ENGL 305 Reading Questions: Children's Literature

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary and concepts from lectures on the evolution and significance of children's literature.

Aesop

A teacher from Greece around 600 BCE known for writing fables such as 'The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing' and 'The Tortoise and the Hare,' teaching moral lessons.

Hornbooks

Books with a protective covering of goat or sheep horn, shaped like a paddle, containing verses and illustrations on both sides, used for reading instruction.

Battledores

Similar to hornbooks but more elaborately designed, containing pictorial alphabets and verses, used for educating children.

New England Primer

A book offering simple verses of religious instruction for children, including rhyming pectoral alphabets, aimed at instilling obedience to God and parents.

John Locke

A philosopher who described children's minds as blank slates in his essay 'Thoughts Concerning Education,' emphasizing the importance of a proper learning environment.

The Golden Age

Refers to the latter half of the 19th century, a period marked by significant changes in children's literature, focusing more on imagination and entertainment rather than didacticism.

Robinsonade

A term referring to adventure stories inspired by Daniel Defoe's 'Robinson Crusoe,' typically involving survival in isolation.

The Romantic Movement

A cultural movement that emphasized imagination, innocence, and the natural world, significantly influencing attitudes towards childhood in literature.

Folktale

Stories of the common people passed along by word of mouth, often representing societal norms and moral lessons, products of cultures without widespread literacy.

Fairytale

Serious tales involving characters overcoming evil with aid from magical powers, often featuring aristocratic or royal figures.

Myth

Sacred stories about the creation of the world and origins of cultural practices, forming the basis of many religions and mythologies.

Legend

Stories that recount the feats of local heroes, sometimes rooted in historical fact but typically focused on incredible skill without magic.

Moral Clarity through Brutality

A concept where violence in folklore serves as a vehicle for punishment and moral lessons, creating a sense of justice for children.

Anthropomorphism

The attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities like animals or inanimate objects, commonly used in folk tales and children's literature.

The Insatiable Female Archetype

A portrayal of women in folklore as either passive figures awaiting rescue or as malevolent characters seeking power, often framed negatively.

Imaginative Entertainment

The shift in children's literature in the 19th century from didactic tales to stories that celebrate fantasy, adventure, and childlike wonder.

Primary vs. Secondary Worlds

The distinction where the Primary World is the real, everyday world, and the Secondary World is a fully realized fictional universe with its own rules.

What were some of the changes to children’s literature in the nineteenth century?

• shifted from moral instruction to imaginative entertainment for children 

• Improved printing technology which meant improved art in literature

• Recognizable authors 

• Focus on childhood as a time for innocence and play