Childrens Literature in the 20th Century - Essay Example

Her depiction of the education system is reflective of this implies and disconnected with formality.  Roald Dahl’s depiction is similar, his reflection helps us also identify a need for escapism and appreciation of the absurd. Phil Grange, Sue Townsend and, J.D Salinger all are very realistic in their depictions of the educational systems of the time which reflects the trouble that adolescents face dealing with the social realities around them. Harry Potter deals with a world of fantasy embedded in a boarding-school life. This depiction of school life is reminiscent of books like ‘Tom Brown’s schooldays. Jill Murphy’s series is along the same line but less intense and targeted towards a younger audience.

Each author uses his skill to depict the educational systems as children see them and each is a fusion of the author’s cotyle and experience and the broader social realities in which they were writing.

This paper reviews children’s literature in the 20th century by focusing on specific pieces of writing, with special references to their depiction of the educational system. It will first review the relevant piece of literature and then discuss the social and historical context in which it was written. Although the paper describes the depictions of the educational system that the works cover it also studies the broader context in which these systems exist and also the elements in the work and the author's style which influence the way the educational system is depicted. Amongst the tools used the paper looks at the narrative styles used and the depiction of adults in the work to get insight into the impact that the social and historical elements have on children’s lives.

The key focus of this paper is to explain that the depiction of childhood in children’s literature is influenced by the social and historical context in which it was written, however different authors have their unique styles and interpretations. 

Before we move on to a detailed analysis of the idea posed in this paper it is important to comment on the importance of studying and analyzing children’s literature. My research and personal opinions indicate two important reasons why this is an important activity. One reason is that children’s literature shows historical and social events from the perspective of children. This is an important variation from mainstream literature which generally has a very adult and usually masculine viewpoint. Another important reason is that parents very continuously about what their children are reading and children generally prefer works which parents find inappropriate. For example, in the case of Enid Blyton, her books were banned for a time from libraries and schools but are still read avidly by children’s generations after they were written. It is important for parents and others involved to understand why children read and like what they read and what these words mean to children and what role they play in their development.