Introduction
Throughout the 20th centuryâs second half, the explicitly and implicitly themes of feminism have been finding their way into childrenâs books to an ever larger degree. The reason for this is that one of the most notable discursive aspects of the historic period in question is that, throughout its entirety, the idea of womenâs emancipation has been growing increasingly popular in the West. This simply could not be otherwise, because the ideals of gender egalitarianism, commonly associated with the notion of feminism, are indeed fully consistent with the overall logic of history.
Nevertheless, the adoption of âpolitical correctnessâ in just about every Western country (including Britain) by the late 1990s, as the governmentally endorsed social policy, resulted in the notion of feminism being deprived of its original aura of progressiveness. The reason for this is apparent â this specific development established the objective preconditions for the mentioned notion to grow increasingly distanced from the idea of gender equality, while becoming synonymous with the notion of mental and physical degeneracy, as something that has the value of a âthing in itselfâ. In its turn, this allows us to hypothesise that, when it comes to discussing the theme of womenâs empowerment in the works of childrenâs literature, one must be capable of distinguishing the motifs of âemancipatoryâ feminism from those of what can be defined as âpathologicalâ feminism. Whereas, the former is being concerned with the promotion of the idea that men and women are thoroughly equal, in the social sense of this word, and that they should treat each other with respect, the latter has to do with its advocatesâ insistence that women are somehow âsuperiorâ to men, and that the particulars of oneâs gender-affiliation have nothing to do with the concerned personâs sense of self-identity (Nachescu 2009).
In my paper, I will explore the validity of this suggestion at length, in regards to the picture-book Piggybook by Anthony Browne and the novel The Illustrated Mum by Jacqueline Wilson (representing the examples of childrenâs literature in Britain), which clearly belong to two of the earlier outlined feminist writing-approaches. While addressing the task, I will argue that it is specifically Browneâs book, which does deserve to be recommended for reading by children, because as opposed to what it is being the case with The Illustrated Mum, it promotes the cause of the âemancipatoryâ (socially beneficial) feminism.
The main qualitative features of childrenâs literature
Before proceeding to analyse the discursive significance of Piggybook and The Illustrated Mum, we will need to outline the qualitative features of childrenâs literature, in general. This has to be done, in order to define the degree of each of these booksâ compliance with the methodological provisions of the genre in question. The main of these features can be defined as follows:
- The objective value of a particular childrenâs book is reflective of its ability to serve as the tool of âcharacter educationâ, as defined by Arthur (2003). According to the author, âCharacter education can be understood to be a specific approach to moral or values education. Character is ultimately about who we are and who we become, good or bad. It constitutes an interlocked set of personal valuesâ (p. 46). The reason for this is that children are naturally driven to assess the surrounding reality, and their place within it, in the value-based manner. However, given the fact that a childâs sense of the moral appropriateness/inappropriateness is essentially underdeveloped, it represents the matter of a crucial importance for writers to be able to ensure that, as a result of having been exposed to their books, children will be able to gain valuable clues, as to what accounts for the proper mode of addressing a particular challenge of life.
- A childrenâs book of value must provide young readers with the opportunity to interact (perceptually and cognitively) with whatever happen to be its actual subject matter. In this respect, we can only agree with Thomas, who pointed out that âreading is an interactive actâ (1998, p. 138). There are a number of ways to have it accomplished. The main of them is adjusting the bookâs themes and motifs to be consistent with the workings of a childâs psyche, and embellishing such a book with colourful illustrations, in order to ensure that young readers will indeed regard it; as such that represents a strong emotional appeal.
- By being introduced to a particular childrenâs book, young readers are expected to develop their skill of a dialectical reasoning, in the sense of being able to understand what accounts for the relationship between causes and effects, which in turn should contribute towards increasing the measure of these readersâ âquick mindednessâ (Fremantle 2006). The concerned activity is also anticipated to help children grow increasingly knowledgeable of the fact that the structure of written sentences has a strong effect of the actual messages that they convey. As Meek noted, while actively engaging with the book, children should become ever more aware of the fact that âwords mean more than they sayâ (1988, p. 16). This, in turn, will come as a great asset, within the context of how young readers remain on the path of expanding their intellectual horizons.
- A childrenâs book must capable of keeping the targeted audience thoroughly entertained (McGillis 2009). The reason for this is apparent â as psychologists are being well aware of, the most effective way of ensuring that a childâs exposure to such literature will prove an educational asset of a high value, is establishing the objective prerequisites for the reading-process to be simultaneously both: experientially enjoyable and intellectually stimulating.
Piggybook by Anthony Browne
In light of the above-stated, Browneâs book can indeed be given much credit for meeting just about every of the mentioned criteria. After all, there can be only a few doubts that the author did succeed rather spectacularly, within the context of how he went about combining the elements of entertainment and education, in order to encourage readers to adopt a progressive outlook on what should be considered the role of women within the society. Browne also succeeded in helping children to recognise the sheer fallaciousness of the male-chauvinistic assumptions about the representatives of the âweak sexâ, which continue to affect the existential attitudes of a great many men in the UK. What is particularly notable, in this respect, is that despite promoting the strongly defined idea of womenâs social emancipation, Piggybook is the least concerned with trying to undermine the soundness of the traditional outlook on what is the actual purpose of the marital relationship between men and women, or with subjecting readers to any form of ideological indoctrination.
Browneâs approach towards encouraging young children to appreciate women (mothers), reflects his understanding of the fact that, in order for just about anyone to become emotionally comfortable with the idea in question, he or she must be prompted to perceive the alternative points of view, in this respect, as utterly unnatural (Meyer 2007). This helps to define the discursive significance of the bookâs introductory lines, âMr. Piggott lived with his two sons, Simon and Patrick, in a nice house with a nice garden, and a nice car in the nice garage. Inside the house was his wifeâ (Browne 1990, p. 1). Apparently, the author strived to prompt readers to realise that there is something utterly wrong with the manner, in which Mr. Piggotâs wife is being referred to, because the concerned referral implies her status having been that of a soulless commodity â much like that of the mentioned house and garage.
It is understood, of course, that there are strongly defined feminist overtones to the above-quoted, as it implies the sheer wrongness of the male-chauvinist practice of dehumanising women â even when it assumes the form of the seemingly âinnocentâ patronisation of wives by their husbands. For example, prior to Mrs. Piggottâs âdisappearanceâ, it would never occur to Mr. Piggott that there was anything wrong about his habit of using affectionate-diminutive words, when he needed to refer to her, âHurry up with the meal, old girlâ (Browne 1990, p. 5). Yet, the quoted referral implies that Mr. Piggott used to unconsciously believe that his wife was âinferiorâ to him, because the word âold girlâ evokes the image of a woman, who despite being an adult, acts like a child.
The format of picture-book provided Browne with yet additional opportunity to strengthen the emotional appeal of his subtle criticism of male chauvinism. This opportunity had to do with the fact that, just as it is being the case with the properly constructed rhetorical sentences; visual depictions are able to emanate a certain discursive ethos. For example, as it can be seen in the screenshots below, Mrs. Piggott is being depicted faceless, as she takes care of her domestic chores of a housewife.
This is meant to symbolise the fact that, metaphorically speaking, while having been treated by her husband and children as a servant, Mrs. Piggott was being slowly reduced to nothing short of an automaton, which does not have any personality, by definition. The chosen gamma of colours (brown and yellow-brown) accentuates the clearly defined pessimistic overtones of both pictures, as if implying that, while taking care of her husband and kids, Mrs. Piggott simply did not have any time to enjoy herself. There is, however, even more to it â Mrs. Piggottâs depiction as a faceless individual, implies that in Piggybook she acts as a âcollective characterâ â someone who embodies the anxieties of just about every housewife in this world. It is understood, of course, that this conveys a powerful message with the clearly defined feminist undertones to it â it is utterly arrogant, on the part of married men, to think of their wives in terms of ânatural bornâ servants.
Nevertheless, there is nothing truly innovative about this message. After all, it merely promotes the idea that the relationship between men and women should be harmonious â something of which the intellectually advanced individuals have been aware, throughout the historyâs entirety (Barry, Chandler & Berg 2007). This again highlights the progressive sounding of Piggybook. As opposed to what it is being the case with the proponents of âradical feminismâ, who believe that the representatives of two opposite sexes remain in the state of a perpetual war with each other, this book endorses the idea that, in order to be able to realise their full existential potential, men and women must be willing to cooperate.
The bookâs only motif, which appears to be formally related to this type of feminism, has to do with the contained implication that, when treating women disrespectfully, men in fact are being turned into pigs, in the allegorical sense of this word â hence, the discursive significance of the name Piggybook. The same can be said about the semiotic purpose of the bookâs illustrations, which depict Mr. Piggott and two of his sons having undergone the transformation from humans into animals, such as the one seen below.
It will not require the application of any excessive effort to realise that this particular illustration evokes the notion of âsexist pigâ, which is being commonly used by radical feminists, as a synonym of the notion of âmaleâ. Yet, the bookâs actual context makes this seemingly offensive aspect of how the author went about striving to educate children to be respectful of women, thoroughly justified. After all, it is not the particulars of the featured male-charactersâ gender affiliation, which prompted Browne to consider that it will be fully appropriate, on his part, to accentuate their âpiggishnessâ, but the fact that, prior to having been âabandonedâ by Mrs. Piggott, they did exhibit the essentially piggish behaviour.
What is also particularly notable about how Browne have gone about exploring the theme of feminism in Piggybook, is the fact that, despite the authorâs explicit and implicit criticism of the sexist prejudices towards women, he nevertheless could not help proving himself the affiliate of the patriarchal conceptualisation of the idea of womanhood. The validity of this suggestion can be shown, in regards to the illustration, which presents readers with the view of Mrs. Piggottâs note.
As it can be seen on the provided screenshot, Browne made a deliberate point in implying that the message, contained in this note, had an instantaneous effect on Mr. Piggottâs physical appearance, in the sense of turning him into a pig. In its turn, this can be interpreted as the indication of the authorâs highly idealised view of women, as those who are being able to exert âmagicalâ powers over men. For just about anyone, familiar with the theory of psychoanalysis, there can be only a few doubts that this âknightlyâ view of women, on Browneâs part, sublimates his deep-seated fear of them (Solomon 2004). After all, women are indeed well known for their ability to deprive men of what continues to allow the representatives of the âstrong sexâ to enjoy the patriarchal dominance within the society â menâs aptitude in addressing life-challenges in the thoroughly rational/unemotional manner (Björn & Knights 2013). The validity of this statement can illustrated, in regards to what account for the psychological state of a man that has found himself fallen in love with a woman (Hancock 2007). Essentially the same line of argumentation can be applied, when it comes to discussing the significance of the bookâs illustration, in which Mrs. Piggott is shown walking into the house.
After all, even a brief glance at this picture will reveal that it emanates the Freudian spirit of âuncannyâ. As the father of psychoanalysis pointed out, âAn uncanny experience occurs either when infantile complexes which have been repressed are once more revived by some impression, or when primitive beliefs which have been surmounted seem once more to be confirmedâ (Freud 2003, p. 33). It is quite clear that the picture in question can be discussed as the visual sublimation of oneâs archetypal fear of the unknown. The reason for this is that the shadow of Mrs. Piggott radiates both: strangeness (there is nothing âhousewifeyâ about it) and omnipotence (even though Mr. Piggott is shown simply bending over, readers get the impression that he in fact prays the shadow of his wife). Given the fact that archetypal anxieties in children are especially strong, after having been exposed to this picture, they would be naturally provided with the powerful (because it exists in the realm of the unconscious) incentive to regard women in terms of âauthority figuresâ â something that is being visualised by the picture below.
As readers learn at the end, the reason for Mrs. Piggottâs âmysteriousâ absence had to do with her decision to mend the car in the garage, which given the storyâs context, took the woman a long time. It goes without saying, of course, that the most plausible interpretation of this clearly feminist twist of the plot would be concerned with emphasising the fact that women are just as technically minded, as it happen to be the case with men (Jun 2012). The fact that Mrs. Piggott seems to have enjoyed herself, while addressing this essentially masculine task, confirms the validity of such our suggestion.
However, because Browneâs exploration of the theme of feminism has been undertaken from the position of a male, we can also speculate that this reflects the authorâs lack of emotional comfort with the process of British men growing increasingly feminine, on one hand, and with the tendency of British women to become ever more masculine, on the other â at least, for as long as the existential attitudes of the latter are being concerned (Knights 2000). This, of course, implies that the bookâs feminism-related themes and motifs are indeed socially relevant, because they appear to be thoroughly consistent with the qualitative aspects of a post-industrial living in Britain. Consequently, this provides us with yet another reason to suggest that Piggybook does have what it takes to be recommended for reading by children. In the aftermath of having been introduced to it, they will not only be able to learn to appreciate women, but also to gain a preliminary insight into the challenges of adulthood.
The Illustrated Mum by Jacqueline Wilson
As it was mentioned in the Introduction, there are a number of reasons to think that of Jacqueline Wilsonâs novel The Illustrated Mum; as such that promotes the conventions of the âpathologicalâ (degenerative) form of feminism, reflective of its affiliatesâ emotional discomfort with their gender-based identity.
To exemplify the soundness of this statement, we can refer to the character of Marigold, which in Wilsonâs novel serves as the actual embodiment of the values of this type of feminism. The rationale behind this suggestion is quite apparent â throughout the novelâs entirety, Marigold never ceases to experience the elusive anxiety of not being able to relate to her self-identity of a woman and a mother. Marigoldâs obsession with tattoos is perfectly illustrative, in this respect, âI love all my tattoos. Theyâre all so special to me. They make me feel specialâ (Wilson 1999, p. 13). Because most women do not experience any urge to cover their bodies with tattoos, in order to feel special, we can safely conclude that Marigoldâs mental fixation on âbody artâ was essentially pathological. After all, it remains a well-established fact among psychologists that oneâs preoccupation with trying to accentuate its âuniquenessâ, by the mean of altering its physical appearance to the extent that it would shock others, signifies that this person suffers from experiencing the unconscious sensation of self-loathing (Nicki 2001).
Wilson presents us with a number of additional proofs that this indeed must have been the case, the most notable of which are the novelâs implicit references to Marigoldâs mental inadequacy, and to the fact that this character was addicted to drinking, âShe (Marigold) drank her wine in less than half an hour and then said she felt a little sleepy⊠She fell asleep in the middle of a sentenceâ (Wilson 1999, p. 19). Yet, the author made a deliberate point in connecting these less than admirable qualities of Marigold to the idea that they are somehow reflective of the concerned characterâs âfeminist progressivenessâ. The fact that this indeed happens to be the case can be illustrated, in regards to Marigoldâs tendency to think of her decadent ways in terms of a social statement, âI donât have to conform to your narrow view of society, Star. Iâve always lived my life on the outside edgeâ (Wilson 1999, p. 13). Moreover, the novelâs overall ethos implies that, despite Marigoldâs lack of existential adequacy, she does deserve to be considered an intellectually liberated woman.
This alone makes it possible for us to suggest that the exploration of the theme of feminism in The Illustrated Mum is being concerned with the authorâs strive to encourage readers to think of the notion of womenâs empowerment, as such that has been triggered of the process of this country becoming increasingly âasexualâ â in full accordance with the provisions of political correctness. The most peculiar aspect of this process is that its agents tend to regard the indications of oneâs mental/behavioural abnormality, as such that establish him or her as an intellectually sophisticate person. Thus, it will not be much of an exaggeration to suggest that, while working on her book, Wilson remained thoroughly observant of Watsonâs suggestion that, contrary to the provisions of a commonsense logic, childrenâs writers must be socially irresponsible, âWe need irresponsible writers if the prevailing complacencies of our age – however benevolent – are to be challengedâŠ
Writers must be allowed to take risksâŠto be offensive⊠to challenge our most cherished assumptions about morality and the familyâ (1992, p. 6). Probably the main proof that this indeed must have been the case, can serve the fact that the way, in which the novelâs characters address life-challenges, presupposes their emotional detachment from British society, as a whole. In its turn, this prompts readers to think that there is indeed nothing wrong with oneâs commitment (such as that of Marigold and Star) to exist in the socially alienated mode (Evans 2015). It is understood, of course, that this can hardly be considered as such that contributes to the literary value of Wilsonâs novel.
There is even more to it â the novel in question contains many clues that the authorâs feminist agenda is concerned with her intention to reassess the validity of the traditional outlook on what accounts for the relationship between a mother and a daughter. One of them is the fact that there are some rather suggestive overtones to Dolphinâs admiration of Marigold: âShe (Marigold) was back. I (Dolphin) smelt her as soon as we opened the front door. Marigoldâs sweet strong musky scent⊠âOh Marigold,â I said, and I flew at herâ (Wilson 1999, p. 35). It may well be the case that some parents would not mind allowing their kids to be exposed to the literature, which endorses the unconventional views of what parenting is ought to be all about.
This, however, most definitely will not be the case with those parents who do not consider âirresponsibilityâ to be the appropriate methodological approach to raising children.
There is another notable feature of the theme of feminism in The Illustrated Mom â the fact that, as it can be inferred from the novel, the issues that relate to the cause of womenâs emancipation, have very little to do with the class-stratification of British society. For example, even though the novelâs female-characters of Marigold, Dolphin and Star appear to be socially disadvantaged in a variety of different ways, there is not even a single instance of them having suffered from a material hardship can be found in the novel. In fact, every time when the issue of shortage of money finds its way into the plot, the author is being quick enough to eliminate it out of sight, âMarigold: âYou (Star) haven’t got any moneyâ. Star: âHalf my school hang out down there. I bet one of the boys will buy me a Coke and some French friesââ (Wilson 1999, p. 41).
The same can be said about the significance of the discussed bookâs another important feature â the fact that, despite being shown as unconventional/rebellious individuals, Marigold, Dolphin and Star could not help turning such their rebelliousness into the mean of making the outwardly eccentric but essentially meaningless behavioural statements. To illustrate the validity of this statement, we can refer to the bookâs âice-cream eating sceneâ, âMarigold told us to open the fridge and there it was simply stuffed with ice cream⊠We ate Cornettos and Mars and Soleros and Magnums, one after another after another, and then when they all started to melt Star mixed them all up in the washing-up bowl and said it was ice cream soupâ (Wilson 1999, p. 39). After all, the mentioned scene is indeed being fully consistent with the tendency of âpathologicalâ feminists to do just about anything, in order to prove themselves utterly âprogressiveâ â even at the expense of indulging in behaviour that can hardly be considered socially/mentally appropriate.
This once again points out to the fact that the manner, in which the theme of feminism is being explored in The Illustrated Mum, does not quite correlate with that of âclassicalâ feminist writers, such as Kate Chopin, for example. The reason for this is apparent â the discursive premise of Wilsonâs novel does not take into account the socio-economic factors of influence, within the context of how many British women struggle with the legacy of patriarchialism. In its turn, this undermines the educational value of The Illustrated Mom, as a childrenâs novel.
Conclusion
In light of the earlier outlined qualitative specifics of childrenâs literature, it appears that it is namely Browneâs Piggybook, which should be deemed fully consistent with the genreâs provisions. The main reason for this is that the reading of this particular book by children will not only teach them to respect women, but also to understand what predetermines the appropriateness of such of their would-be behaviour. The same, however, cannot be said about Wilsonâs novel The Illustrated Mum, as a literary work that establishes parallels between the ideals of gender egalitarianism, on one hand, and some womenâs tendency to exhibit a psychologically deviant behaviour, on the other. Apparently, it never occurred to Wilson that by challenging the traditional assumptions about morality/facility, she in fact contributed to the process of the integrity of British society being undermined from within. The irony here is concerned with the fact that is that this appears to be the main reason why The Illustrated Mum ended up being critically acclaimed, in the first place.
I believe that this conclusion confirms the validity of the paperâs initial thesis that, even though the theme of feminism does define the semiotics of many modern works of childrenâs literature in Britain, it is important to be able to understand what account for the qualitative subtleties of this themeâs presentation in each of these works.
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