| Summary: | 博士 === 國立臺中教育大學 === 語文教育學系碩博士班 === 98 === The purpose of this study was to examine Newbery award winning books featuring female protagonists in the 1930s, 1960s and 1990s in terms of gender presentation. Areas concerning female portrayal, process of self-identification, and social support received by the female main characters were included.
This study used content analysis to analyze the ways female protagonists are portrayed in 27 Newbery books in the 1930s, 1960s and 1990s. Similarities and differences between female main characters in the same decades were examined to find a common trait or criteria for the shaping of a female role model. Comparisons between three different decades were conducted to see the changes of gender identity from the 1930s to the 1990s. By examining these books in their historical context as well as in their relation to each other, the researcher proposed to analyze the ways in which authors addressed the issue of gender in Newbery books as well as to document the progression in children’s literature dealing with gender relations that these books represented.
The findings of this study include:
1. Writers of different decades are inevitably influenced by the time and place they lived in and expressed the influences in their work. The Great Depression in the 1930s featured this decade with economic downturns and people in this decade faced an important issue of survival. The overwhelming numbers of female writers of award winning books do not reflect in creations of main characters. While 82.3% of the awarded writers are females, only 29.0% of awarded books featured female protagonists. Female protagonists in this decade are described as comforting, selfless and nurturing. They are guided mainly by successful and reasonable male adults. Such descriptions reflect historical background of this period for in the 1930s, women did not have many chances in the job market, they were supposed to be engaged in family issues such as supporting their husbands and taking care of children. Generally speaking, they relied on males and did not develop self identity and self awareness.
2. The 1960s were marked by prosperity and changes. In this decade, minorities, including women, began to speak for their own rights. Social standards setting by patriarchy were challenged and females yarned for more freedom and rights equal to males. What happened in the society did not extend to the selections and creations of Newbery award winning books. Percentages of male writers increased a lot comparing to the thirties, but females still outnumbered males in writing award winning books. The total percentage of female writers for awarded books is 52.8%. But again, like what found in the thirties, books featured female protagonists occupied only 19.4%. Female protagonists are described as completing self-identification by adopting social standards. In real life, women went on streets for equal rights and challenged the society. But for the Newbery award books, female protagonists still identified themselves with the rules setting by the society of patriarchy.
3. The United States became the most powerful nation of the world in the nineties both in economic and military conditions. It attracted a lot of immigrants with various ethnic backgrounds and the nation was entering an age of multiculturalism. For Newbery award winning books, percentage of female writers is 61.1%. This also reflects in the selection of main characters. Percentage of books featured female protagonists is 44.4%. Unlike what found in the thirties and sixties, female writers in this decade tend to depict girls as the main characters in their stories. Female protagonists in this decade are described as coming from various ethnic backgrounds with different economic conditions and diversified characteristics. Moreover, those books stress on females recognizing their own values instead of coping with the social standard.
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