Gender-Stereotyping in Children's Literature. A Case Study on the children's novel 'Matilda' by Roald Dahl

Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism, British
Cover of the book Gender-Stereotyping in Children's Literature. A Case Study on the children's novel 'Matilda' by Roald Dahl by Karolin Liebig, GRIN Verlag
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Karolin Liebig ISBN: 9783668223882
Publisher: GRIN Verlag Publication: May 23, 2016
Imprint: GRIN Verlag Language: English
Author: Karolin Liebig
ISBN: 9783668223882
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
Publication: May 23, 2016
Imprint: GRIN Verlag
Language: English

Seminar paper from the year 2015 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 3,0, University of Erfurt (Anglistik/Amerikanistik), course: Language and Gender, language: English, abstract: This study examines the language use towards male and female characters in the children's novel 'Matilda' written by Roald Dahl. The fact of an uneven depiction of female and male characters in children's literature, which is proved in many studies, is the base of this analysis. With this work I examine if Dahl uses gender stereotyped language in his popular novel as well. The selection of this book has a personal background. When I was an Au pair in Australia an audiobook with all stories of Roald Dahl fell into my hands. The owner, a boy, said I should definitely listen to those because they are 'awesome'. For this kind of study I thought Matilda might be interesting because the protagonist is a girl. The main emphasis of the analysis is put on the number of characters and their occupation, the used adjectives to describe the characters, and the verbs describing the characters' actions. That leads to the following hypotheses: Firstly, female characters are underrepresented in extensive roles; secondly, male characters are depicted in more different occupations than female characters; thirdly, different adjectives are used to describe female and male characters; and finally, female characters are portrayed predominantly in gender-stereotyped activities. The overall interest of this work is if the characters in this children's novel are mainly described in a gender-stereotyped way. My work is structured as follows: I will provide a rough introduction in Gender studies and especially in the field of Gender and Language in the first chapter. Further I point out the central matters of the research in Gender and Children's literature and introduce a few studies that support my own examination and are the basis for the hypotheses. The first part in the second chapter gives an introduction to the sample book as well as the author. The second point describes the procedure of the research, the consistence of the data and how it is collected. How the data is arranged for the analysis is to be found in the third part of chapter two. The third chapter starts with the analysis of the occurring characters and their occupations, followed by an analysis of the adjectives to find out if the author uses gender stereotyped words to describe female and male characters. In the fourth part of this chapter the verbs are examined for gender stereotyping female characters. The conclusion sums up the work and gives a prospect of further questions.

Ich habe an der Universität Jena Kunsthistorik und Sprechwissenschaft studiert. An der Universität Erfurt studierte ich Primare und elementare Bildung sowie Anglistik. Beide Studien habe ich mit dem Bachelor of Arts abgeschlossen.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Seminar paper from the year 2015 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 3,0, University of Erfurt (Anglistik/Amerikanistik), course: Language and Gender, language: English, abstract: This study examines the language use towards male and female characters in the children's novel 'Matilda' written by Roald Dahl. The fact of an uneven depiction of female and male characters in children's literature, which is proved in many studies, is the base of this analysis. With this work I examine if Dahl uses gender stereotyped language in his popular novel as well. The selection of this book has a personal background. When I was an Au pair in Australia an audiobook with all stories of Roald Dahl fell into my hands. The owner, a boy, said I should definitely listen to those because they are 'awesome'. For this kind of study I thought Matilda might be interesting because the protagonist is a girl. The main emphasis of the analysis is put on the number of characters and their occupation, the used adjectives to describe the characters, and the verbs describing the characters' actions. That leads to the following hypotheses: Firstly, female characters are underrepresented in extensive roles; secondly, male characters are depicted in more different occupations than female characters; thirdly, different adjectives are used to describe female and male characters; and finally, female characters are portrayed predominantly in gender-stereotyped activities. The overall interest of this work is if the characters in this children's novel are mainly described in a gender-stereotyped way. My work is structured as follows: I will provide a rough introduction in Gender studies and especially in the field of Gender and Language in the first chapter. Further I point out the central matters of the research in Gender and Children's literature and introduce a few studies that support my own examination and are the basis for the hypotheses. The first part in the second chapter gives an introduction to the sample book as well as the author. The second point describes the procedure of the research, the consistence of the data and how it is collected. How the data is arranged for the analysis is to be found in the third part of chapter two. The third chapter starts with the analysis of the occurring characters and their occupations, followed by an analysis of the adjectives to find out if the author uses gender stereotyped words to describe female and male characters. In the fourth part of this chapter the verbs are examined for gender stereotyping female characters. The conclusion sums up the work and gives a prospect of further questions.

Ich habe an der Universität Jena Kunsthistorik und Sprechwissenschaft studiert. An der Universität Erfurt studierte ich Primare und elementare Bildung sowie Anglistik. Beide Studien habe ich mit dem Bachelor of Arts abgeschlossen.

More books from GRIN Verlag

Cover of the book Die Leistungsfähigkeit der Helene-Lange-Schule anhand der Ergebnisse der Pisa-Studie by Karolin Liebig
Cover of the book Berufliche Sozialisation by Karolin Liebig
Cover of the book Ethikrichtlinien: Zulässiger Inhalt? by Karolin Liebig
Cover of the book Der Einsatz der Bundeswehr im Ausland: Die verfassungsrechtlichen Grenzen der Bündnispflicht by Karolin Liebig
Cover of the book Postnatale Erkrankungen by Karolin Liebig
Cover of the book Determinanten des Erfolgs demokratischer Revolutionen by Karolin Liebig
Cover of the book Nassers Ägypten - Wohlfahrt für die Massen? by Karolin Liebig
Cover of the book Die Auseinandersetzung um die Entmythologisierung zwischen Rudolf Bultmann und Helmut Thielicke by Karolin Liebig
Cover of the book Thomas Reid - Über den Interpretationismus der Wahrnehmung by Karolin Liebig
Cover of the book Didaktische Analyse zweier Schulgeschichtsbücher zum Gegenstand des deutschen Bauernkrieges mit einem ausführlichen Exkurs über theoretische Gesichtspunkte der Schulbuchanalyse by Karolin Liebig
Cover of the book Die Erziehung der Armen zur Armut - Pestalozzis Erziehungskonzept in den Schriften zur Armenanstalt auf dem Neuhof by Karolin Liebig
Cover of the book Domänenspezifische Sprachen für betriebliche Abläufe - Vor- und Nachteile am Beispiel von BPMN by Karolin Liebig
Cover of the book Verfassungsrechtliche Beurteilung von Benettons Schockwerbung by Karolin Liebig
Cover of the book Die Reaktionen des Staates auf den Terror der Roten Armee Fraktion in den 1970er Jahren: Die Anti-Terror-Gesetzgebung by Karolin Liebig
Cover of the book Natans Strafrede gegen David in 2. Samuel 12, 1-15 - eine Analyse by Karolin Liebig
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy