigated. Using narratological tools she investigates narrative
perspective,
focalisation, narrative voice and narrative patterns (especially the
significance
of the ending) in order to find out whether the fictive child
character's
physical change is depicted as disempowering or empowering. In other
words,
she looks at whether the incident of metamorphosis punishes or silences
the child, or whether the transformation increases the child
character's
agency and subverts adult authority over the child. In order to deepen
her analysis of the literary motif of metamorphosis further she uses
carnival
theory, feminist theory, and play theory.
The central research question in her thesis is thus
whether the stories
investigated are to be interpreted as primarily socialising
(i.e.manifesting
the adult-child power hierarchy), subversive (i.e. questioning adult
authority
over the child), or possibly both.
The study comprises the following three main chapters:
1. Imaginary initiation and unpleasurable metamorphoses
- idealising
or demonising the child
2. Play, carnival and pleasurable metamorphoses - the innocently or
rebelliously playful child
3. Escape and irreversible metamorphoses - the victimised or lost child
Research related articles and
publications:
2004
·
"Exploring
otherness:
changes in the child-animal metamorphosis motif", in Change and Renewal in Children’s Literature, edited
by Thomas van der Walt, assisted by Félicité
Fairer-Wessels and Judith Inggs. Westport (CT): Praeger Publishers, 2004, pp. 35-46.
2003
·
“Vem
vill bli vuxen? Metamorfosmotivet i barn- och ungdomslitteraturen”, in Nedslag i Börnelitteraturforskningen 4,
(Center for Börnelitteraturs skriftserie). Fredriksberg: Roskilde
Universitetsforlag, 2003, pp. 133-160.
2002
·
"Child-power?
Adventures
into the animal kingdom - The Animorphs series", in Children’s
Literature as Communiucation, ed. Roger D. Sell. Amsterdam: John
Benjamins,
2002, pp. 159-176.
2001
·
“Human-animal
metamorphosis in
picturebooks: subversive transgressions and frightening fantasies", Fundevogel: Kinder-Medien-Magazin,
Dezember 2001, Nr. 141, pp. 42-51.
·
"Barnbokens
trädflickor - fantasilek eller fåfänga
flyktförsök", Horisont nr 2 2001, pp. 22-29.
·
"David
McKeen Not Now, Bernard - kauhukakaran
muodonmuutos", in Tutkiva katse
kuvakirjaan/Critical Perspectives on Picture Books, toim./ed. Kaisu
Rättyä
ja Raija Raussi. [Suomen
Nuorisokirjallisuuden
Instituutin julkaisuja nro 23/The Finnish Institute for Children's
Literature
Publications nr 23]. Jyväskylä: BTJ, 2001, pp. 167-176
2000
·
"The
fictive child in
disguise: disempowering transformations of the child character", in Text, Culture and National Identity in
Children's Literature: International seminar on children's literature,
ed.
by Jean Webb. Helsinki:
Nordinfo, 2000, pp. 186-196
Forthcoming:
·
Review
of Children’s Literature 1500-2000, in The
English Messenger
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