Agency In Children’s Literature And Culture: The Transformation Of The Representation Of The Child And Forms Of Subjectivity
This
chapter examines the historical and theoretical transformation of the concepts
of subjectivity and agency in children’s literature and children’s culture. It
emphasizes that the child figure has long been represented as passive, in need
of protection, and shaped by adult ideologies; however, this representation has
been increasingly questioned, particularly following shifts in the
understanding of childhood after 1990. The study reveals that the position of
the child within narrative is not merely an aesthetic choice but also the
result of an ideological and pedagogical construction process. In this context,
the concept of aetonormativity provides a key
framework for explaining how adulthood is positioned as the norm, while
childhood is defined through notions of lack and incompleteness. The chapter
demonstrates that the agency of the child character is often limited,
temporary, and negotiated within adult norms. Even when the child appears to
occupy a central role, narratives frequently conclude with the reassertion of
adult authority. At the same time, the study highlights contemporary texts in
which these norms are suspended, fractured, or made visible, allowing the
child’s subjective experience to emerge as a legitimate center of meaning.
Furthermore, the representation of the child is shown to evolve historically “from
hero to character”, ultimately becoming a multilayered subject with emotional
depth, contradictions, and the capacity to produce meaning. In conclusion, the
study positions children’s literature not as a fixed field of representation
but as a dynamic and critical space that enables the rethinking of childhood.
Kitap Adı:
New Horizons In Children’s Literature: Theory, Representation, And Identity
Atıf Sayısı :
