Your opinion please.

[selsabil]

Hello everybody :wave:

So, I'm thinking for a theme for MA thesis in English Literaure , I'm interested in children's literature , first I wanted to work on Harry Potter but since I didn't read the books I was confused about what to work on :confused:.
Anyway then I've thought to make a mixture between children's and War literature , I mean to deal with war which was experienced , seen and told by a child , and thinking to take two or three novels from different literatures as a study matter , for example Ngugi wa Thiong'o's WEEP NOT CHILD .

So first can you give me your advices , opinion and ideas for the theme , then can you please give me some titles of American , British novels that deals with the same subject , I will be so greatful for you :redface:.

thank you and I'm waiting for your replies:nod:

[vonsvin]

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, maybe?

[selsabil]

Thanks Vonsvin for Your reply and I will take it in my account , thanks again .

[Lokasenna]

When I was about twelve, we did Robert Westall's The Machine Gunners in English class. I didn't really like it, but its a children's book focussing on WWII. Could be just the ticket for you!

[kelby_lake]

The Boy in The Striped Pajamas is a children's book about children in WW2.

[mal4mac]

J.G. Ballard Empire of the Sun

[Scheherazade]

Selsabil,

I think an MA thesis should be something you are interested in and feel fairly knowledgable about. I realise you will do research but still it is very hard work without the initial groundwork.

How about "instinct of survival" in children during war?

Lord of the Flies?

[vonsvin]

and The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank of course.

[Niamh]

Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian
The Silver Sword (cant remember the author but its good)

[Lokasenna]

The Silver Sword (cant remember the author but its good)

Its by Ian Serraillier (think that's how its spelt!). Good choice.

[Virgil]

Have you gotten approval from the English department on doing a theme involving children's literature? While I can see some departments approving it (depending on the angle of the thesis) I can also see many not, nor might there be a professor who would be your counselor on it, mostly from lack of knowledge. Before you go very far, I would advise you talk to various professors about it, and get their support.

[MANICHAEAN]

The following come to mind of children as victims, or caught up in wars.
1. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry.
2. The Diary of Anne Frank.
3. When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr

A tangential approach might be children as soldiers both through history to the present day.
1. Children at War by P.W.Singer.

How about stepping right back and looking, not at children & war, but the Dads Army symdrome. There were many on both sides of the pond of a certain age who went through it twice e.g. Patton, Montgomery. In Churchill's case he was involved in wars in: Cuba, The North West Frontier, The Sudan against the Mardi, The Boer War, The First World War & The Second.
You would have access to a wider range of material & your MA would likely attain a meridian splendour.
Good luck.

[selsabil]

Hello again ,
first , thank you all for your replies : Vonsvin, Lokasenna, Kelby lake , Mal4mac , Scheherazade , Niamh , Virgil and Manichaene , and I will look on all the novels and try to select , thanks a lot.

Second , Virgil I've talked to one of our professors and he said it is ok to deal with children's literature, I really don't know how things done there , but here they asked us to think about several themes then told them and they will select and guide us .

I've read "Lord of the Flies" and I'm intending to talk about since children have experienced war ,not directly but still suffered from it.

thanks again , and still waiting for other points of views.