Children's Voices in Literature

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at children's literature in Great Britain in the first half of the 20th century and considers whether children's books of that time gave access to the voices of children of that time. The books consulted are E.E. Milne's "Winnie-the-Pooh" and "The House at Pooh Corner", and C.S. Lewis's "The Magician's Nephew". In conclusion, the author of this paper states that even in books written about children and for children, children seem to be all but mute due partly to the various agendas of their authors.

From the Paper:

"The first half of the 20th century was a dynamic and volatile time historically for Great Britain, given that during this time Great Britain played a primary role in two world wars, and also that - at the time - it was the most dominant nation in the world, with a huge colonial empire that spanned the globe. By the end of this period, Great Britain had begun to be eclipsed by the USA, as the USA leveraged its scientific and military might to gain global ascendancy. Also during this period began the huge changes associated with decolonization, as nation after nation claimed independence. This of course had a massive impact on Great Britain, as her colonial possessions were part of what made the British nation rich, powerful and strong. All in all, it was a time in which British power and control was slipping away. Yet at the same time, many Brits still retained a self-image of themselves as rulers of the world, and assumed that British standards of morality, decency and behaviors were universally valid (Cannon). This self-image, as we shall see, comes through more clearly in children's books than do the authentic voices of children."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Benson, John. The Rise of Consumer Society in Britain, 1880-1980. London: Longman, 1994.
• Cannon, John, ed. The Oxford Companion to British History. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997.
• Lewis, C.C. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew. HarperTrophy, 1955.
• Lewis, C.C. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. New York: HarperTrophy, 1955.
• Milne, A.A. The House at Pooh Corner. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1957.

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