The Representation of Black Masculinity in Post-apartheid Children’s Literature Candy Lynn Thyssen THYCAN001 A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of MSocSc (Research Psychology) Faculty of Humanities University of Cape Town Town 2013 Cape of COMPULSORY DECLARATION This work has not been previously submitted in whole, or in part, for the award of any degree. It is my own work. Each significant contribution to, and quotation in, this dissertation from the work, or works, Universityof other people has been attributed, and has been cited and referenced. Signature: ____________________________ Date: 2 April 2013 Supervisors: Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela (University of the Free State) and Floretta Boonzaier (University of Cape Town) Author note: This study was funded in part by a research scholarship from the Fetzer Institute. The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgementTown of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Cape Published by the University ofof Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University Abstract The significant changes to the political landscape of South Africa since the abolition of apartheid and the implementation of democracy have had far-reaching effects in social order and gender relations. With the new dispensation has come the promise of new opportunities for men and women of all races to participate fully in the creation of a multicultural society, making the issue of transformation an important agenda. As a social artefact, children’s literature has also been influenced by these changes, and the didactic function of this medium make it an interesting site to explore the ways in which historical stereotypes are both perpetuated and challenged. This study focused on the representation of black masculinity in a sample of South African children’s literature published after apartheid. The aim was to investigate howTown race, gender, and class intersect in the representation of black masculinity. A discourse analysis of ten picturebooks written and illustrated by South Africans was used toCape inform the investigation on of the text, the images, and the stories as a whole. Although thereof were some promising changes in the representation, stereotypical stories which perpetuated the themes of black people as rural, barefoot and poor dominated the sample. In particular, the absence of fathers and a lack of strong black male characters were noted. The reiteration of such stereotypes in the absence of strong aspirational images is troubling given the potential of children’s literature to influence attitudes. University 2 Table of Contents Chapter One: Introduction and Overview 6 Chapter Two: Literature Review The Relationship between Children’s Literature and the Growing Child 9 The Role of Children’s Literature 10 Race in Children’s Literature 12 The Representation of Multicultural Identities in Children’s Literature 15 Masculinity in Children’s Literature 18 Specific Aims and Research Question Town 21 Chapter Three: Methods Cape Purpose of the Study of 23 Conceptual Framework 25 Social Construction 26 The Social Construction of Gender 28 Social Construction, Race and Representation 28 Social ConstructionUniversity of Race and Gender in Children’s Literature 30 Postcolonial Theory 31 Research Design 33 Discourse 34 Sample 35 Materials 38 3 Procedure 39 Data Analysis 39 Discourse Analysis 41 Ethical Considerations 46 Chapter Four: Synopsis and Pictorial Analysis 47 Chapter Five: A Discussion of Space and Race 160 Chapter Six: The Theme of Barefoot Black Characters Town 177 Chapter Seven: Black Families and Black Fathers Cape 189 of Chapter Eight: Black People and Animals 203 Chapter Nine: Discussion and Conclusion 210 References University Appendices Appendix A: Parker’s Seven Criteria for Distinguishing Discourse Appendix B: Story Tables Appendix C: List of picturebooks used in the current sample 4 Words: 51, 744 Town Cape of University 5 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW The significant changes to the political landscape of South Africa since the abolition of apartheid and the implementation of democracy have had far-reaching effects in social and gender relations. With the new dispensation has come the promise of new opportunities for men and women of all races to participate fully in the creation of a multicultural society, with the issue of transformation being an important agenda. The year 1994 may have marked the formal end of apartheid, but as a way of life, remnants of its social and ideological influence have proven to be more enduring (MacCann & Maddy, 2001). This makes post-apartheid South Africa as a country in transition where new identities are being negotiated an interesting context in which to explore race and gender. Town The many indignities of apartheid laws emasculated black1 men by imposing strict regulations on almost every part of their lives (Morrell,Cape 1998). The advent of democracy has challenged men of colour to reclaim their manhoodof and find positive ways of being men in the new South Africa. Language and books remain an important medium for the transmission of social values and cultural ideals, and young children are particularly susceptible to the messages about race and gender received at a time when they are developing their identities (Gooden & Gooden, 2001). Exploring the representation of black males in post-apartheid children’s literature can be used Universityas a way of gauging the extent to which an ethos of transformation is reflected in the opportunities and roles available to male black characters. Children’s literature has many functions, and is viewed variously as an introduction to the world of reading, entertainment, and even as a socialization agent. Books written specifically for young children often have an instructive purpose, and serve to educate them about culturally 1 In this project, the word ‘black’ will be used as an inclusive term comprising black, coloured, Indian and Asian races. 6 appropriate behaviour and their place in society. As a means of conveying social norms, children’s literature can be seen as simultaneously reflecting the ideals of society, as well as the inherent prejudices within it (Van Vuuren, 1994). Picturebooks are a particular genre of children’s literature aimed at young children who are beginning to learn how to read. These books combine the distillation of ideas into simple language illustrated with pictures, the interaction of the visual and the verbal being instrumental in telling the story. The apparent simplicity of children’s books belies the complex ways this genre acts as a “transparent window on the future - a way to glimpse how the literary imagination constructs cultural value” (MacCann & Maddy, 2001, pxi). This thesis explores the representation of black masculinityTown in post-apartheid children’s picturebooks by South African authors by examining a sample of picturebooks published between 1994 and 2010, using discourse analysis to Capediscover and describe how black masculinity is constructed. Chapter Two presents a literatureof review of pertinent research in the areas of representation, identity, race and masculinity as they relate to children’s literature. Chapter Three presents the theoretical framework and outlines the research methodology used to guide the study. Chapter Four is a discourse analysis of a sample of South African children’s picturebooks published after 1994. Chapter Five explores themes in the meanings attached to various geographical locationsUniversity where black people are represented. Chapter Six looks at the symbolic meaning of shoes and being barefoot in the books. Chapter Seven examines the role of black families, and how black fathers are represented. Chapter Eight discusses the representation of black people as, and their recurrent juxtaposition with, animals. Chapter Nine concludes with a discussion of the main findings and limitations, and suggests directions for further research in the field. 7 CHAPTER 2: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON BLACK MASCULINITY AND ITS RELATION TO CHILDREN’S LITERATURE IN SOUTH AFRICA This chapter is concerned with outlining the scholarly work in the areas of black masculinity, children’s literature, and where these fields intersect. It will address the role of children’s literature and its relationship to the growing child, race and the representation of multicultural identities in children’s literature, as well as masculinity in children’s literature. From infancy until the start of formal schooling, children are engaged in reading and writing behaviours classed as emergent literacy, which describes whatTown they know about these activities before attending school (Sulzby & Teale, 2003). The types of books young children are most often exposed to are picturebooks, a specific genre of children’s literature consisting of simple text combined with illustrations designed for Capechildren unable to read. Books for children serve various purposes: the three most importantof being to entertain, to promote psychosocial development and to instruct (Mendoza & Reese, 2001). The instructive function of children’s literature can be seen both as an educational tool and a socialization tool through which culture may be transmitted (Taylor, 2003), and often children’s books reflect the values and prejudices of the