Subversion of Authority in "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland"

Abstract

The majority of children’s books are written by adults, thus, they inevitably show the image adults have in their mind about children/ childhood or how children should be like. The first part of our paper reveals the adult’s wish to educate, manipulate or instruct children through these books. However, the outcome of this manipulation mirrors the child’s possibility for achieving some form of autonomy in the worlds created by the adults. Consequently, we will analyse how these narratives increase the children’s agency and their self-awareness in a manner that subverts the adults’ authority.

Cuvinte-cheie: subversiune, transgresare a graniţelor, retragere în imaginar

REZUMAT

Majoritatea cărţilor pentru copii sunt scrise de adulţi, prin urmare, ele reflectă inevitabil imaginea pe care adulţii o au despre copii/copilărie sau despre cum ar trebui să fie copiii. Prima parte a lucrării noastre dezvăluie dorinţa adultului de a educa, manipula sau instrui copiii prin intermediul acestor cărţi. Cu toate acestea, rezultatul acestei manipulări reflectă posibilitatea copilului de a obţine o formă de autonomie în lumile create de adulţi. Prin urmare, vom analiza modul în care aceste naraţiuni sporesc capacitatea de acţiune a copiilor şi conştiinţa lor de sine într-un mod care subminează autoritatea adulţilor.

LANGUAGE OF PUBLICATION

English

UDC: 821.111.09-3"18"(092)Carroll L.

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Received: August 15, 2013 | Reviewed: August 26, 2013 | Accepted for publication: August 29, 2013

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