Children’s literature is a fascinating and diverse field of study that has been the subject of much debate and controversy. What defines a children’s book? How do children read and respond to literature? What are the aesthetic, social, and educational functions of children’s literature? These are some of the questions that scholars, writers, and readers have grappled with over the centuries.
In this blog post, I will explore some of the key issues and perspectives that have shaped the theory and practice of children’s literature, drawing on the insightful essay by Felicity A. Hughes, “Children’s Literature: Theory and Practice.” Hughes, a professor of English at Flinders University of South Australia, offers a historical and critical overview of the development of children’s literature, especially in relation to the novel, and examines the implications of the exclusion of children from the readership of serious literature.
Table of Contents
The Rise and Fall of the Family Novel
Hughes argues that the history of children’s literature coincides, more or less, with that of the novel, which emerged in the eighteenth century as a form of family reading. The novel was seen as a potential source of moral, social, and literary education for the young, and novelists and critics often addressed their works as “young people” or “our youth.” The novel also struggled to gain recognition as a serious art form, as it lacked the classical prestige of poetry and drama and was often dismissed as a “low” or “vulgar” genre.
However, this situation changed dramatically in the late nineteenth century, when a new view of the novel as a high art form triumphed over the older one. This view, championed by Henry James and other writers and critics, claimed that the novel’s function was to represent life realistically and objectively and that the novelist should be free from any moral or social constraints imposed by a family readership. James, in particular, expressed his dismay at the increasing popularity of the novel among women and children, whom he regarded as “irreflective and uncritical” readers, and advocated for a separate literature for children that would not interfere with the artistic aspirations of the serious novelist.
Hughes suggests that this view of the novel had a profound impact on the development of children’s literature, which became segregated from the rest of literature and relegated to a branch of popular literature. Children’s literature was also defined by its opposition to realism, as fantasy became its dominant mode. Fantasy, which had been seen as a legitimate and even superior form of literature by earlier writers such as R. L. Stevenson, was now dismissed as childish, trivial, or escapist by the proponents of realism.
The Challenges and Opportunities of Fantasy
Hughes contends that the exclusion of children’s literature from the class of serious literature has had both negative and positive consequences for the field. On the one hand, it has resulted in a lack of critical and theoretical attention, as well as a certain restraint on the topics and themes that can be explored in realistic children’s literature. On the other hand, it has also allowed for remarkable creativity and diversity in fantasy literature, which has been able to address issues and concerns that realism could not, such as terror, politics, and sex.
Hughes cites several examples of outstanding fantasy works for children that have challenged the conventions and expectations of realism, such as William Mayne’s A Game of Dark, Philippa Pearce’s Tom’s Midnight Garden, Lucy Boston’s A Stranger at Green Knowe, and Russell Hoban’s The Mouse and His Child. These works, Hughes argues, have not only provided aesthetic pleasure and imaginative stimulation for children, but also raised important questions about the nature of reality, time, identity, and morality.
Hughes concludes her essay by calling for a more nuanced and comprehensive approach to the study of children’s literature, one that recognizes its historical and cultural context, its artistic achievements, and its relevance to contemporary society. She also urges critics and readers to reconsider the assumptions and prejudices that have shaped the perception of children’s literature and to appreciate its richness and complexity as a form of literature in its own right.
Conclusion
Children’s literature is a rich and diverse field that deserves more critical attention and appreciation. By examining the historical and theoretical factors that have shaped its development, we can better understand its unique features and challenges. Fantasy, in particular, is a genre that has been marginalized and misunderstood by many critics but also offers great opportunities for creativity and expression. As writers and readers of children’s literature, we should not be constrained by the prejudices and assumptions of the past, but rather explore the possibilities and potentials of this fascinating form of art.
