Abstract
When a novel is adapted as a film, the representation of the relationship between subject and society changes because of spatio-temporal modifications. Ideologies of childhood and hence children’s literature underwent major change after 1945, as English society experienced ontological insecurity in response to the ruptures of war. Childhood was perceived as a period of ontological indeterminacy and child development seemed best served by discovery learning in formal education and everyday life. It was also recognised that lack of agency can cause anxiety and trauma. Children’s literature began to represent the interiority of pre-adult protagonists, notably by means of third person narration grounded in intradiegetic character focalisation and its representations of positive ideologies of intersubjective selves and social practices. Film adaptations find visual forms to express and transform these ideologies. This study draws upon examples of film adaptation of novels by Mary Norton and Joan G. Robinson.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 3 |
| Pages (from-to) | 42-66 |
| Number of pages | 25 |
| Journal | Verbeia: Journal of English and Spanish Studies |
| Volume | 7 |
| Publication status | Published - 31 Oct 2023 |
Keywords
- adaptation
- ideology
- cross-cultural
- Borrowers
- When Marnie Was There