UNIVERSITATEA DIN CRAIOVA FACULTATEA DE LITERE MASTER: STUDII ANGLO-AMERICANE

LUCRARE DE DISERTAIE ANTHROPOMORPHISM IN ENGLISH BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

Coordonator tiinific L!ctor "ni#$ dr$ A%oi&ia 'oro( Ma&t!rand) Gor"n E%!na-Lor!dana

CRAIOVA *+,-

A.STRACT
Some must wonder why Ive chosen Anthropomorphism in English Books for Children, as the theme for my work!? Well, youll see that its a very simple explanation and also a very reasonable one. Ive chosen this theme not for its complex name but for the fact that, as we well know, our self development starts from early childhood, so, I think that it represents the most important part of our education. In order to understand better literature and to develop a very ood opinion about time, space, and thin s around us, we have to read and this must be a very important part for us even from early childhood, thats why this kind of literature, childrens literature is for me very attractive and important. !hildrens literature represents a phase that cant be replaced by anythin , is somethin primordial and the fact that it has the freedom to express in so many ways makes it more useful for the educational process. "nly in this kind of literature we can speak about anthropomorphic characters which offer the opportunity to discover a whole new world throu h fiction and comic lines and this advanta e is very useful in childrens education because in this way we can sei#e their attention and their interest. $nthropomorphism in all children books, not only in %n lish books, is a very useful feature, is like a strai ht connection between the real world and the fantastic one. &sin characters like a tiny plush bear, or a sweet little bunny, or even like a peevish mole and a water rat, makes the readin process easier and children are immediately attracted by the story without much effort. 'rom a rational and lo ical point of view, anthropomorphism is a form of personification that ives human characteristics to non(humans, like animals in our case. In another way of expressin , anthropomorphism may be seen as a way to make thin s that are unfamiliar seem more familiar. )hese are some characteristics for which I decided that I must consider thorou hly this theme and Ill have many others to discuss below.

CONTENTS
/AGE

INTRODUCTION C2A/TER I:
C2ILDREN3S LITERATURE ,$,$ T4! I5(ortanc! of Lit!rat"r! for C4i%dr!n ,$*$ Ma7or T4!5!& U&!d in C4i%dr!n3& Lit!rat"r! ,$-$ Main En8%i&4 .oo9& for C4i%dr!n

01

06 0,+ $$$,*

C2A/TER II:
ANIMALS IN ENGLIS2 .OO:S FOR C2ILDREN *$,$ T4! Ro%! of t4! Ani5a%& in C4i%dr!n3& Lit!rat"r! *$*$ T4! Conn!ction .!t<!!n 2"5an and Non-2"5an C4aract!r& *$-$ T=(!& of Non-2"5an C4aract!r& in En8%i&4 .oo9& for C4i%dr!n
0,; 0,6 0*+

C2A/TER III:
ANT2RO/OMOR/2IC FEATURES IN T>O MAIN >OR:S -$,$ A$ A$ Mi%n!: Winnie the Pooh -$*$ :!nn!t4 Gra4a5!: The Wind in the Willows
$$$*0*6

CONCLUSIONS .I.LIOGRA/2? SUMMAR?

0-+

0-*

0--

INTRODUCTION
)alkin about childrens literature is both pleasant and complex. Why complex? Well, it is complex indeed even if we discuss only a kind of literature, it has so many aspects which are worth to be emphasi#ed and so many enres which can develop our ima ination and last but not least, that of our children*pupils. It is also called +,uvenile -iterature, and involves books, stories and poems which are en.oyed by children. !hildrens literature has its roots in the stories and son s which were told throu h oral communication before publishin existed, so, from this point of view, it can be hard to discover the development of early stories. )here are some proves that ori inally, childrens literature was often a re(writin of other forms/ many classic tales were, in the be innin , created for adults and have been adapted for a youn er audience. ,uvenile literature can be described in many ways, it can be broadly defined as anythin that children read/ some would say that it is fiction, poetry, and drama intended for and used by children and youn people. Well, if we think better, thats not an awkward situation because everyone of us has a different way of seein thin s but, after all, literature remains literature no matter how we define it, with its enres, teachin s and characters. What is different but very interestin in this kind of literature is the fact that the characters are replaced with tiny, sweet animals, in other words, it has anthropomorphic features. 0ut what does it means anthropomorphism? Well, anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to non(livin thin s, material ob.ects or abstract concepts. "nly in this kind of literature we can speak about anthropomorphic characters viewed from a positive point of view, which offer the opportunity to discover a whole new world throu h fiction and comic lines and this advanta e is very useful in childrens education because in this way we can sei#e their attention and their interest. )he idea of usin animals as characters brou ht somethin different and also somethin very useful for the development of childrens literature. We all know that small, sweet animals are very attractive for children and also help them to understand the real meanin of the story without further explanation. $nthropomorphic characters
5

were created for amusement and in order to make it easier for children to approach literature, to develop from early childhood a fine taste for readin , for knowled e. $nthropomorphism is present in many %n lish books and not only, we find it in the universal literature, in every forms and with all kinds of sub.ects, tryin to expose the real life which is hidden behind those tiny, comic acts which characters are interpretin . $s an example to sustain and to emphasi#e this feature, Ive chosen two books, two stories for children, which in my opinion are the best example from the %n lish books with anthropomorphic characters cate ory1 Winnie the Pooh and The Wind in the Willows, which I am oin to discuss later in this work. "f course, there are many other ood examples but I have a va ue opinion that these two works represent anthropomorphism in all its shapes. I have chosen to discuss first about eneralities concernin the domain of literature for children like1 The Importance of Literature for Children, Ma or Themes !sed in Children"s Literature and Main English Books for Children, because I thou ht that is necessary a complex view upon childrens literature before we try to understand particular features of it. $fter the first chapter I tried to present in a very explicit manner the main theme of my work, and that would be The Anthropomorphism, which is related in chapter two. $nd then, in chapter three, I brou ht into discussion two of the most beautiful stories for children1 Winnie the Pooh and The Wind in the Willows# With no doubt, anthropomorphism in %n lish books for children is a very complex sub.ect to discuss because it implies many domains to cover, many learnin to teach/ in some words, this kind of books have, above all, educational role which implies many responsibilities, especially when we are talkin about children and above all, their development as rowin ups. 'urther, we are oin to discover more profound roots of this kind of literature in eneral/ also we will try to underline its importance for childrens education/ and to find out the real connection between human and non(human characters which, of course, represents the main idea of this work.

C2A/TER I:

C2ILDREN3S LITERATURE ,$,$ T4! I5(ortanc! of Lit!rat"r! for C4i%dr!n

When we are talkin about the study of %n lish literature we have to be aware about the fact that it is host to an exhilaratin ran e of critical approaches, theories, and historical perspectives. It has its roots in the traditional modes and it is varied enou h to brin enrichment and en.oyment for all kind of readers and to challen e preconceptions about what the study of literature involves, especially if it is about childrens literature. 2owadays childrens literature has reached a very hi h level. 3ore and more parents and, of course teachers, admit and reco ni#e the importance of childrens readin . While the abundance of books and the rowin interest in literature are welcome, they create an even reater need to educate parents, teachers, and librarians to plan literary experience and to select reater books. 0ecause sometimes, or almost always childrens pleasure in literature can be foiled by the borin , the difficult, and the obscure, it is very hard for adults to optimi#e childrens interactions with literature/ and 4moreover, the curriculum and the textbooks used in elementary classrooms cry out for the richness of literature56. $s we all know, this kind of literature consists of the books, stories, and poems which are en.oyed by or tar eted primarily at children. 3odern literature is classified in different ways, includin by enre or the intended a e of the reader which, of course, raises the standards and the importance of literature for children. &sually, childrens stories have always been accompanied by pictures, books for youn er children tend to be written in very simple lan ua e, use lar e print, and contain many illustrations, while the books for older children use increasin ly complex lan ua e, normal print, and fewer illustrations. )oday childrens books are illustrated in a way that rarely occurs in adult literature in the 78th or 76st century. 9enerally, picture books can be an accessible source of hi h :uality art for youn children. What is a little bit un(comprehensible is the fact that even after children learn to read well enou h to
6

0arbara Stood1 Children"s Literature$ %isco&er' for a Lifetime, %d. 3acmillan %ducation, $ustralia, 6;;<, p. xvii.

en.oy a story without illustrations they continue to appreciate the drawin s found in chapter books and I have tried to find an explanation for this thin so, I believe that even the adults are attracted by illustrations when they are readin a book for the simple fact that it is interestin and takes the ima ination far beyond the story from that book. It is easier to understand better a novel if we see also some pictures which describe somehow the scenes from that action. ,ust as ,oyce Whaley said1 4$n illustrated book differs from a book with illustrations in that a ood illustrated book is one where the pictures enhance or add depth to the text57. )his statement contains a lot of truth and a lot of hidden thou hts in order to underline the fact that the real beauty and the real +help of books for children are iven by su which the youn readers can understand better the stories related in it. )he development of literature for children follows the same basic path anywhere in the world and, of course, has the same importance. $ll childrens literature be ins with spoken stories, son s, and poems/ in the first phase, the same tales that adults tell and en.oy are adapted for children and, after that, the stories are created especially for children in order to educate, instruct, and entertain them. 'inally, literature for children is established as bein distinct from that of adults, havin its own enres, divisions, expectations, and canon. 2ormally, the development of this kind of literature, as all the other ones, is influenced by the social, educational, political, and economic resources of the country or ethnic roups. So, accordin to this pattern, we may assume that the importance of childrens literature has many different levels and sta es to follow. In order to be more specific, I would like to mention here =eter >unts statement1 4!hildrens literature, as a body of oral and written texts to be described, and as a sub.ect of study to be investi ated, is the confluence of many cultures and of many disciplines5?. In fact, childrens literature is a part of the mainstream of all literature fields, it orders, evaluates, explores, and illuminates the human experience throu h ima ination. What is really important is the fact that children, like adults also do, learn about the breadth and depth of life from literature. While they are readin and listenin stories, children enlar e their back round and enerate new meanin s which are the foundation for their response to literature and in this way they mana e to comprehend more complex literature as they row up. In more simple words, childrens estive pictures throu h

7 ?

=eter >unt1 The International Companion Enc'clopedia of Children"s Literature, %d. @outled e, !anada, 6;;<, p. xvi. =eter >unt1 The International Companion Enc'clopedia of Children"s Literature, %d. @outled e, !anada, 6;;<, p. 6.

literature is that kind of literature to which children respond, it relates to their ran e of experience and is expressed in a lan ua e that they understand and +embrace easily. So, the importance of literature for children, as we already seen above, has many levels which have to be reached step by step and it depends of many thin s but, at the end of the day, it has the same resonance and the same employment for all children from all over the world no matter how their daily life is and what thin s are imposed to them throu h reli ion. @i ht bellow we will see how many types of literature for children do we have and also we will discuss the lar e field of themes that are involved in this type of literature and many other important thin s related with this sub.ect.

,$*$

Ma7or T4!5!& U&!d in C4i%dr!n3& Lit!rat"r!

)ryin to classify childrens literature is a little bit confusin , as =eter >unt states in the International Companion of Children"s Literature$ 4)he boundaries of enreAare not fixed but blurred5B. Is somewhat difficult sometimes to say for sure if a iven work is best cate ori#ed as adult or childrens literature. So, for this reason many books are marketed for both adults and children. Cline, in his book, says that 4modern and 3edieval literature for children have common oals1 conveyin the values, attitudes, and information necessary for children and youth to survive or even advance within their cultures5D. 9enerally speakin , literary works, by their construction, have many attributes and it include plot, characteri#ation, symbols, and above all, themes. )he themes represent the fundamental part of the work because ives focus to the story and accelerate the readers ima ination. )here are many different types of themes and enres used in literary books and accordin to those themes we can maintain a difference very well emphasi#ed between adult books and children books, althou h, as I said before, the adults may have a fine taste for this type of books. When we are talkin about childrens literature we think of easy, funny themes and comic action with a very easy lan ua e but with a very powerful teachin because children have to learn somethin about rules and about life in eneral from the book they are readin . )here are two main divisions in which childrens literature can be divided1 enre and intended a e of the reader. We all know that a literary enre is a cate ory of literary composition and it may be determined by tone, content, techni:ue, or len th. 3atthew ". 9renby lists six cate ories of childrens literature with some si nificant sub enres1 4picture books includin board books, concept books Eteachin and alphabet or countin for exampleF, pattern books, and wordless books/ traditional literature, includin folktales, which convey the le ends customs, superstitions, and beliefs of people in past times Ethis enre can be further broken down into myths, fables, le ends, and fairy tales/ fiction includin fantasy, realistic fiction and historical fiction/ non(fiction/ bio raphy and autobio raphy/ poetry and verse5<.
B

=eter >unt1 The International Companion Enc'clopedia of Children"s Literature, %d. @outled e, !anada, 6;;<, p. 7?. Ganiel ). Cline1 Medie&al Literature for Children, %d. @outled e, 2ew Hork, 788?, p. <I. 3atthew ". 9renby1 Children"s Literature, %d. %dinbur h &niversity =ress, %dinbur h, 788J, p. D?.

D <

10

!lassifyin childrens literature by a e cate ory is a little bit complicated and confusin because the criteria for these divisions are va ue and books near a borderline may be classified either way. 0ut we can remind 4picture books which are appropriate for pre(readers until D years, early reader books appropriate for children a e from D to I, chapter books appropriate for children a es from I to 67, and youn adult fiction appropriate for children a e between 67 and 6J5I. -iterature in eneral is desi ned to convey a messa e and is based on a theme and thats why many reat books have been written to morally train children and to emphasi#e the best :ualities in them. If we look better we will see that many themes in childrens books are similar to those found in adults books, especially themes dealin with emotional and societal issues. 0ut readers are more likely to find themes centered around adventure and happiness. So, in conclusion, youn adult literature reflects almost entirely the experiences of youn environmental, and political issues. )he themes which are more fre:uent in childrens literature, as Cline states are1 4con:uerin fears, traditional folkloric themes, adventure and fantasy, cultural diversity, anthropomorphic themes such as the interaction with an animal, emotional behavior, themes based on seasons with different meanin and traditions, and many other attractive topics for children5J. 0y makin a difference between youn adults literature and childrens literature, we have the opportunity to discover the fact that there is a connection with our childhood permanently and that the thin s that we know as adults come from our early years with the only difference that they are presented on a different scale and with a different meanin . adults such as future career oals,

,$-$
I

Main En8%i&4 .oo9& for C4i%dr!n

3atthew ". 9renby1 Children"s Literature, %d. %dinbur h &niversity =ress, %dinbur h, 788J, p. D<. Ganiel ). Cline1 Medie&al Literature for Children, %d. @outled e, 2ew Hork, 788?, p. I8.

11

$s we have seen until now, every people roup has its own mytholo y, uni:ue fables, and other traditional stories. %n lish literature in eneral with all its enres, starts from traditional modes of study such as Shakespeare and @omanticism to popular interest in national and area literatures such as the &nited States of $merica, Ireland, and the !aribbean. So, it is expanded enou h to have the possibility for enrichment and en.oyment for all kinds of readers and to challen e preconceptions about what the study of literature mi ht involve. Since the ma.or theme of this work is upon childrens literature, I am oin to tell you the most important works from this area considerin the fact that the aim of this chapter is to convey a deepen understandin of individual childrens books, and of childrens literature as a whole by depictin the history of the form and, especially, the eneric traditions that have emer ed over the course of the last three hundred years. !hildrens literature in Western %urope and the &nited States be an to rise in the 6J88s. )he literature and didacticism of the previous a e be an to make way for more humorous, child(oriented books. Well, of course, in that a e, chapbooks were still bein published, many now specifically for children, restrictin classic fairy tales and popular novels like (o)inson Crusoe by Ganiel Gefoe, which was first published on 7D $pril 6I6;1 4)his story is widely perceived to have been influenced by the life of $lexander Selkirk, a Scottish castaway who lived for four years on the =acific island called Mas a Tierra*+# $ few years later, in 6I7<, ,ulli&er"s Tra&els, an adventure novel, was published by ,onathan Swift. It is both a satire on human nature and a parody of the travelers tales literary sub( enre. In 6JDI we have another ma.or publication which is worth to be mentioned and that is Tom Brown"s -choolda's by )homas >u hes. )hen, in 6J<D, in %n land appeared -ewis !arrolls fantasy Alice"s Ad&entures in Wonderland, which was named the first %n lish masterpiece written for children and its publication opened the .irst ,olden Age of childrens literature in 9reat 0ritain and %urope that continued until the early 6;88s. )he year 6J<J established the enre of realistic family books in the &nited States of $merica and we have as an example the fictionali#ed autobio raphy of -ouisa 3ay $lcott, Little Women1 4Itself has been read as a romance or as a :uest, or both. It has been read as a family drama that

Ganiel Gefoe1 (o)inson Crusoe, %d. %dcon, &S$, 788J, Introduction.

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validates virtue over wealth. >as been read as a means of escapin that life by women who knew its ender constraints only too well568. $ few years later, more precisely in 6JI<, 3ark )wain published Tom -aw'er, which is another masterpiece of the %n lish literature for children and not only. @ealism adopted a dark turn by showin children from lower(classes bein mistreated. )he most popular boys material was -herlock /olmes and similar stories from detective ma a#ines. With the end of World War I, in 9reat 0ritain and %urope the ,olden Age of Children"s Literature ended too. )he period between World War I and World War II was much slower in childrens publishin , the main exceptions bein only Winnie0the0Pooh by $. $. 3ilne in 6;<7, and The /o))it by ,. @. @. )alkien in 6;?I. 'antastic literature remained stron in 9reat 0ritain throu h the 6;88s and also the historical novel became popular with children. )he first .uvenile science fiction novel was The Angr' Planet by ,ohn Cier !ross published in 6;BI. 4,ohn 9oldthwaite attributes the rise of the animal story in the late 6; th century to the advent of empire, electricity, and later, the automobile, and, perhaps, most importantly, of urbani#ation. )hese developments severed peoples links with nature but simultaneously encoura ed a nostal ic $rcadianism that created the demand for books like 0eatrix =otters The Tale of Peter (a))it E6;86F, or Cenneth 9rahames The Wind in the Willows E6;8JF566. 2owadays literature presents a whole new world beyond story and uses more complex characters, lines, and actions which take place in a very chan es space. $mon the ma.or works from these days we have to remember /arr' Potter series published by ,. C. @owlin from 6;;I until 788I. It was, and still is, an international phenomenon. Well, until now, we have discussed a few eneral thin s about literature and mostly about childrens literature. 'rom now on we are oin to debate some particular aspects of childrens literature, especially about some characters used in this type of literature havin as tar et to find out why are so important the anthropomorphic features for a better understandin of this kind of tales.

C2A/TER II:
68 66

-ouisa 3ay $lcott1 Little Women, %d. Serenity =ublishers, &S$, 788;, Introduction. 3atthew ". 9renby1 Children"s Literature, %d. %dinbur h &niversity =ress, %dinbur h, 788?, p. 78.

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ANIMALS IN ENGLIS2 .OO:S FOR C2ILDREN *$,$ T4! Ro%! of t4! Ani5a%& in C4i%dr!n3& Lit!rat"r!
!hildrens literature implies a very lar e domain even thou h it seems to be a small +chapter amon the wide area of all kind of literatures. It is, in my opinion, the most extensive domain because it is supposed to be the one who first connects children with the taste of literature. It has a reat responsibility, namely the be innin of youn pupils education which is the bi est challen e for every parent and every teacher. So, accordin to the title, we are oin to discover some ins and outs and, especially, we are oin to talk mostly about non(human characters and about all kind of features that it has. $s we have seen already from the be innin of this study and from our personal experience in the domain of literature, talkin about childrens literature implies a lot of thin s and a lot of components which must be taken into account. $s we have already discussed above, there are very important elements for the +composition of this kind of literature such as theme, enre, metaphors, the action space and so on. >owever, beyond all these thin s, there is an element which wei hs a lot more than the others and that is the anthropomorphic feature. We all know that when we were little kids we had a fine attraction for tiny plush animals both in reality and in tales. Well, this attraction has a real name in this area called literature and that is anthropomorphism. $nthropomorphism, called also personification, is any attribution of human characteristics to other animals, non(livin thin s, phenomena, spirits, or deities. )alkin about it as a literary device, anthropomorphism is stron ly associated with art and storytellin where it has its roots. In childrens literature Ewhere we find it mostF features in animal fiction and in doll and toy stories. $s @obert W. 3itchell states1 4)he idea that anthropomorphism is connected to a peculiarity of human thinkin (a type of co nitive default rather than a veridical perception(underwrites much of the controversy about animal minds, althou h the peculiarity is seldom specified in much detail567. &sin animals in childrens literature has a very important role, in my opinion, because, as we have seen in 3itchells statement, there are many resemblin from human attitude that can be attributed successfully to animals in order to make the story very attractive for children. If we take a better look, there are many cultures possessin
67

a lon (standin

fable tradition with

@obert W. 3itchell, 2icholas S. )hompson, and >. -yn 3iles1 Anthropomorphism1 Anecdotes and Animals, %d. &niversity =ress, &S$, 6;;I, p. <7.

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anthropomorphi#ed animals as characters in which we can easily observe types of human behavior. 4$nthropomorphic motifs have been common in fairy tales from the earliest ancient examples set in a mytholo ical context to the reat collections of the 0rothers 9rimm and =errault56?. $mon first stories with animals available to children were fables and fairy tales with their talkin animals which were very attractive for kids. Startin with the 6J th century, animals have featured in books as friends of the prota onists which were usually human. So, we can freely speak about anthropomorphism because it existed since ever in every writin and in every tale made specifically for children. 4)he @omantic belief in the childs unity with nature is a ma.or impetus behind the production of animal stories for a youn audience/ and the childs capacity to endow thin s with life in pretense play, blurrin the boundaries between animate and inanimate ob.ects, is a further element that inspires writers to do likewise in childrens books56B. 2owadays, animals have a key role in fantastic literature and hold a very lar e area in picture books especially. Why do we say that there is a very important role of the animals in childrens literature? Well, because 4tension between animals and humans can represent that between children and adults, or the @omantic notion of the childs unity with nature may surface in the form of a special relationship between animals and children56D. So, if you a ree with me, there are a lot of motifs for which we find extremely necessary the use of the animals in childrens literature. )here is a stron connection between a childs mind and a tiny plush bear for example. In eneral, children react promptly when they see and hear talkin a plush animal, rather if that animal has the same thou hts as the child does/ animals make children to develop a reat interest for literature, even from youn childhood, which is the most important for their education and for their own opinions in what concerns thou hts and beliefs. In short words, this kind of tales help us, the adults, to ive a proper education to our children and to develop in a ood way their ima ination. $s every kind of story there are many different types of animal tales such as moral or developmental account that explore purely human behavior or emotions/ narratives in which the main character is interpreted by an animal and that observes or comments upon human conduct/ or stories that describe the behavior of animals in their natural habitat.
6?

@obert W. 3itchell, 2icholas S. )hompson, and >. -yn 3iles1 Anthropomorphism1 Anecdotes and Animals, %d. &niversity =ress, &S$, 6;;I, p. I<. 6B %mer "Sullivan1 /istorical %ictionar' of Children"s Literature, %d. Scarecrow =ress, -ondon, 7868, p. ?8. 6D %mer "Sullivan1 /istorical %ictionar' of Children"s Literature, %d. Scarecrow =ress, -ondon, 7868, p. 7J.

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4$nimals can feature to reat comic effect in stories that ran e from animals ettin up to funny antics throu h social comedy with animals representin types of human characters56<. $lso, anthropomorphism can vary in de ree meanin that there are characters which are essentially humans with animal heads/ or animal characters that wear clothes, possess technolo y, and have human activities but are uided by animal instincts/ or animals that have the physical attributes and instincts of their real(life counterparts, bein different only in their capacity to reason and speak. $s Sullivan states in his book1 4)he functions of anthropomorphism in literature ran e from usin animals to illustrate simple moral lessons, as in fables, to eneratin reater sympathy for the animal and natural world/ it can also be used for the purpose of social criticism5 6I. In my opinion, in this :uotation we find all the principal features of anthropomorphism. Well, I think that some authors use anthropomorphism in order to make their characters more human and, first of all, more interestin for the readers because animal behavior is fascinatin in and of itself and doesnt have to be obscured by ascribin human characteristics to animals. $s a hi hly literary culture, we make use of texts re ularly to or ani#e our thou hts, relay values, and dialo ue with each other. In many cases, for adults as well as for children, animal characters are there to help us wrestle with complex and emotionally difficult situations. )he authors ur e teachers and parents to consider this function of childrens literature and to use the appealin +anthropomorphic device of animal characters in developin curriculum and openin dialo ue with children about issues of cultural si nificance. In spite of all these thin s, some authors think that anthropomorphism can confuse children and lead them to believe that animals think and act in reality .ust as humans do. It is true the fact that we have to be careful and put a well emphasi#ed limit between human and non(human characters when we are readin an anthropomorphic story to our children but, above all, I think that animals have a very important role in childrens literature, if not a primordial one, because in this way they can be +very ood friends with literature in eneral and can +presume a very ood education.

*$*$ T4! Conn!ction .!t<!!n 2"5an and Non-2"5an C4aract!r&

6< 6I

%mer "Sullivan1 /istorical %ictionar' of Children"s Literature, %d. Scarecrow =ress, -ondon, 7868, p. 7;. %mer "Sullivan1 /istorical %ictionar' of Children"s Literature, %d. Scarecrow =ress, -ondon, 7868, p. ?7.

16

2on(human characters fascinate us, they have appeared in art and stories throu hout time and across most human cultures, in our stories and art, particularly in childrens literature, fantasy, and folktales. )here is a sense of a lar er community of bein s of which we are one part and in which we take deli ht. )he idea of continuity between humans and other animals has enerated an on oin interest and debate about boundaries between species, about kinship, and particularly about what it is that makes us human. 3any of the twentieth centurys findin s of animal studies scientists in behavior, lan ua e ac:uisition, use, and enetics have challen ed species classifications and assumptions about the capacities of nonhuman characters. !hildrens literature is fre:uently our first meetin with written words. %verybody knows that at a very youn a e there is that curiosity of startin to know everythin , especially to know numbers and letters which represent the + ate to knowled e. )he tales that we have heard and the morals which reveal help to outline our views as we learn to read and take meanin from what we read. While almost all adult literature deal with human characters can be assi ned enders. If one wants to test the ender relevance of a text, decidin what relationships of power and authority are transmitted throu h the lan ua e and characteri#ation, he must study its enderin of non(human characters. )hus, accordin to this statement, we understand that, from the be innin , there is a stron connection between human and non(human characters and between non(human characters and childrens literature. &pon this sub.ect the 'orli# Study of !hildrens -iterature found1 4in the titles of books, 7(? human males to every human female/ male animals outnumbered female animals by almost < to 6/ for central characters in books, the ratio for the whole period was three males for every female/ the leanin towards males was reater if focus was on adult characters, less if focus was on child characters and much reater if focus was on animals/ as for chan e, the imbalance in depictin males and females varied throu h the century1 representations of males and females were more e alitarian in the early decades of the century and in the 6;I8s and 6;J8s, while in the male(female balance amon adult characters and animal characters, males ot more prominent overtime56J. )hese characters are surprisin and it is mainly interestin that they unveil ender balances shiftin in the period 6;I8(6;;8. 'eminist studies in childrens literature have claimed that the female role models offered to children in fairy tales and nursery rhymes are not at all liberatin Ewhich happens nowadays too fre:uently if we look beyond appearancesF. If we look better at some

6J

9raverhol# and =escosolido1 ,ender (epresentation in Children"s Literature, %d. @outled e, -ondon, 6;J;, p. 66?.

17

of the most popular childrens books, we can easily observe that ender ine:ualities are represented there and not only in this domain but in all literature area. 'or instance, we have Cenneth 9rahames book, The Wind in the Willows , which we are oin to discuss later in this work, where most of the characters are male. $nother main book that we are oin to discuss here, Winnie0 the0 Pooh by $. $. 3ilne, also presents an overwhelmin male world, more exactly, a non(human male world. $s we can see, in childrens fiction, characters are endered, but this is not the most relevant factor. )hinkin about this whole +world, well see that non(human characters may be viewed as a mar inal case of the same mental event1 4their obvious ability to react to their surroundin s complicates matters since it supplies proof of sentience, but their inner life(their susceptibility to what we mi ht call human passion(remains inscrutable56;. 0ut there is another side to our relationship with non(human characters, especially in the modern Western world. "ver the last 6D8 years, in response to %uro $merican Industriali#ation practices and some aspects of empirical laboratory investi ation, a steadily rowin concern for animal welfare and animal ri hts has arisen. Increasin ly we are comin to understand that our actions in pursuit of perceived human oals have resulted in the devastation of our natural environment, includin wild animal habitats and populations. $nimals are selves in many of the ways that we are, that capacities such as emotional expression and co nitive processin are present in non(human animals in ways both similar to and distinct from our own, and that we can understand and relate with individual animal selves in ways that are not dependent on lan ua e. $nimal characters are presented in two broad ways, +symbolic human and +animal self. )hey are distin uished by physical presentation, character voice, and by the activities en a ed in. )he ima inative development of naturalistic animal prota onists may itself be informed by the direct experience and knowled e of animal selves. )raditional lan ua e implies a continuity between human and non(human character experience. $dmittin that non(human animals are in some sense aware is e:ual to the fact that they are somehow connected with the mental and emotional e:uipment of human experience. 0y doin this we take the first step in the direction of sentimental anthropomorphism. ,ust as $ristotle states1 4$nimals are seen to have a certain natural capability in relation to each of the souls affections(to intelli ence and stupidity, coura e and cowardice, to mildness and
6;

0ruce )homas 0oehrer1 Animal Characters$ 2on0/uman Being in Earl' Modern Literature , %d. &niversity =ress, =ennsylvania, 7868, p. 7(?.

18

ferocity, and the other dispositions of this sort. !ertain animals at the same time are receptive of some learnin and instruction, some from each other, some from humans578. >umans and non(humans share the same basic components of character so there is a stron connection between them which is why non(human characters are used in childrens literature and not only. )hus we can comprehend the notion of character as a complex of ethical :ualities or tendencies like coura e and cowardice, enerosity and .ealousy, calmness and irascibility, held both by human and non(human characters e:ual to a reater or lesser rank, related to the body in both casual and expressive manner, and susceptible to classification .ust as are the physical :ualities that distin uish one class or species of bein from another. !haracteri#ation is usually understood as bein limited to human, while the non(human characters are understood simply as an extension of the human/ so, in more simple words, the non( human characters should be understood as characters with their own individual morality and inte rity/ even from definition we reali#e that there is a connection between human and non(human. $s we well know, non(human is a eneral term that describes an ob.ect or creature that displays some human characteristics. )hat said, it is very easy to compare these terms and to use them in literature bein it for children or, why not, universal. We can find some non(human characters in all kind of books with all kind of sub.ects. In conclusion, human and non(human characters own the same main features and we can assert the fact that there is a stron connection between them and that both have the same importance in literature and convey the same thin s.

*$-$ T=(!& of Non-2"5an C4aract!r&

)he literature for youn
78

readers is full of animal characters widely understood to be

symbolic humans. )hey are desi ned to provide the reader with a combination of deli ht and the
$ristotle1 /istoria Animalum, %d. !ambrid e &niversity =ress, -ondon, 7866, p. 76D.

19

neutrality and emotional distance thou ht to be indispensable for navi atin

various sta es of

maturation or complex and char ed social issues. 0ut we have to take into account the fact that animal characters may sometimes be understood as animal selves, and not as symbolic humans. )he interest for this area has been ainin a lot of credits, resultin the dilemma of what animal selves mi ht consist of and how we may already know those selves. !urrent thinkin on the function and role of animals in childrens literature is briefly discussed. )he study itself is desi ned to distin uish patterns in animal characteri#ation in order to build the framework for the disambi uation of anthropomorphism, a term referrin to the common practice, often considered a cate orical fallacy of attributin human like characteristics to non( humans. In a recent study consistin of a survey and analysis of some contemporary childrens books with domestic animal characters were developed usin criteria from theoretical concepts presented on animal selfhood1 4si nificant differences were found in those characters portrayed as clothed and bipedal and those presented more naturalistically, in the activities en a ed in, and in the characters voices su estin at least two broad approaches by authors and illustrators to animal characters, here labeled +symbolic human and +animal self576. 2on(human characters spread somethin like a spell upon us, not only in literature but in the real life too. )hey have appeared in art and stories throu hout time and across most human cultures. $nimal characters are showed in two extensive ways1 symbolic human and animal self. )hey only distin uish in physical presentation, in character voice, and by the activities en a ed in. Some results of animal studies scientists in behavior, lan ua e ac:uisition, use, and enetics have challen ed species classifications and assumptions about the capacities of non(human characters. $ssociations between children and animals raised in $n lo($merican culture, and they are often portrayed to ether in visual ima es. $nimals are primordial in childrens literature/ they provide simplicity, neutrality, and challen e even if we talk about a bear, a rabbit, a turtle, a do , or a kitty. )hese are the most common, but we have also more special non(human characters as a mole, a water rat, or a bad er like we have in Cenneth 9rahames book The Wind in the Willows . It is difficult to ima ine these animals wearin clothes, walkin bipedal, havin last hour technolo ies, bein very polite to each other but, in the last minute, this is why anthropomorphism is used in

76

0ruce )homas 0oehrer1 Animal Characters$ 2on0/uman Being in Earl' Modern Literature , %d. &niversity =ress, =ennsylvania, 7868, p. 68.

20

childrens literature, because it transmits somethin funny but, in the same time, somethin which can be very attractive for youn readers, makin them +fallin in love very easy with literature. Gue to the fact that animals in children stories walk and talk like people are considered to be symbolic humans deli htin us with their simultaneous similarities and differences from us. $bout the realistic portrayals of animals as characters, althou h they have been with us since the 0ritish childrens book publishin industry be an to flourish in the mid(ei hteenth century. ,ust as human narrators are, animal prota onist narrators may be considered animal selves tellin the story from their own perspective. )he tales of this type, were often eneral life histories, commentary on human behavior, or anti(cruelty stories, which fit very well upon non(human characters. )oward the end of the nineteenth century and into the twentieth, a style both dramatic and realistic was bein developed. $ccordin to their naturalistic character portrayals and settin s, these books emphasi#e relationships amon the animals or between animals and humans that are rich, mannered, important, and reco ni#able from the perspective of the reader. So we have to deal with very sophisticated types of non(human characters, which is :uite stran e to ima ine that a mole can be friendly and smilin , or that a bear can walk and talk like a man and wear clothes like a man, but at the end of these, we have to admit that this is the +salt and pepper of childrens literature. 'or example, animal characters who are symbolic humans, tend to speak out loud usin human lan ua e/ they are bipedal and often wear clothin . )hese characters en a e in human activities like cookin , usin carpenters tools, and superhero adventurin . 4>istorically, animals have been portrayed in two broad ways in childrens literature1 as symbolic humans, animals are neutral stand(ins who help youn readers navi ate life issues/ as realistic animal characters, animal selves, they provide limpses into a more(than(human world577. )raditionally animals are observed closely in daily life, their powers and behaviors, and this feature makes the tale and especially the characters more truly. We have seen until now that animals are emotional and feelin bein s, they are conscious individuals/ they are not interchan eable and they are self(aware in a different way than we are. So, all these features show the fact that non( human characters are divided in many types .ust like humans do. 2on(human characters suffered some dramatic chan es in animal character types. In early modern %uropean culture, animals not only served humans as sources of labor, clothin , and food, they helped to form an understandin of personhood.
77

@obert W. 3itchell, 2icholas S. )hompson, and >. -yn 3iles1 Anthropomorphism$ Anecdotes and Animals, %d. State &niversity =ress, &S$, 6;;I, p. ??.

21

>avin all these as examples, I think that is more than clear the fact that non(human characters divide into many different character types not only in literature but also in real life. $nyway, we take into account these aspects from childrens literature point of view because animals with their human resemblance have a very important role to accomplish in this area.

C2A/TER III:

ANT2RO/OMOR/2IC FEATURES IN T>O MAIN >OR:S -$,$ A$ A$ Mi%n!: Winnie-the-Pooh

22

$lan $lexander 3ilne E6JJ7(6;D<F was an %n lish author and he became well known especially for his book about the teddy bear Winnie0the0Pooh. >e was a renowned writer, first of all as a playwri ht, before the hu e success of Winnie0the0Pooh which overshadowed all his previous work. 3ilne published ei hteen plays and three novels, includin the murder mystery The (ed /ouse M'ster' E6;77F. $ few years later, in 6;7D, a collection of short stories for children, ,aller' of Children, and other stories that became part of the Winnie0the0Pooh books were published. >e also was a screen writer for the nascent 0ritish film industry, writin four stories filmed in 6;78 for the company 3inerva 'ilms1 The Bump, Twice Two, .i&e Pound (eward, and Bookworms# 0ut 3ilne is most famous for his two Pooh books about a boy named !hristopher @obin after his son, !hristopher @obin 3ilne, and also most of the characters were inspired by his sons stuffed animals, most notably the bear named Winnie0the0Pooh1 only two characters were created by 3ilnes ima ination1 @abbit and "we. 4)he success of his childrens books was to become a source of considerable annoyance to 3ilne, whose self(avowed aim was to write whatever he pleased and who had, until then, found a ready audience for each chan e of direction1 he had freed pre(war Punch from its ponderous facetiousness he had made a considerable reputation as a playwri ht on both sides of the $tlantic/ he had produced a witty piece of detective writin in The (ed /ouse M'ster'57?. $lso Cenneth 9rahames novel The Wind in the Willows, which we are oin to discuss next, was adopted by 3ilne for the sta e as Toad of Toad /all, and so a special introduction written by 3ilne is included in some editions of 9rahames novel. In this story, Winnie0the0Pooh, we have the opportunity to find very little funny characters and very funny actions but, also, very important lessons to learn which is why I have chosen this one for my work. )he =ooh stories were translated into many lan ua es, includin $lexander -enards -atin translation, Winnie Ille Pu, which was first published in 6;DJ. )he first collection of stories about the character was the book Winnie0the0 Pooh E6;7<F and was followed by The /ouse at Pooh Corner E6;7JF. 3ilne also included a poem about the bear in the !hildrens Kerse 0ook When We Were 3er' 4oung E6;7BF and many more in 2ow We Are -i5 E6;7IF. $ll four volumes were illustrated by %. >. Shepard. Winnie0the0Pooh, also called =ooh 0ear, is a fictional anthropomorphic bear. )he =ooh books are 3ilnes ift for his son, !hristopher @obin. Gue to the fact that it was written for a child,
7?

%rnest >. Shepard1 Complete Tales of Winnie0the0Pooh, %d. Gutton !hildrens 0ooks, 2ew Hork, 7886, p. <?.

23

they reflect the concerns, the ames, and the uidance of an on oin childhood. 4In the course of two multi(chapter books, !hristopher @obin and his boy animals, have one adventure after another( everythin from filchin honey from the an ry bees to welcomin )i er Ea very bouncy animalF, consolin %eyore Ethe loomy donkeyF, endurin a flood, and seekin out the South =ole57B. What I think is very important to emer e here is connected with the description of some main characters from this story. Gue to the fact that it is the most prominent character from the tale Ill take into discussion the little bare Winnie the Pooh L or shorter =ooh, is desi ned as a small olden bear wearin an old red color t(shirt. >e is a friendly character and thou htful who is always willin to help his friends, althou h, sometimes his best intentions make thin s worse. >is reat love is, as you all can ima ine, the honey which sometimes leads to trouble. Since he is the main character he is best friend with everyone in the 688 $cre Wood. Christopher (o)in L the only main human character for whom the story was ori inally written. >e has a reat personality and despite bein a child, he is much wiser and more mature than the other characters. $lso he is everyones best friend and takes part in activities to help his friends to et out of tricky situations. What he likes doin best is, surprisin ly, nothin 1 4It means .ust oin alon , listenin to all the thin s you cant hear, and not botherin .57D Piglet L he is =ooh best friend especially because he is a kind, entle and small animal who is :uite shy. Geep inside, he is very brave and with no fear faces dan er in order to help his friends. Ee'ore L he is best described as a slow(talkin , sarcastic and pessimistic donkey friend who has trouble keepin his tail attached to his bottom. >e is more sensible than other animals and is often reluctant to o alon with their actions, but usually does not bother tryin to oppose anyone because he believes it to be futile to try. Tigger L he is a less responsible and trouble(makin ti er friend. >e loves to bounce, especially bouncin on others/ he is full of ener y, likes to have fun and is so overconfident. >e is easily reco ni#able by the stripes, sprin y tale, and his lon chin. (a))it L is one of the two real animals which are reco ni#ed by their actual animal names in 3ilnes books. >e is a little bit pushy and takes his own decisions and also, has a very elevate vocabulary. >e likes doin thin s in his way and is obsessed with rules, order and plannin and often loses his temper.
7B 7D

$. $. 3ilne1 Winnie0the0Pooh, %d. =en uin 9roups, &S$, 788;, p. ii. $. $. 3ilne1 Winnie0the0Pooh, %d. =en uin 9roups, &S$, 788;, p. 6<.

24

6wl ( "wl is the stuffy and talkative main character who acts as a mentor and teacher to the others/ he was not based on a stuffed toy, so in the illustrations, he looks more like a live animal. $lon with @abbit he is considered to be the smartest animal because he is capable of writin and some illustrations face him holdin a pen in his talons. )he lan ua e used in this book is extremely childish and includes bursts of poetry, rudimentary lo ic, and a reat deal of remarkably in(depth character study. %very character has his own personality as we saw above1 neurotic %eyore, impulsive )i er, self(important @abbit and "wl, humble =i let, no(nonsense Can a, and, of course, direct and simple =ooh. 4)he animals mi ht be any roup of typical siblin s or playmates and teach, throu h their adventures, many real life lessons57<. 0esides all these, the story reflects a very ood understandin of the way in which children think and play/ they are ently uided into a rich world of child si#ed experiences, observin cause and effect and non(ma ical solutions to problems which are play versions of situations they will have to deal in real life/ the ood characters are encoura ed and the mean ones are shown as silly/ and also, real virtues are thou ht, especially charity and humility. $nother important aspect is the fact that very little mention is made of family life. 4!hristopher @obin is an only child and is, himself, the +parent to the animals. )his can be very amusin as he solves problems with the mind of a youn child, but obviously, nothin of real family life can be thou ht57I. )his story takes us into a world of autonomous creatures livin in a private wood, havin their own houses and fancy daily doin s. !hapter one brin s us the youn child pullin Winnie(the(=ooh behind as he descends the stairs to visit his father in the evenin . !hapter two throu h five, each are complete adventures, introducin more characters. $t the end of chapter six we are reminded that a father is tellin these stories to his sons bear, when the boy asks details about his birthday ift to %eyore. !hapter nine includes an aside to the reader, and chapter ten ends the same way as chapter one, with the author describin !hristopher bumpin =ooh back up the stairs. )he =ooh books have been taken over by Gisney Studios and presented in both cartoons and picture books. Winnie0the0Pooh is a very ood book indeed, en.oyable to both children and adults. So, in my opinion, this is one of the most interestin story for children from which we have many ood thin s to learn and also spend a very ood time readin it.
7< 7I

%rnest >. Shepard1 Complete Tales of Winnie0the0Pooh, %d. Gutton !hildrens 0ooks, 2ew Hork, 7886, p. <D. Sonia Ko l1 Animals and Anthropomorphism in Children"s Literature, %d. 3acmillan, $ustralia, 6;;<, p. 6<.

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-$*$ :!nn!t4 Gra4a5!: The Wind in the Willows

Cenneth 9rahame E6JD;(6;?7F was a Scottish writer, most famous for The Wind in the Willows E6;8JF, one of the classics of childrens literature. >e also published li ht stories in -ondon periodicals such as the -t# 7ames ,a8ette# "nly after ten years from his penultimate book he published his masterpiece The Wind in the Willows# )his book was a real hit and is still very popular for both adults and children. $lso, with this book, he won the -ewis !arroll Shelf $ward in 6;DJ.
26

Since its first publication in 6;8J, entire enerations of readers have beloved Cenneth 9rahames classic novel The Wind in the Willows# In this charmin lyrical world of ur lin rivers and whisperin reeds live four of the wisest, wittiest, noblest, and most lovable creatures in all literature1 @at, 3ole, 0ad er, and )oad of )oad >all. )hey are true adventurers who love lifes simplest pleasures and natural wonders. $s I .ust said, it focuses upon four anthropomorphi#ed animal characters in a pastoral version of %n land. )he novel its well known for its mixture of adventure, morality, mysticism, and camaraderie, and celebrated for its evocation of the nature. It was, and still is such a reat book, that the play(writer $. $. 3ilne adapted a part of it for the sta e as Toad of Toad /all in 6;7;. $bout the main characters there is a lot to say and to think, so we have a short description ri ht below1 43ole(a mild(mannered, home lovin animal, and the first character to be introduced, fed up with sprin cleanin in his secluded home, he ventures into the outside world/ @atty(actually a water vole is cultured, relaxed, and friendly, with literary pretentions and a life of leisure/ 3r. )oad( ood natured, kind(hearted and not without intelli ence/ 3r. 0ad er( ruff and solitary, who +simply hates society/ "tter and =ortly(a friend of @atty, "tter is tou h and self(sufficient, =ortly is his youn son/ and inhabitants of the Wild Wood(are described by @atty as +all ri ht in a wayA butAwell, you cant really trust them57J. It is necessary to present here a very well detailed description of some of the main characters from this story. So, I will be in with Mr# Badger L who is a kind but lonely character for a simple reason, he hates society and crowds. =hysically we can describe him havin a bi black and white head and is a very stron animal. >e is perceived like the wise persona e who always advises and uides the other characters. >e is that kind of friend who will always come and help if you need him. Mr# Toad L as we all can fi ure from the novel, he is the richest character and the owner of )oad >all. >e never learns from his mistakes and althou h he is ood natured he is impatient and adores adventure. >e has an obsession with cars even thou h he doesnt want to take some drivin lessons. >e is stron and fearless and finally, he for ets about cars. (att' L he appears as a very kind character, hardworkin , relaxed, and friendly. >e loves the river which is why he shows the 3ole many interestin thin s about it. >e has a brown little face with whiskers, bri ht eyes, small ears and thick shiny hair.
7J

,ackie !. >orne and Gonna @. White1 9enneth ,rahame"s The Wind in the Willows$ A Children"s Classic at :;; , %d. Scarecrow =ress, &S$, 7868, p. 6;.

27

The Mole L he is a mild mannered home lovin animal because, bein the first character presented in the story, we find him cleanin his house for sprin . >e is shy, hardworkin and, stran ely, en.oys sunshine and loves the river which is why he wants to swim and to row a boat. $t the be innin of the novel, 3ole has a sudden case of sprin fever, as we saw in the description above, ives up his house cleanin , and wanders in the fields and meadows. >e finds himself by a river and because he has been such a stay(at(home he has never seen it, and there meets the Water @at, who invites 3ole into his boat1 40elieve me, my youn friend, there is nothin ( absolutely nothin (half so much worth doin as simply messin about in boats57;. 'rom that moment, a world of friendship, of picnickin , and playin opened for 3ole. $ few chapters later, 3ole, Water @at, and the 0ad er o to )oad >all in order to help their friend, 3r. )oad, who has a bad habit of reckless drivin . 0ecause of his irresponsible life, he loses his home and his fortune. )he four friends o to battle to re ain )oad >all. $ t the end of the book there is a celebration where all the friends re.oice at )oads return. 0eyond the charmin story, there is an insidious encoura ement in kindness, patience industry, and loyalty. )his story presents the meanin of true friendship. 'or example, 0ad er reproofs )oads foolishness1 4Independence is all very well, but we animals never allow our friends to make fools of themselves beyond a certain limit, and that youve reached5 ?8. $lso, in this novel the leisure is well emphasi#ed. 2owadays people shift back and forth from work to workin at makin recreation, enerally, we for et the value of spontaneous play. In The Wind in the Willows, the river is where leisure is en.oyed. <The Wind in the Willows shows us a :uartet of endearin characters, friends with real virtues contributin to each other moral rowth5?6. $s I said before, the story emphasi#es the power of close friends and provides somethin that few novels of its time can claim1 all round entertainment for all a es and for all enerations. )he story shapes the ima e of %n lish life, an upper(middle(class take on the world in which the country side is covered by a relentless summer time. )he characters are completely humani#ed and they embody the %n lish values of fortitude and ood humor. )his is a book which has everythin to please children. It is a thrillin adventure, with moments of terror, but, at the same time, the story is also very reassurin . )his book is separated

7; ?8

Cenneth 9rahame1 The Wind in the Willows, %d. Smithmark =ub, 2ew Hork, 6;JJ, p. D. Cenneth 9rahame1 The Wind in the Willows, %d. Smithmark =ub, 2ew Hork, 6;JJ, p. 7<. ?6 ,ackie !. >orne and Gonna @. White1 9enneth ,rahame"s The Wind in the Willows$ A Children"s Classic at :;; , %d. Scarecrow =ress, &S$, 7868, p. ?D.

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into two books1 on the one hand, we have chapters concerned with the adventures of )oad, and on the other hand, there are some chapters that explore human emotions. The Wind in the Willows is one of the reatest childrens books of all time due to the fact that includes such reat anthropomorphi#ed characters and such reat learnin which is very useful for youn readers.

CONCLUSIONS
!hildrens literature is full of animal characters widely understood to be symbolic humans. )hey are believed to provide the reader with a combination of deli ht and the neutrality and emotional distance considered necessary for navi atin various sta es of maturation or complex and char ed social issues. )he main theme of this work was childrens literature and one of his features, the anthropomorphic characters. We call it also .uvenile literature and, as we well know, includes stories, books and poems that are en.oyed by children. 2owadays, childrens literature is classified in different ways1 by enre or by the intended a e of the reader. )his kind of literature has its roots
29

in the stories and son s which were told throu h oral communication. Gue to the inability to publish stories, it may be difficult to track the development of early childrens literature. $bout all this and about how literature for youn readers developed, is discussed in the first chapter. $nother important part is the anthropomorphism used in childrens literature. )he use of the animals as characters, brou ht somethin different and also somethin very useful for the development of childrens literature. $nthropomorphism or personification means any attribution of human characteristics to animals. It is associated with art and storytellin where it has ancient roots. 3ost cultures have a tradition anthropomorphi#ed animals as characters that can stand as commonly reco ni#ed types of human behavior. 2on(human animals fascinate us. )hey have appeared in art and stories throu hout time and across most human cultures. In our stories and art, particularly in childrens literature, fantasy, and folktales, we ourselves transform into other animals, we communicate with them, we even marry them, live with them, and learn from them. )here is a sense of a lar er community of bein s of which we are one part and in which we take deli ht. $nimal characters may sometimes be understood as animal selves, and not as symbolic humans. Interest in the selfhood of nonhuman animals has been ainin round in academic debates in the fields of animal and co nitive science, philosophy of mind, and anthropolo y, resultin in theoretical work that paints an intri uin picture of what animal selves mi ht consist of and how we may already know those selves. $nthropomorphic characters were created for amusement and in order to make it easier for children to approach literature. $s you have the possibility to see in my work, I have chosen, in order to emphasi#e anthropomorphism, two main works1 Cenneth 9rahames The Wind in the Willows, and $. $. 3ilnes Winnie0the0Pooh# I think that these two stories reveal the true aspect of anthropomorphism and also include the main features of childrens literature. Winnie0the0Pooh reveals the story of an anthropomorphic bear and because it was written for a child, 3ilnes child, it reflects the concerns, the ames, and the uidance of an on oin childhood. The Wind in the Willows , is a novel which focuses upon four anthropomorphi#ed animal characters in a pastoral version of %n land and it is well known for its mixture of adventure, morality, mysticism, and camaraderie. So, anthropomorphism is a very complex sub.ect to discuss because it implies many areas, but its more important role is the educational one which implies many responsibilities. 0esides, childrens literature represents a primordial phase that cant be replaced by anythin . It has the
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freedom to express in so many ways, which, of course, makes it more useful. &sually, childrens stories have always been accompanied by pictures. )hey are written in a very simple lan ua e and contain many illustrations which represent another stren th for this kind of literature. 0ecause children are often considered to be rowin throu h earlier sta es of human development when, it is supposed, humans were closer to other animals, they are especially drawn to animals. )hey understand animals as fictitiously standin in for them and for other people. 2ormally, the development of childrens literature is based on the social, educational, political, and economical resources of the country or ethnic roup. %ventually, childrens literature is a part of the mainstream of all literature domains. It orders, evaluates, explores, and illuminates the human experience throu h ima ination. So to speak, childrens literature is that kind of literature to which children react. It relates to their ran e of experience and is expressed in a lan ua e that they understand and embrace easily.

.I.LIOGRA/2?
6. $lcott, 3ay -ouisa, Little Women, %d. Serenity =ublishers, &S$, 788;. 7. $ristotle, /istoria Animalum, %d. !ambrid e &niversity =ress, -ondon, 7866. ?. 0oehrer, 0ruce )homas, Animal Characters$ 2on0/uman Being in Earl' Modern Literature, %d. &niversity =ress, =ennsylvania, 7868. B. Gefoe, Ganiel, (o)inson Crusoe, %d. %dcon, &S$, 788J. D. 9oodman, -i#abeth, Literature and ,ender, %d. @outled e, -ondon, 6;;<. <. 9rahame, Cenneth, The Wind in the Willows, %d. Smithmark =ub, 2ew Hork, 6;JJ. I. 9raverhol#, =escosolido, ,ender (epresentation in Children"s Literature, %d. @outled e, -ondon, 6;J;. J. 9renby, ". 3atthew, Children"s Literature, %d. %dinbur h &niversity =ress, %dinbur h, 788?.
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;. >orne, !. ,ackie, 9enneth ,rahame"s =The Wind in the Willows"$ A Children"s Classic at :;;, %d. Scarecrow =ress, &S$, 7868. 68. >unt, =eter, The International Companion Enc'clopedia of Children"s Literature, %d. @outled e, !anada, 6;;<. 66. Cline, ). Ganiel, Medie&al Literature for Children, %d. @outled e, 2ew Hork, 788?. 67. 3ilne, $. $lexander, Winnie0the0Pooh, %d. =en uin 9roups, &S$, 788;. 6?. 3itchell, W. @obert, Anthropomorphism$ Anecdotes and Animals, %d. State &niversity =ress, &S$, 6;;I. 6B. "Sullivan, %rnest, /istorical %ictionar' of Children"s Literature, %d. Scarecrow =ress, -ondon, 7868. 6D. Shepard, %rnest, Complete Tales of Winnie0the0Pooh, %d. Gutton !hildrens 0ooks, 2ew Hork, 7886. 6<. Stoodt, 0arbara, Children"s Literature$ %isco&er' for a Lifetime, %d. 3acmillan %ducation, $ustralia, 6;;<. 6I. Ko l, Sonia, Animals and Anthropomorphism in Children"s Literature, %d. 3acmillan %ducation, $ustralia, 6;;<.

ANTRO/OMORFISMUL @N LITERATURA ENGLEAB /ENTRU CO/II

GupM cum am va#ut Nn aceastM lucrare, literatura pentru copii repre#intM cea mai importantM parte din cultura unei persoane deoarece ea NOi face debutul NncM din fra edM pruncie, astfel oferindu( ne oca#ia de a de#volta o perspectivM cPt mai amplM despre literaturM ca un Nntre , despre timp, spaQiu Oi despre toate lucrurile care ne colorea#M viaQa de #i cu #i. Ge asemenea, ne deschide noi ori#onturi spre o altfel de realitate facPndu(ne capabili sM ne formMm propriile opinii despre situaQiile cu, care suntem confruntaQi Nn realitatea de dincolo de cMrQi. $stfel de ar umente, Nn opinia mea, repre#intM cel mai bine concepQia pe care ar trebui sM ne(o creMm despre literaturM NncM din copilMrie Oi astfel sM de#voltMm capacitatea de a(i a.uta pe cei mici sM se 4NndrM osteascM5 de literaturM. -iteratura pentru copii NOi are ori inile Nn cPntecele Oi poveOtile spuse pe cale oralM cu mult Nnainte de a exista posibilitatea unei editMri. !eea ce este diferit dar foarte interesant la acest en de
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literaturM este faptul cM autorul se poate 4.uca5 Nn foarte multe feluri cu spaQiul Nn care se desfMOoarM acQiunea, cu tipul de acQiune pe care vrea sM Nl pre#inte, dar mai ales poate .on la cu felul persona.elor pe care decide sM le pre#inte Nntr(un mod foarte nostim. =ersona.ele NntruchipPnd oameni cu tot felul de caractere, persona.e po#itive sau ne ative din cMrQile pentru adulQi, pot fi Nnlocuite cu persona.e interpretate de animMluQe mici Oi dulci care sM Ni atra M pe cei mici Oi de ce nu, Oi pe cei mari. $cest artificiu folosit Nn literatura pentru copii se numeOte Antropomorfism Oi se defineOte prin atribuirea unor NnsuOiri Oi calitMQi umane unor fiinQe non(umane, obiecte sau fenomene naturale ori supranaturale. 2umai Nn acest en de literaturM putem vorbi despre persona.e antropomorfice privite dintr(un punct de vedere distractiv, ceea ce ne oferM posibilitatea de a descoperi o lume total nouM dincolo de ficQiune Oi de replicile haioase. $ntropomorfismul este pre#ent Nn multe cMrQi din literatura en le#M pentru copii Oi nu numai. Rl Msim Nn literatura universalM, Nn toate formele Oi cu tot felul de subiecte, NncercPnd sM expunM realitatea care se ascunde dincolo de acele mici animMluQe Oi dincolo de conversaQia oarecum amu#antM. Rn aceastM lucrare, am Nncercat sa cuprind tot ceea ce este esenQial pentru NnQele erea acestui tip de literaturM Oi din acest motiv am Nnceput prin a relata anumite lucruri enerale despre literatura pentru copii. Rn primul capitol intitulat simplu Literatura pentru Copii, am expus cele mai esenQiale informaQii despre aceastM arie Oi anume1 importanQa acestui en de literaturM pentru copii, cele mai importante teme care se re Msesc Nn aceste cMrQi Oi, desi ur, care sunt cele mai importante cMrQi din literatura pentru copii. GupM aceastM scurtM introducere Nn lumea copiilor, am Nnceput prin a descrie cea mai importantM caracteristicM a acestui en de literaturM, antropomorfismul1 rolul animalelor Nn literatura pentru copii, conexiunea care existM Nntre persona.ele umane Oi cele non(umane Oi, bineNnQeles, ce fel de persona.e antropomorfice NntPlnim cel mai des Nn literatura en le#M pentru copii. Gat fiind faptul cM am discutat despre tot ce era important pentru a NnQele e frumuseQea acestui en de literaturM Oi mai ales cM am de#bMtut pe lar tema acestei lucrMri, am considerat cM este imperios necesar sM aduc Nn completarea ei, douM dintre cele mai frumoase Oi mai explicite poveOti care implicM antropomorfismul la cel mai Nnalt rad Oi anume1 Winnie0the0Pooh Oi The Wind in the Willows# $ceste capodopere cred cM sunt cele mai repre#entative pentru a NnQele e ideea de antropomorfism Nn literatura pentru copii Oi tocmai din acest motiv le(am ales pentru a face parte din aceasta lucrare.
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Rn cele din urmM, literatura pentru copii repre#intM cea mai importantM parte din domeniul literaturii. "rdonea#M, evaluea#M Oi iluminea#M oarecum experienQa umanM prin intermediul ima inaQiei. $ltfel spus, repre#intM un Nntre care ne a.utM sM creOtem, sM evoluMm Oi sM ne formMm ca adulQi Oi tocmai din acest motiv eu cred cM este cea mai importantM parte din viaQa fiecMrei persoane.

Gomnule @ector,

Subsemnata, 9orun %lena(-oredana, domiciliatM Nn ) (,iu, Str. "lteQului, 0l. 6, Sc. 7, $p. 6B, .ud. 9or., masterandM Nn cadrul &niversitMQii din !raiova, 'acultatea de -itere, 3aster Studii $n lo($mericane, declar pe proprie rMspundere cM pre#enta lucrare de disertaQie cu titlul Anthropomorphism in English Books for Children, reali#atM sub Nndrumarea doamnei profesoare $loisia Sorop, nu este un pla iat. KM mulQumesc!

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Gata1 86.8I.786?

SemnMtura1 9orun %lena(-oredana

Gomnului @ector al &niversitMQii din !raiova, ,udeQul Gol.!

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