Girl in Progress: Navigating the Mortal Coils of Growing up in the Fiction of Jacqueline Wilson
Girl in Progress: Navigating the Mortal Coils of Growing Up in the Fiction of Jacqueline Wilson A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in English at the University of Canterbury by Cherilyn Nicole Clark University of Canterbury 2016 For my grandmother, Isla Clark, who was always disappointed if I was not reading a book Table of Contents Acknowledgements 1 Abstract 2 Introduction Adult Ideologies, Postmodern Children, and Jacqueline Wilson 3 Chapter 1 The Dual Wound: Psychological Trauma, and Physical Harm in Falling Apart 9 Chapter 2 The Pressures of a Girl Body: Culture, Body Image, and Food in Girls Under Pressure 38 Chapter 3 Domestic Madness: Home, Family, and Mental Illness in The Illustrated Mum 68 Coda Defining the Voice in Jacqueline Wilson’s Work 99 Works Consulted 103 1 Acknowledgements Many thanks to my academic supervisors, Anna Smith and Annie Potts, for their much appreciated support, feedback, and recommendations while writing this thesis. Thanks to the University of Canterbury Library and the Interloans team in particular for getting much needed research materials to me so quickly. Thank you to my parents, Karen and Pete, and my partner, Ben, for their love and support throughout my studies and for putting up with me when I was at my most stressed. And I won’t forget my friends for sharing cake and conversation with me. Thank you for the distraction. 2 Abstract The following presents a discussion of the work of children’s and young adult novelist, Jacqueline Wilson. My focus is on Wilson’s treatment of issues that are quite pertinent to growing up and growing up as a girl in particular.
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