Gender Roles In Children's Literary Analysis

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Gender roles are introduced and established early on in a child’s life as they begin to identify themselves as a boy or girl. How they should behave, dress, and what role they play are influenced by family, peers, and society. Children’s literature can also influence gender stereotypes. Literature allows children to engage in a fictional world and relate to the characters. The gender roles of these characters can reaffirm typical clichés or can used as a tool to teach children about individually and disregard stereotypes. Scott O’Dell’s Island of the Blue Dolphin and Jeanne DuPrau’s The City of Ember portray the female protagonists as brave heroines that defy these stereotypes and deliver a positive image to adolescents. While many children’s stories portray strong skillful males as the hero that save the female in the end. Karana in …show more content…
She understands the importance of companionship as well as self reliance. When she loses the ones she loves it does not make her weak or stop her, instead she becomes vigorous, revengeful, but coherent of the situation. The stereotypical reactions in these situations is not exemplified. She is able to keep her emotions discrete, but her actions speak louder. After Rontu dies, she seeks and captures his son because she understands the importance of relationships. The emotional bond was stronger with Rontu because of the obstacles they had to face together, but her love for animals is just as important. Karana decides to no longer kill animals (p. 149). Even though she would face social disapproval by her people and would not longer be able to use the resources these animals provide, she makes an independent and morally driven decision. These animals have become her friends and “without them the earth would be an unhappy place.” She follows self-chosen principles, seeks creative solutions, and is concerned with the common