Publication:
An analysis of gender representations in children’s novels by Frances Hodgson Burnett
An analysis of gender representations in children’s novels by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Authors
Otero, Iris
Embargoed Until
Advisor
Géliga Vargas, Jocelyn A.
College
College of Arts and Sciences - Arts
Department
Department of English
Degree Level
M.A.E.E.
Publisher
Date
2007
Abstract
This thesis examines gender representations in three childrenís novels by
Victorian author Frances Hodgson Burnett. It focuses specifically on the construction and
representation of femininity in the novels Little Lord Fauntleroy(1886), A Little Princess
(1888) and The Secret Garden (1911). Employing the methodology of feminist literary
criticism I examine the mechanisms through which these novels teach children lessons
about appropriate and inappropriate female gender roles analyzing specifically how these
books represent the female gender. In addition, I present a case study of literary
interpretation based on an in-depth interview with a contemporary young female reader in
order to examine how she relates to and interprets the gendered messages within these
novels. This study will inform discussions about gender representations in childrenís
literature and highlight the need and importance of gender education in school curricula.
Keywords
Children's literature-English,
Burnett, Frances Hodgson-Little Lord Fauntleroy,
Burnett, Frances Hodgson-The Secret Garden,
Burnett, Frances Hodgson-A Little Princess,
Femininity in literature
Burnett, Frances Hodgson-Little Lord Fauntleroy,
Burnett, Frances Hodgson-The Secret Garden,
Burnett, Frances Hodgson-A Little Princess,
Femininity in literature
Usage Rights
Persistent URL
Cite
Otero, I. (2007). An analysis of gender representations in children’s novels by Frances Hodgson Burnett [Thesis]. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11801/216