Gender Issues in Children’s Literature: An Analysis of Fairytales

Abstract

This paper intends to explore the reasons of gender discrimination in
different segments of Pakistani society at grass root level. This study is
based on qualitative content analysis of children’s literature from which
the most popular corpse of ten English fairytales purposively. Activities
of different characters along with their social were selected and
economic status, behavioral traits, gendered messages and thematic roles
were analyzed by using coding frame for manifest and stimulus clues for
latent information. This content analysis research indicates that gender
difference is an integral part of the fairy tales which shows female gender
inferior to male. A detailed qualitative analysis of these selected
fairytales cited that gender issues start from titles and prevail throughout
the fairytales. Males had proper names but girls were known with their
attributive names in the titles. The study suggests a need for drastic
change behaviorally, psychologically and materially (in our children’s
literature and particularly in fairytales) to keep pace with the 21st century,
which demands us to be more creative, active and innovative with
scientific approach instead of becoming an escapist.