Deconstructing the Hero Literary Theory and Children's Literature

Deconstructing the Hero explores the structure and meaning of one of the most popular literary genres--the adventure story. It offers analytical readings of some of the most widely read books such as "Treasure Island" and "Robinson Crusoe," and describes how these stories are influential in shaping children's perceptions and values.

Since many of these stories marginalize ethnic minority groups and women, there is the danger of instilling or perpetuating these values in an impressionable audience. Margery Hourihan shows us how we can teach our children to read more critically, helping to prevent the establishment of negative attitudes and to promote more positive values.

This book sets out to explore the structure and meanings within the most popular of all literary genres - the adventure story. Deconstructing the Hero offers analytical readings of some of the most widely read adventure stories such as Treasure Island , the James Bond stories and Star Wars. The book describes how adventure stories are influential in shaping children's perception and establishing values. When many of these stories define non-white, non-European people as inferior, and women as marginal or incapable, we should be worried about what they are teaching our children to think. Margery Hourihan shows how teaching children to read books critically can help to prevent the establishment of negative attitudes, discourage aggression and promote values of emotion and creativity.

1. The Story 2. The Hero 3. The Wild Things 4. The Women 5. Rewriting the Story