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Representations of Masculinity in Selected 21 Century Children's Texts

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Representations of Masculinity in Selected 21 Century Children's Texts AT THE CROSSING-PLACES: REPRESENTATIONS OF MASCULINITY IN SELECTED 21st CENTURY CHILDREN’S TEXTS by Janice Robertson submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF LITERATURE & PHILOSOPHY in Theory of Literature PhD (Lan Lin & Lit) at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: Prof. R.A. Northover June 2019 1 For my boys Brandon, Michael and Gareth 10 years later 2 I am a growing teen who reads, I wonder about love, I hear my bones stretching, I see a young man brewing, I want to thrive in life, I am a growing teen who reads. I pretend to fly on dancing skies, I feel the love, true love that keeps me going, I want a flag, a flag of peace, I worry for all the mistakes I make, I cry for broken hearts and lives, I am a growing teen who reads I understand how loneliness can hurt, I say, “Don’t give in” I dream of happiness, not money or fame, I try to love my enemies, I hope for peace and self-respect, I am a growing teen who reads. Brandon, age 12 3 ABSTRACT AT THE CROSSING-PLACES: REPRESENTATIONS OF MASCULINITY IN SELECTED 21ST CENTURY CHILDREN’S TEXTS by Janice Robertson Supervisor : Prof. R.A. Northover Department : Theory of Literature This study explores the representations of masculinity in selected contemporary children’s adventure literature. According to John Stephens (2002:x), a problem for boys, both in narrative fictions and in the world, is that hegemonic masculinity ‘appears simultaneously to propose a schema for behaviour and to insist on their subordination as children, to conflate agency with hegemonic masculinity, and to disclose that, for them, such agency is illusory’. This issue, among others, forms the basis of the research as this paradox is particularly evident in texts that fall within the adventure genre, where protagonists present an image of empowered masculinity that has little or no correlation in real, that is, non-literary, childhood. Nevertheless, despite this apparent conflict, the discourses portrayed in these texts continue to influence society (in varying degrees) as they are promoted, perpetuated and disseminated through cultural productions. Moreover, as this research rests on the premise of a belief ‘in the cultural productivity of fictions’ (Knights 1999:vii), it focuses on literary material that forms part of the landscape of childhood in contemporary society. Therefore, this study analyses selected 21st century children’s texts in order to identify and discuss the representations of masculinity in these texts in the context of their publication at a time when hegemonic masculinity has long been a topic of popular and academic debate. The primary texts include the Arthur series by Kevin Crossley-Holland, Anthony Horowitz’s Alex Rider series, the Young Bond series by Charlie Higson and Steve Cole and the Bodyguard books by Chris Bradford. 4 By using discourse theory as a lens to complement the masculinity studies approach, this research investigates the questions posed under the problem statement and presents findings that demonstrate that the gender models presented in the texts are, for the most part, cast in ‘the masculinist and patriarchal conventions that characterised imperialist adventure’ (Capdevila 2003:216). Thus, it is evident that the children’s adventure genre seems to be rather tardy in keeping with the times. Nevertheless, much of the conflict surrounding the performance of masculinity in contemporary society is represented through the texts and forms a significant part of the narrative. Key terms: Young masculinity; children’s literature; adventure fiction; performativity studies; boys reading; gendered identity; fictions of masculinity; Anthony Horowitz; Chris Bradford; Kevin Crossley-Holland. 5 Table of Contents CHAPTER ONE ...................................................................................................................................... 8 Introduction.............................................................................................................................................. 8 1.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 8 1.2 Background ............................................................................................................................. 9 1.3 Aims and objectives of the study........................................................................................... 10 1.4 Scope of the Study ................................................................................................................ 11 1.5 Contribution of this Study ...................................................................................................... 12 1.6 Outline of the Study ............................................................................................................... 12 CHAPTER TWO .................................................................................................................................... 15 Making Masculinity Visible .................................................................................................................... 15 2.1 Background ............................................................................................................................ 15 2.2 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 16 2.3 Masculinity Studies ................................................................................................................. 17 2.4 Hegemonic Masculinity .......................................................................................................... 22 2.5 Multiple Masculinities.............................................................................................................. 25 2.6 Performativity .......................................................................................................................... 27 2.7 Discourse and masculinity ...................................................................................................... 29 2.8 Power and Discourse ............................................................................................................. 32 2.9 General Observations on Gender in Children’s Literature ..................................................... 33 2.10 Fairy Tales .............................................................................................................................. 38 2.11 Case Study: Testing the Boundaries of Hegemonic Masculinity in The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom ........................................................................................................................ 40 2.11.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 40 2.11.2 Meeting Prince Charming .............................................................................................. 41 2.11.3 Unmanning Prince Charming ........................................................................................ 45 2.11.4 Redeeming Prince Charming ........................................................................................ 53 2.12 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 56 CHAPTER THREE ................................................................................................................................ 58 ‘The King Who Was and Will Be’: Mythmaking and the Perpetuation/Contestation of Masculine Hegemony in Crossley-Holland’s Arthur Trilogy ................................................................................... 58 3.1 ‘At the Crossing-Places’: Background .................................................................................... 58 3.2 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 60 3.3 ‘I am living in two worlds’: Two Arthurs, Two Kings ............................................................... 63 3.4 The Boy as Writer: Recording and Interrogating Mythical Realities ....................................... 67 3.5 ‘I’ve never hurt like this before’: Wounded Masculinity .......................................................... 73 3.6 ‘I just write what I want to write’: The Masculinity of Mythmaking .......................................... 85 3.7 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 90 CHAPTER FOUR: ................................................................................................................................. 96 6 MARKETING MASCULINITY................................................................................................................ 96 4.1 Background ............................................................................................................................ 96 4.2 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 97 4.3 Young ‘Musculinity’ ............................................................................................................... 100 4.4 Inheriting Masculinity ............................................................................................................ 101
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