LITR 4533:
TRAGEDY

Genre Presentation 2000

Mirsha Flores

Children's Literature: Animal Realism

Definitions:
  • Children's literature--Early literature for adults such as oral ballads, sagas, and epics that came to be read for children. Hornbooks and chapbooks were some of the early books for children which taught the alphabet, numbers, and prayers.--(1994). The Concise Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Third Edition. On-line: http://www.encyclopedia.com/
  • Animal realism--A type of nonfiction that deals accurately with animals, telling the details of their appearances, their habitats, and their life cycles. The setting includes details of the seasons, the geographical regions, and the influence of the elements on the animals. The fictional portrayal of animals shows them in conflict of some kind. The animals are not given human traits or anthropomorphized. Lukens, Rebecca J. A Critical Handbook of Children's Literature, 4th ed. Oxford, OH: HarperCollins, 1990.
  • Animal realism--"A primary criterion for realistic fiction about animals is that the animals be objectively portrayed. The author should not interpret behavior or motives through giving the animal powers of speech or thought." Zena Sutherland and M. Arbuthnot, Children & Books, 8th ed. New York, 1991.

Related genres: problem realism and social issues, historical fiction, regional realism

Representational genre: narrator or "single voice"; dialogue--only between humans

Narrative genre: Romance (characters are separated from each other; action is usually a physical journey or adventure).

Example: Sheila Burnford, The Incredible Journey (1961)

Highlights of example: realistic portrayal of animals, animal versus nature

Additional examples of genre: Farley Mowat, Owls in the Family (1961); Jean George, Julie of the Wolves (1972)

Research sources: see above, plus Jon C. Stott, Children's Literature from A to Z, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1984.

Questions:

1. How do you think students would respond to the genre? Why?

2. What would be some of the limitations when writing in this genre?