What Does It Mean To Be A Woman? Pictorial Explanations For Children
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Children’s literature functions to socialize children. In the case of picture books, images can extend the written word to communicate culturally normative practices. This analysis explored the cultural construct of gender as depicted in three popular picture books from different time periods: Madeline (1939) by Ludewig Bemelmans, Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories (1950) by Dr. Seuss, and Jumanji (1988) by Chris Van Allsberg (1988). The historical context of each book was examined and it was found that these picture books contained images that reified hegemonic gender role expectations for women. Issues of female representation, role, and characteristics are explored.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
- Student authors waive FERPA rights for only the publication of the author submitted works.
Specifically: Students of Indiana University East voluntarily agree to submit their own works to The Journal of Student Research at Indiana University East, with full understanding of FERPA rights and in recognition that for this one, specific instance they understand that The Journal of Student Research at Indiana University East is Public and Open Access. Additionally, the Journal is viewable via the Internet and searchable via Indiana University, Google, and Google-Scholar search engines.
References
American Experience. (2021, December 16). Rosie the Riveter Isn’t Who You Think She Is. American Experience | PBS. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/riveted-history-of-jeans-rosie-riveter/
American Experience. (2018a, March 13). Mrs. America: Women's Roles in the 1950s. American Experience | PBS. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/pill-mrs-america-womens-roles-1950s/
American Experience. (2018b, February 14). Women and Work After World War II. American Experience | PBS. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/tupperware-work/
Bailey, M. J., & DiPrete, T. A. (2016). Five decades of remarkable but slowing change in U.S. women's economic and social status and political participation. RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences, 2(4), 1. https://doi.org/10.7758/rsf.2016.2.4.01
Bemelmans, L. (1967). Madeline. Viking Press.
Bressler, C. (2011). Literary Criticism: An Introduction to Theory and Practice, Longman.
Clark, R., Guilmain, J., Saucier, P.K. et al. (2003). Two steps forward, one step back: The
presence of female characters and gender stereotyping in award-winning picture books between the 1930s and the 1960s. Sex Roles, 49, 439–449.
Cummins, J. (2000). "Where the girls are"—and aren't. Children's Literature, 28, pp.
-255.
Eastman, J.F. (1991). Aesthetic Distancing in Ludwig Bemelmans' Madeline. Children's Literature 19, 75-89. doi:10.1353/chl.0.0139.
Foss, S.K., Domenico, M.E. & Foss, K.A. (2013). Gender Stories: Negotiating Identity in a Binary World. Waveland Press.
Geisel, T. (1950). Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories. Random House
Gooden, A.M. & Gooden, M.A. (2001). Gender representation in notable children’s picture books: 1995-1999. Sex Roles, 45 (1/2), pp. 89–101.
Hamilton, M., Anderson, D. & Broaddus, M. & Niehaus, K. (2006). Gender stereotyping and under-representation of female characters in 200 popular children’s picture books: A twenty-first century update.” Sex Roles, 55(11/12), pp. 757–65.
Lewis, J.J. (2020, January 29). The 1930s: Women’s shifting rights and roles in United States. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/womens-rights-1930s-4141164
Mason, K.O. & Lu, Y. (1988). Attitudes toward women’s familial roles: Changes in the United
States, 1977-1985.” Gender and Society, 2 (1), pp. 39–57.
Nel, P. (2007). Children's literature goes to war: Dr. Seuss, P. D. Eastman, Munro Leaf, and the Private SNAFU Films (1943–46). The Journal of Popular Culture, 40(3), pp. 468-487. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227575467_Children%27s_literature_goes_to_war_Dr_Seuss_P_D_Eastman_Munro_Leaf_and_the_%27Private_SNAFU%27_films_1943-46_Theodor_Seuss_Geisel
Nel, P. (2018). Dr. Seuss: American Icon. Continuum.
Nikolajevka, M. & Scott, C. (2006). How Picturebooks Work. Routledge.
Nodelman, P (1991). The Pleasures of Children's Literature. Longman.
Nodelman, P. (2008). The hidden Adult: Defining Children's Literature. Johns Hopkins University Press.
Postwar gender roles and women in American politics (n.d.). US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives. Retrieved January 11, 2023, from https://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/WIC/Historical-Essays/Changing-Guard/Identity/
Sicroff, S. (1973). Prickles under the frock. Children's Literature, 2, 1973, pp. 105-109.
Schwarcz, J.H. (1982). Ways of the Illustrator. American Library Association.
Van Allsburg, C. (1981). Jumanji. Houghton Mifflin.
Walsh, K. T. (2010, March 12). The 1960s: A Decade of Change for women. U.S. News and World Report. Retrieved January 11, 2023, from https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2010/03/12/the-1960s-a-decade-of-change-for-women
Weitzman, L., Eifler, D., Hokada, E., & Ross, C. (1972). Sex role socialization in picture books for preschool children. American Journal of Sociology, 77, pp. 1125–1130.
Williams, J. A., Vernon, J. A., Williams, M. C., & Malecha, K. (1987). Sex role socialization in picture books: An update. Social Science Quarterly, 68, pp. 148–156.