Scenes of Ageing and Old Age in Children’s Literature: An Overview of Selected Canonical Texts

Öz

Old age and ageing are either disregarded or underrepresented in much of the European and Anglophone classics of children’s literature that have been recognised by global readership. Children’s literature and old age generally appear to be polar opposites due to childhood’s association with immaturity and innocence. Most children’s classics end with child characters reaching adulthood, or old age is not presented as an important phase in life. When older people are present, they appear as archetypal or stereotypical characters most of the time. Consequently, canonical texts of children’s literature are filled with wise old men who serve as friendly and helpful guides during children’s quests, as well as ugly witches, old spinsters, and stepmothers who deliberately harm children. This study first questions the absence or limited presence of older characters in both European and Anglophone children’s classics, and secondly delves into various representations of ageing and old age in selected examples, highlighting ageist discourses in the canonical texts of children’s literature.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ageing
• Old age
• Children’s literature
• Ageism
• European children's classics
• Anglophone children's classics

Çocuk Edebiyatında Yaşlanma ve Yaşlılık Manzaraları: Seçilen Kanonik Metinlere Genel Bir Bakış

Öz

Yaşlılık ve yaşlanma, evrensel okuyucular tarafından kabul görmüş Avrupa ve Anglofon çocuk edebiyatı klasiklerinin çoğunda ya göz ardı edilmekte ya da yetersiz bir şekilde temsil edilmektedir. Çocukluk, toyluk ve masumiyet ile ilişkilendirildiğinden, çocuk edebiyatı ve yaşlılık genellikle birbirine zıt kavramlar olarak görülmektedir. Çocuk klasiklerinin çoğu, çocuk karakterlerin yetişkinliğe ulaşmasıyla sona erer ya da yaşlılık, yaşamın önemli bir dönemi olarak resmedilmez. Yaşlı bireylerin yer aldığı durumlarda ise, bu karakterler çoğunlukla arketipsel veya stereotipik figürler olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Bu bağlamda, çocuk edebiyatının kanonik metinlerinde, çocuklara maceralarında rehberlik eden yaşlı bilge adamlar ve çocuklara zarar verme amacı güden çirkin cadılar, evlenmemiş yaşlı kadınlar ve üvey anneler gibi karakterler sıklıkla yer almaktadır. Bu çalışma, ilk olarak hem Avrupa hem de Anglofon çocuk edebiyatının klasik metinlerindeki yaşlı karakterlerin yokluğunu ve sınırlı temsilini sorgular; ardından çocuk edebiyatının kanonik metinlerindeki yaş ayrımcılığına yol açan söylemleri vurgulayarak seçili örnekler üzerinden yaşlanma ve yaşlılığın çeşitli temsillerini inceler.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Yaşlanma
• Yaşlılık
• Çocuk edebiyatı
• Yaş ayrımcılığı
• Avrupa çocuk klasikleri
• Anglofon çocuk klasikleri

Kaynakça

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