Preview

Children's Literature and Gender

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1792 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Children's Literature and Gender
________________________________________ Gender Issues in Children 's Literature

Contents
How Is Gender Portrayed in Children 's Literature?

Why Is Gender-Representation in Children 's Literature Significant?

What Should Teachers Keep in Mind While Selecting Children 's Books?

How Can Teachers Use Children 's Literature to Promote Gender Equity?

References
Forums
Education and Kids
Raising our Kids
KidSource Store
Great Children 's Books
Mayo Clinic Family Health Book 'I Won 't Learn from You ': And Other Thoughts on Creative Maladjustment
Advertisement
________________________________________
"Everything we read...constructs us, makes us who we are, by presenting our image of ourselves as girls and women, as boys and men" (Mem Fox, 1993).
Besides being an important resource for developing children 's language skills, children 's books play a significant part in transmitting a society 's culture to children. Gender roles are an important part of this culture. How genders are portrayed in children 's books thus contributes to the image children develop of their own role and that of their gender in society.
________________________________________
How Is Gender Portrayed in Children 's Literature?
Gender bias exists in the content, language and illustrations of a large number of children 's books (Jett-Simpson & Masland, 1993). This bias may be seen in the extent to which a gender is represented as the main character in children 's books and how that gender is depicted.
Numerous studies analyzing children 's literature find the majority of books dominated by male figures. For example, Ernst (1995) did an analysis of titles of children 's books and found male names represented nearly twice as often as female names. She also found that even books with female or gender-neutral names in their titles in fact, frequently revolve around a male character. Many classics and popular stories where girls are portrayed usually


References: Ernst, S. B. (1995). "Gender issues in books for children and young adults." In S. Lehr (Ed.). Battling dragons: Issues and controversy in children 's literature. (pp. 66-78). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. [ED 379 657] Fox, M Jett-Simpson, M., & Masland, S. (1993). "Girls are not dodo birds! Exploring gender equity issues in the language arts classrooms." Language Arts, 70 (2), 104-108. [EJ 457 110]. Lawrence, B McGowan, M., McGowan, T., & Wheeler, P. (1994). Appreciating diversity through children 's literature: Teaching activities for the primary grades. Englewood, CO: Teachers Ideas. Rudman, M Temple, C. (1993). "What if 'Beauty ' had been ugly?" Reading against the grain of gender bias in children 's books. Language Arts, 70 (2), 89-93. [EJ 457 108]. Trites, R.S
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Irony in Markus Zusak's the Messenger
    • 15087 Words
    • 61 Pages

    Irony in Markus Zusak's the Messenger

    Cadden, M. (2000). The Irony of Narration in the Young Adult Novel. Children 's Literature Association Quarterly , 147-154. [Online]. Retrieved at: www.longwood.edu [August 23rd 2011].…

    • 15087 Words
    • 61 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Berenstain Bear Picture Book Summary
    • 216 Words
    • 1 Page

    Berenstain Bear Picture Book Summary

    In conclusion, portraying gender stereotypes in occupational roles, behaviors, and gendered clothing throughout Berenstain Bears picture books can potentially lead to negative development in young children. With this in mind, in an article “Gender Stereotypes in Children’s Books: Their Prevalence and Influence on Cognitive and Affective Development” by Sharyl Peterson, they discuss the effects of gender stereotypes on affective development and cognitive development that are present in children. In fact, Peterson mentions in his work that “picture-books provide children with role models and clear images that prescribe for the children what they can and should be like when they grow up” (Weitzman et al., 19). Comparatively, Berenstain Bears picture…

    • 216 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Aya And Wild Swans: A Literary Analysis
    • 1365 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Aya And Wild Swans: A Literary Analysis

    The interaction between genders, importance of female education, and hardships of life seem to be a language that can be relatable to most women. As the world continues to change, the roles women play in literature will continue to be a great easel for the evolution of gender roles. If I were to take an even further view into women in literature, I would try to see how the circumstances of the lives of women writers play on their depictions of the world in their…

    • 1365 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Assignment 306 Questions And Answers
    • 826 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Assignment 306 Questions And Answers

    |Gender |Reading story books, boy always the pictured as the doctor |Decimation against girls, girls may feel they can not…

    • 826 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    A Critical Lens approach guide
    • 1251 Words
    • 6 Pages

    A Critical Lens approach guide

    and identifies how gender roles or stereotypes are represented or challenged in a text. It is interested in how gender empowers or constrains characters in a text. HOW ARE MEN AND WOMEN OFTEN PORTRAYED DIFFERENTLY IN LITERATURE?…

    • 1251 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Gender Stereotyping In Fairy Tales
    • 103 Words
    • 1 Page

    Gender Stereotyping In Fairy Tales

    Media plays an important role in the depiction and construction of gender. Several studies exist which have focused on gender role portrayals and gender stereotyping appearing in the media. Considering this phenomenon, gender stereotyping is not only displayed in commercials or other television programs, but these can also be found in media products directed towards children. One of the issues , which is of great interest to many researchers is that even fairy tales, like cartoons and animation films, present male and female characters portrayed stereotypically (Robinson et al. 2006:203). Fairy tales have been the first kind of literature with which children…

    • 103 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    To Kill A Mockingbird Gender Bias Analysis
    • 642 Words
    • 3 Pages

    To Kill A Mockingbird Gender Bias Analysis

    “You sissy! Stop being such a girl! What are you afraid of?” These condescending remarks bounced through out my mind as I looked over the edge of a 30 foot cliff into the cold water. Soon the loud voice of my brother yelled at me from bellow-- “Just Jump.” I knew that I was going to live but I was held back by the harsh remarked thrown at me from my friend. I couldn’t comprehend what they were saying. Girls were afraid? That couldn’t be true, women had jumped off before I had. The misconception that the word “girl” is a symbol of weakness and fear, can only be labeled as gender bias. Equally so, examples of gender bias can be found in in the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. From Scout and Mayela to the missionary society , gender bias sticks out as one of the large underling concept in this book.…

    • 642 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    How Does Toys Affect Children
    • 1268 Words
    • 6 Pages

    How Does Toys Affect Children

    Gender plays an important role in the way children are raised in today’s society. The common stereotype that feminine toys are for girls and masculine toys are for boys is prevalent, even with all of the political advancements our society has made to try to free the world from these stigmas. It starts as early as when a child is in the mother’s womb. Most women will celebrate the arrival of their bundle of joy with a baby shower. Pink colors will be used for baby girls and blues for baby boys. In toy stores you will find aisles filled with toys separated by gender: baby dolls for girls and action heroes for boys. During ages three to five children enter their peak playing ages where their minds are most vulnerable to absorb everything and anything at once. Due to a failing economy, many more families are depending on early childcare programs to care for their children while they are forced to have both parents enter the workforce. During this sensitive, and impressionable time in a…

    • 1268 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Diversity In Traditional Tales Essay
    • 407 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Diversity In Traditional Tales Essay

    Female roles have been depicted differently under different culture background. From the example I list above, we can see how culture background has shaped the imagines of roles differently in traditional tales, and how those traditional tales impact children’s life in the same…

    • 407 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Journal
    • 302 Words
    • 1 Page

    Journal

    Also, Stefan Babich’s article throws more light to the devastating issue of gender gap. She considers the role of female protagonists in animated children’s films. Using Disney and Pixar as a case study, she fairly criticizes Disney films for being sexist and mentions that “A pretty big percentage of the female leads in Disney musicals seem to have only one goal- to get…

    • 302 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    The smurfette Principle
    • 1939 Words
    • 8 Pages

    The smurfette Principle

    Young children can tell the difference between boys and girls, and will label people accordingly. However, these very young children still believe that gender can change and is not permanent. Children of this age also have trouble understanding that males and females have different body shapes, but also share characteristics. (Oswalt)…

    • 1939 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Argumentative Essay On Snow White
    • 598 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Argumentative Essay On Snow White

    The story chosen is Snow White that has become the most popular princess among young girls. Snow White and similar fairy tales are playing bad with young minds by showing male characters stronger and powerful, which is also causing gender discrimination. Whether the fairy tales have significant impact on folks’ lives has been the most discussed phenomenon of the time. Many people agree to the notion that fairy tales and their myths do have an impact in young children’ life while the other rejects this. Scientifically and psychologically, it has been proven that children tend to adopt the habits they see around and that they play a vital role in shaping a child's mind and controlling his/her thoughts. “Two close readings of this version, one psychoanalytic and the other feminist, suggest that because Snow White is part of a literally as well as folkloric tradition, it may be studied as a cultural artifact and text valid in itself” (Shuli Barzilai, 515).…

    • 598 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Gender Stereotypes In Children
    • 1585 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Gender Stereotypes In Children

    In today’s culture gender stereotypes and biases are created on the daily and children learn to adopt their gender roles based on these stereotypes. As children grow up they are exposed to factors that have major influences on their behaviors regarding their gender roles. During children development, children’s surroundings shape them into who they are. School, television, advertisements, friends, parents and many others impact these children and brainwash them into following these gender stereotypes. A study found that kids at the age of two and a half use gender stereotypes in negotiating the world, therefore in a number of activities they generalize these stereotypes to apply (Witt, 1997). For instance, girls are encouraged to play with dolls and engage in feminine activities, boys are pushed to play with cars, trucks and be involved in sports. From a very young age these children are experiencing these stereotypes first hand being that they are so vulnerable and are much easier to shape. Television also plays a huge role in children developing gender roles. Disney Channel is only one of many influences on children about male and female roles in society. It has been found that preschools spend nearly 30 hours a week, on…

    • 1585 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Gender Roles In Childhood
    • 797 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Gender Roles In Childhood

    Gender role has been defined in various ways; for example, it has included a person’s preference for, or adoption of, behavioral characteristics or endorsement of personality traits that are linked to cultural notions of masculinity and femininity. Depending on which parent a child identifies this can provide its own identifier towards which gender role a child will attach themselves to. In childhood, gender roles have been commonly indexed and operationalized with regard to several constraints: peer preferences, toy interests, roles in fantasy play, etcetera. When children are asked “what identifies them as a boy or a girl” children often respond that it is there clothing and not their abilities. (Kerr, Multon, 2015)…

    • 797 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sex, Gender and Toys
    • 1915 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Sex, Gender and Toys

    According to the book “Core Concepts in Sociology”, authors Lindsey et al. (2006), socialization is defined as, “the lifelong process by which we learn our culture, develop our sense of self, and become functioning members of society” (Lindsey et al., 2006, p. 56). Today, social scientists define gender and sex as two very distinct realities (Lindsey et al., 2006, p. 114). Sex is defined as the biological traits that differentiate male and female while gender is the psychological, cultural and social traits that are in relation to male and female and identify people as masculine or feminine (Lindsey et al., 2006, p. 114). Gender stereotypes are common ideologies concerning what constitutes as feminine and masculine (Nelson, 1999, p.13). They wield a strong influence over our perceptions, expectations and evaluations not only of ourselves but of others as well (Nelson, 1999, p. 13). Our outlooks on gender are descriptive in the sense that we define what others are like and they are also prescriptive in the sense that we identify what others should be like (Nelson, 1999, p.13). These gender stereotypes are widely reinforced through the mass media, especially through children’s toys (Wagner-Ott, 2002, p. 246). Socialization begins from the day we are born and will continue until the day we die and since toys take place in children’s lives from the day they are born; it is safe to say that they play an important role in a child’s gender socialization (Wagner-Ott, 2002, p. 246). The nature of this project will be to compare and evaluate children’s toys on the basis of gender. I will be discussing the differences that are portrayed amongst children’s toys and what those differences suggest to the children. It is important to look at the agents who give these toys meaning because toys are after all merely objects. Do children’s toys portray gender specific messages? At a young age, girls are given dolls and kitchen set toys which gear them towards motherhood, while boys…

    • 1915 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics