Good Girls, Bad Boys and School Story Stereotypes

Résumé de la communication : Stereotypes have often been used in children's literature and especially in British school stories published between 1900 and 1950. Popular authors such as Frank Richards and Enid Blyton were often heavily criticized for their repetitive and unbelievable plots  - fires, secret passages and kidnappings - and predictable characters: studious school-girls and mischievous school-boys.

Yet these two authors and others were responsible for making the school story so popular that it beat all other childrens literary genres at the time, and even today there are reprints and fan clubs. Were these harsh remarks from critics completely justified or is it possible there was a positive side to stereotypes that helped ensure that millions of children during those 50 years read and read...and enjoyed their reading too? With the help of some examples drawn from childrens' books  I invite you to reflect on how the modest school story became a phenomenal best seller and whether or not  it deserved its success.

Intervenante: Harriet LEE

Sujet de thèse: Have British school stories helped to perpetuate the British class system? sous la direction d’Armelle PAREY