Dumb Dorky Girls and Wimpy Boys: Gendered Themes in Diary Cartoon Novels

Abstract

In this paper, we focus on gendered themes promulgated in three books written in diary cartoon form. Although written for different audiences, each of these books constructs gender norms in similar ways. They promote heteronormative gender roles for boys and girls by endorsing traditional femininities and hegemonic masculinities through the following themes: popularity, mean girls/ bullying, self-concept and self-esteem, friendship, and adult naïveté. First, we discuss the ways in which gender is implicated in children's literature. Then, we describe and analyze the diary cartoon books, contrasting and comparing those with girl protagonists and that with a boy protagonist. Finally, we explore the gendered implications in the books' themes, concluding that girls and boys are represented in different manners that reinforce gender essentialism and heteronormativity.The ways in which children's literature variously reflects and challenges heteronormative gender norms has become an increasingly important point of analysis in scholarly work. Children's literature is no more benign than any other form of cultural pedagogy. As Zipes (2002) argues, ''books for the young, perhaps even more than books intended for older readers, have always been used as weapons or

What Does This Story Say About Females?

“…However, his courageous heroism is disrupted by his love for Ginny Weasley, implying that love and desire are problematic, “a weakness that should be overcome” (p. 277). Taber and Woloshyn () found a similar case when examining three contemporary diary cartoon books: Dear Dumb Diary: Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jim Benton, Dork Diaries: Tales From a NOT‐SO‐Fabulous Life by Rachel Renée Russell, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley's Journal by Jeff Kinney. Such stories “promote heteronormative gender roles for boys and girls by endorsing traditional femininities and hegemonic masculinities” (p. 226).…”

Pedagogical discourses of gender, peace, and equality: Jane Addams Children’s Book Awards

“…The books, therefore, in the hands of a critical educator, could be used to not only problematize the representations of gender, race, and class, but to explore how the content can inform contemporary understandings of intersecting oppressions. As Taber and Woloshyn (2011a) argue, books should not be left to stand on their own; they present a prime opportunity to engage learners in a societal critique.…”

“…Thus, the discourses they circulate are important points of analysis. This research builds on my past research analyzing sociocultural issues in books written for the children of military members (Taber 2009), in children's award-winning (Canadian Governor-General) fiction (Taber and Woloshyn 2011b), in diary cartoon novels (Taber and Woloshyn 2011a), and in young adult novels (Woloshyn, Taber, and Lane 2013), exploring the sociocultural implications of children's literature for education and learning. Specifically, I take a feminist antimilitarist approach to examine the ways in which discourses of gender, equality, and peace may be represented in the books.…”

Discourses of Masculinity and Femininity in The Hunger Games: "Scarred," "Bloody," and "Stunning"

“…For instance, young women in fairy tales typically have been portrayed as beautiful passive victims who need to be rescued by strong males from ugly evil crones (Bacchilega, 1997;Baker-Sperry & Grauerholz, 2003;Parsons, 2004;Trousdale & McMillan, 2003; for discussion of associated complexities see Haase, 2004;Harries, 2001). Heterosexist representations such as these are found in genres as diverse as diary cartoon novels (Taber & Woloshyn, 2011a), horror fiction (Heinecken, 2011), fantastical realism (Waller, 2004), novels about sisterhood (McInally, 2008), and award winning literature (Taber & Woloshyn, 2011b). While characters sometimes may appear to challenge the notions of emphasized femininity and hegemonic masculinity, heteronormative gendered norms usually are upheld for boys (Chaudri, 2011;Pugh & Wallace, 2008;Wannamaker, 2006) and girls (Taber & Woloshyn, 2011a;Taber & Woloshyn, 2011b;Hager, 2003;McInally, 2008).…”

“…In this way, "gender inequality is reproduced" (Baker-Sperry & Grauerholz 2003, p. 723) through the various representations of Katniss that are determined by others, including Peeta, Haymitch, President Coin, and the Capitol. Appearance and attraction are central in The Hunger Games just as in other children's and young adult literature (Taber & Woloshyn, 2011a;McInally, 2008).…”