On the Image of Elders in Children's Literature

Abstract

Elderly figures occupy a significant position in children's literature, mostly presented as "flat characters" that can be roughly categorized into two types: "benevolent" and "ferocious". There are notable differences in the portrayal of elderly figures between Chinese and foreign children's literature, particularly evident in the images of "elderly women" and "elderly men": In Chinese works, elderly women are often depicted as kind and selfless, while those in traditional Western fairy tales are frequently portrayed as evil and threatening; elderly men in Chinese literature emphasize moral perfection and spiritual guidance, whereas their counterparts in Western works (such as Dumbledore) focus more on the complexity and human flaws of their role as "guides". The shaping of different images conveys distinct literary connotations. Elderly figures in children's literature embody multiple meanings, including compensating for the emotional or authoritative absence of parents, serving as inheritors of the group's historical culture, possessing the trait of "rejuvenation", and respecting and aligning with children's cognitive characteristic of "animism". By analyzing the portrayal methods and cultural logic of elderly figures in Chinese and foreign children's literature, this paper reveals their important roles in emotional compensation, cultural inheritance, psychological identification, and cognitive development.