An exploration of the physical geographies of space and place (ancient and modern, rural and urban) in children’s literature as signifiers of “childhood”; i.e., of the textually constructed child figure and of textually constructed childhoods as a whole. While the application of Jane Suzanne Carroll’s “topoanalysis,” is relatively narrow, focusing on the historical, cultural, and mythic landscape features repeatedly represented throughout British literature in general and the British fantasy series, The Dark is Rising in particular, the aim of the course is to extend this application outward to more diverse landscapes (real and imaginary) represented in a variety of texts written for children and young adults.
- Teacher: Barbara Tannert-Smith