Browsing by Subject "Muumit"

The aim of the thesis is to observe the elements that address both adult and child readers in the 2010 updated Finnish translation of Tove Jansson’s book The Exploits of Moominpappa. On the background of my research I have a conception of the work as an ambivalent text, which, despite its reputation as a children's book, contains content that addresses both the child and adult readerships. I use a qualitative theory-based content analysis in the study of the text. I apply a reading that the text has two implied readerships, "the children" and "the adults". Utilizing the double address theory I examine how this double audience is addressed in the book. The Finnish translation of the book’s original version was published in 1963. However, Jansson wrote a revision version of The Exploits of Moominpappa in 1968. This later version was only translated into Finnish in 2010. The work has been modified in many ways which harmonizes it’s style with other books of the Moomin novel series. Based on the previous studies on the topic, I consider that the original edition is emphasized on addressing mostly the implied child reader. In the thesis I look at the effect that the added content in the revision version has for the double addressing of the work. I also look at the effect of the metafictional and complex narration layers have on double addressing of the work. The additions made to the revision version of The Exploits of Moominpappa bring new psychological elements to complement the original adventurous plot of the book. Descriptions of the characters' thoughts and feelings have been deepened considerably. The additions on the revision version are focused on addressing the adult audience. The work now permits an interpretation of Moominpappa as a bitter family father who yearns after the lost days of his youth. The narration on the two layers is more complex which enables new interpretations for the adult reader. The child reader may have difficulty to understand the complex narrative that utilizes the mise en abyme structure, includes literature theoretical discourse and parody of the obsolete style of the historical memoirs. These can however be seen addressing the adult reader with higher literary competence. Yet thebook has also retained its characteristics that address the children's audience. The increased addressing of the adult readership makes the revision version more double addressing than the original edition.

In this research I described and analyzed music as an element in characterization in Tove Jansson’s moomin books. My purpose was to figure out how music appears in moomin books and how characters are constructed with music. There was lots of previous researches considering the moomin but there wasn’t any researches about music as element in characterization. My aspect to the field of research was recent. I chose three moomin books which included clearly most of descriptions about music. My material were Muumipeikko ja pyrstötähti, Näkymätön lapsi ja muita kertomuksia and Muumilaakson marraskuu. I found out all descriptions about music from these books. In this research music was considered as elements that contrasts music. Most of descriptions appeared in characterization of Nuuskamuikkunen and Vilijonkka, so I focused on these characters. I made themes from these descriptions. Themes came out from material and my analysis. My method was literature scientific close reading. In this research it came out that music appears in the moomin books interacting with plots and characterizations. Music appears as an element in characterization in two levels: instrument’s level and melodies and tone’s level. Both elements were connected with characterization describing feelings and inner conflicts of Nuuskamuikkunen and taking identity of Vilijonkka to new level. The division came out from the material and from my analysis. This is called the hermeneutic circle: the material leads reading and analysis, that still leads to growth of understanding.