Postmodern Strategies in Picture Books for Children”
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DIPLOMARBEIT / DIPLOMA THESIS Titel der Diplomarbeit / Title of the Diploma Thesis „Postmodern Strategies in Picture Books for Children” verfasst von / submitted by Mag. Barbara Eibl angestrebter akademischer Grad / in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Magistra der Philosophie (Mag. Phil.) Wien, 2016 / Vienna, 2016 Studienkennzahl lt. Studienblatt / A 190 344 362 degree programme code as it appears on the student record sheet: Studienrichtung lt. Studienblatt / UF Englisch, UF Russisch degree programme as it appears on the student record sheet: Betreut von / Supervisor: Ao. Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Eva Zettelmann Acknowledgements First and foremost, my gratefulness goes to my parents without whom my studies would not have been possible. I want to thank them for supporting me throughout my studies, and for always encouraging, motivating, and inspiring me. Moreover, I owe special thanks to Birgit and Alex for their affectionate motivation, for their funny and delicious ways of encouraging me, and for celebrating every single achievement during my studies with me. Last but not least, this diploma thesis would not have been possible without the support of my supervisor Ao. Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Eva Zettelmann who sparked my interest in postmodern picture books. Table of Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1 2 Postmodernism ...................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Genre Definitions ............................................................................................. 3 2.1.1 History and Periodization .............................................................................. 7 2.1.2 Lyotard, Baudrillard, and Jameson ............................................................... 8 2.1.3 Postmodern Literature and its Characteristics ............................................ 11 2.2 Postmodern Strategies and their functions and effects .................................. 16 2.2.1 Metafiction .............................................................................................. 16 2.2.2 Intertextuality .......................................................................................... 20 2.2.3 Nonlinearity ............................................................................................. 23 2.2.4 Reader interaction ................................................................................... 26 3 Picture Books ....................................................................................................... 27 3.1 Genre Definition ............................................................................................ 27 3.2 Characteristics ............................................................................................... 30 3.3 Codes ............................................................................................................ 35 3.3 Postmodern picture books ............................................................................. 39 3.3.1 Genre definition....................................................................................... 40 3.3.2 Audience ................................................................................................. 44 3.3.3 Postmodern illustrations .......................................................................... 47 4 Analysis: Postmodern strategies in selected picture books .................................. 48 4.1 Selected picture books .................................................................................. 49 4.2 Metafiction in picture books ........................................................................... 53 4.2.1 Effects of pictures on metafiction ............................................................ 53 4.2.2 Effects of the audience on metafiction ..................................................... 58 4.2.3 Effects authors intend to convey ............................................................. 60 4.3 Intertextuality in picture books ....................................................................... 63 4.3.1 Effects of pictures on intertextuality ......................................................... 63 4.3.2 Effects of the audience on intertextuality ................................................. 66 4.3.3 Effects authors intend to convey ............................................................. 69 4.4 Nonlinearity in picture books .......................................................................... 71 4.4.1 Effects of pictures on nonlinearity ........................................................... 71 4.4.2 Effects of the audience on nonlinearity .................................................... 74 4.4.3 Effects authors intend to convey ............................................................. 76 4.5 Reader interaction in picture books ............................................................... 80 4.5.1 Demand images ...................................................................................... 81 4.5.2 Direct reader address.............................................................................. 84 4.5.3 Co-authoring ........................................................................................... 84 5 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 87 6 Bibliography ......................................................................................................... 89 7 Appendix .............................................................................................................. 95 Table of Figures Figure 1: Little Red Running Shorts (from: Stinky Cheese Man 10) ........................ 55 Figure 2: Giant Story (from: Stinky Cheese Man 13 ................................................ 55 Figure 3: Metafiction (from: The Three Pigs 2) ........................................................ 55 Figure 4: Paper Plane (from: The Three Pigs 8) ...................................................... 56 Figure 5: Metalevel (from: The Three Pigs 16) ........................................................ 56 Figure 6: Hey Diddle Diddle (from: The Three Pigs 12) ........................................... 57 Figure 7: Wolf eats Rabbit (from: Wolves 13) .......................................................... 60 Figure 8: Metafiction (from: Wolves 5)..................................................................... 62 Figure 9: Giant Story Illustration (from: Stinky Cheese Man 13) .............................. 64 Figure 10: The Scream (from: Voices in the Park 3) ............................................... 65 Figure 11: Allustions to Magritte (from: Voices in the Park 8) .................................. 65 Figure 12: Artistic Allustions I (from: Voices in the Park 5) ...................................... 65 Figure 13: Artistic Allusions II (from: Voices in the Park 7) ...................................... 66 Figure 14: The Other Frog Prince (from: Stinky Cheese Man 9) ............................. 68 Figure 15: Blending Borders (from: Black and White 14) ......................................... 70 Figure 16: First Opening (from: Black and White 1)................................................. 72 Figure 17: Cinderumpelstiltskin (from: Stinky Cheese Man 15) ............................... 73 Figure 18: Ending (from: Black and White 16) ......................................................... 78 Figure 19: Train Station (from: Black and White 5) .................................................. 79 Figure 20: Demand Image I (from: The Three Pigs Cover)...................................... 81 Figure 21: Demand Image II (from: The Three Pigs 11) .......................................... 82 Figure 22: Demand Image III (from: Wolves 13) ...................................................... 82 Figure 23: Visual Dimensions I (from: Voices in the Park 13) .................................. 83 Figure 24: Visual Dimensions II (from: Voices in the Park 2) ................................... 83 Figure 25: Alternative Ending (from: Wolves 16) ..................................................... 85 1 1 Introduction This diploma thesis aims at investigating how authors of postmodern picture books for children employ postmodern strategies like metafiction, intertextuality, nonlinearity, and reader interaction. Moreover, it is intended to explore how these strategies can be implemented using pictures and made accessible for the young audience of picture books. In order to provide a basis for the proposed investigations literature about postmodernism and about the characteristics of postmodern literature which are intended to be analysed is reviewed. Moreover, a theoretical definition and description of picture books in general and of postmodern picture books in specific is supplied. Relating to five selected postmodern picture books for children I discuss how postmodern strategies can be applied in this genre. I was encouraged to compose this diploma thesis by the assumptions that it is possible to use postmodern strategies in a way that is appropriate for children, that the application of postmodern strategies is influenced by the visual effects of picture books as well as by the young audience of the genre, and that there are certain aims authors of postmodern picture books try to accomplish. The following research questions I mean to