Browsing by Author "Jennifer, Hjelm"

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze a selection of five children’s books from a gender perspective. In this study, a qualitative analysis method was used to analyze the selection of five children's books read in kindergartens and preschools in Porvoo. A qualitative analysis method was used for this purpose, to analyze five children’s books having been read in kindergartens and preschools in Porvoo. The research questions used are as follows: How are the different genders represented in the books? How do characters of opposite gender interact with one another in the books? In what ways do these interactions affect the roles of the characters in the books? The subjects of research were chosen through a questionnaire sent out to 9 kindergartens and preschools in Porvoo, in which pedagogues were asked to write down the title of at least 5 books they have read in their kindergarten or preschool class during the past year. The analysis was carried out with the help of preconceived notions about which characteristics and activities are stereotypical to which gender. These were compared to the characteristics and activities shown in the five books. The data from these analyses was compiled with the help of the following questions: Who are the characters? What are their relationship to one other? What do the characters look like? What are they wearing? What activities do they perform? The results show that each of the 5 books held many gender-stereotypes, with very few breaches of the gender barrier. The characters had gender-stereotypical looks, as well as interests, behaviors and actions that were typical for their sex. The results also show that the interactions between characters do not affect the roles of said characters in the book, but that there is, however, a recognizable pattern seen, in which male characters are often pitted against female characters, and vice versa.