Feminist Heroines in Children's Literature: Oz to Green Gables
This paper examines the changing representation of female characters in children's literature by analyzing L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables (1908). Using Simone de Beauvoir's feminist theoretical framework, the paper evaluates the characterization of primary female protagonists, secondary female characters, and secondary male characters in each text. The analysis traces how feminist ideologies evolved from Baum's relatively subtle challenge to gender norms in the nineteenth century to Montgomery's more fully developed feminist vision in the early twentieth century, demonstrating a significant and progressive shift in the representation of female agency and identity in children's literature.
- Introduction: Scope, primary texts, and paper aims
- Historical Context of the Authors: Biographical backgrounds of Baum and Montgomery
- Feminist Theory and Children's Literature: Beauvoir's framework applied to children's literature
- Feminist Analysis of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: Dorothy, secondary females, and male characters examined
- Feminist Analysis of Anne of Green Gables: Anne, Marilla, and male characters through feminist lens
- Conclusion: Progressive shift from Baum to Montgomery summarized
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper grounds its literary analysis in a named theoretical framework — Simone de Beauvoir's feminist theory — giving the comparative readings a consistent critical lens rather than relying on impressionistic observation.
- The parallel structure of the analysis (protagonist, secondary female characters, secondary male characters) applied to both novels creates a clear and replicable method that enables direct comparison across the two texts.
- The use of direct textual quotations with page citations anchors interpretive claims in specific evidence, demonstrating proper academic practice in literary analysis.
Key academic technique demonstrated
This paper demonstrates comparative literary analysis with a theoretical framework. Rather than discussing each novel in isolation, the author uses the same analytical categories across both texts, then synthesizes findings in the conclusion to argue a directional claim: that feminist representation deepened measurably from Baum (1900) to Montgomery (1908). This technique — parallel analysis leading to comparative synthesis — is a foundational skill in literary studies at the undergraduate level.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with an introduction establishing the scope and two primary texts, followed by biographical context for each author. A theoretical section introduces Beauvoir's feminist lens. The analytical core is divided by novel, and within each novel by character type (protagonist, secondary female, secondary male). A conclusion synthesizes both analyses into a claim about historical progression. The structure is clear, organized, and consistently executed throughout.
Introduction
Once children can read, they are drawn into the world of literature — characters, themes, settings, and plots. Children's literature introduces concepts such as friendship, nature, education, discovery, religion, and the structure and operation of society, helping the child feel connected to the material. Some have argued that children's literature only comes into existence when it portrays child or child-like characters, or appeals to the child's point of view (Grenby, 2007, p. 277). Children's literature has a long, global history that originates in traditional and folk oral tales. In Britain, children's books can be traced back to the eighteenth century, with such classics as John Newbery's A Little Pretty Pocket-Book (1744). In the nineteenth century, children's books formed a distinguishable genre within the literary world.
The expansion of children's literature to the international level in the nineteenth century saw the advancement of female protagonists, given that earlier children's readings used only male-child protagonists. Two of the most influential literary works in producing strong female protagonists are Lyman Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables (1908). This paper explores the changing representation of female characters in children's literature by focusing on these two literary works.
Historical Context of the Authors
Born in 1856, Lyman Frank Baum spent most of his early years indoors after being diagnosed with a weak heart, which allowed for extensive reading. His cultural career began with writing articles for local newspapers. Baum's life experiences permeated the setting and plot structure of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. At one point, Baum attended the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, which featured the White City — a model city illuminated by lights that created the impression of a glittering jewel. This impression is credited with helping Baum conceive the Emerald City in the novel (Rogers, 2002).
Lucy Maud Montgomery was born in 1874, and when she was just twenty-one months old, her mother passed away. Shortly afterward, her father remarried and moved away with his new wife, leaving Montgomery to be raised by her maternal grandparents. In her childhood, Montgomery undertook extensive reading and lived under strict discipline, as she resided in an isolated area with few friendships (Bienert, 2009). Both Baum and Montgomery shared a deep reading culture that stimulated their imaginations and influenced their passion for writing.
These selected works — The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Anne of Green Gables — creatively reflect the two writers' personal life experiences. Despite being born in different decades, in different countries, and of different genders, they both produced strikingly similar children's novels dealing with female protagonists and their respective journeys (Becker, 2013). Given the difference in publication dates, the two novels are well placed for exploring the change in women's representation in children's literature.
Feminist Theory and Children's Literature
The nineteenth century saw the initial shift in the representation of women in children's literature. One notable example is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Alcott wrote a compelling read for young girls, and the novel transcends many gender stereotypes of the nineteenth century. For example, through the characters Jo and Laurie, Alcott portrays two figures who do not conform to their gender-stereotypical roles. Jo vacillates between a more traditional role and a feminist character, while Laurie is attributed more stereotypically feminine qualities (Bender, 2017). Although Alcott explores women's roles in the nineteenth century, Little Women is also a strong affirmation of feminist beliefs, presenting them with respect and empathy. The enduring influence of this book is evident in its adaptation into a major film (Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2019).
Children's literature has been explored through various literary theories across the decades; however, feminist literary theory is considered to provide the most insightful approach for this paper. The analysis is conducted using the concepts of influential feminist theorist Simone de Beauvoir (Simons, 2010). With respect to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Anne of Green Gables, the analysis examines the characterization of the two female protagonists, the secondary female characters, and the secondary male characters through the lens of feminist literary theory.
Feminist Analysis of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The creation of Dorothy as a female protagonist marked a significant change in a body of children's literature that had been dominated by male-oriented stories. It should be noted from the outset, however, that even though Dorothy is presented as a self-reliant young woman, there are still elements within the text that invoke gender stereotypes and traditional female roles. Most of Dorothy's qualities are designed to contest the traditional subordination associated with females. For example, she slaps the Lion after fearing for Toto's safety (Baum, 1900, p. 3). Even though she counters the stereotype of female timidity by slapping the Lion, she still, at a deeper level, displays the fearful concern typically associated with women.
She also portrays a bravery that defeats the stereotype of passive womanhood when she speaks to the Lion and says, "Don't you dare bite Toto! You ought to be ashamed of yourself…" (Baum, 1900, p. 43). In addition to bravery, she breaks typical female roles by engaging in physically demanding tasks; for example, she helps her friends push the raft to shore, even though this puts her life in danger (Baum, 1900, p. 60). Through Dorothy, Baum creates a character who is both brave and kind. The quality of kindness represents her feminine behavior, while the masculine discourse revolves around the concept of female liberation. Bearing in mind that in the nineteenth century the dominance of male characters in children's literature was at its peak, this is considered a bold move that provided the first steps for feminist literary development.
In addition to Dorothy, Baum also creates secondary female characters to illustrate both traditional stereotypical ideology and its transformation. In the novel's introductory passages, Baum explains how he sought to eliminate the stereotypes of the "genie, dwarf, and fairy" in order to create "modern" children's literature. According to Beauvoir's theory, society has placed restrictive stereotypes on women — such as "The Married Woman" and "The Mother" — which indicate a pre-designed destiny for women (Simons, 2010). In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, women who are presented as "good" tend to possess traits traditionally ascribed to femininity. Aunt Em is described as having been "a young, pretty wife" who has been worn down by hard work and harsh terrain (Baum, 1900, p. 8). This use of the "pretty wife" descriptor reinforces a feminine discourse that defines women primarily through their appearance. Similarly, the Queen of the Field Mice is described as being "good," and the China Princess is described as being "beautifully dressed" and speaking in "a frightened little voice" (Baum, 1900, p. 117), further cementing the subordinate position of secondary female characters in the text.
However, Glinda's creation of female soldiers represents an innovative reversal of roles. The existence of female soldiers directly counters the traditional image of soldiering as an exclusively male domain.
Role reversal and the transformation of feminine and masculine discourse are evident through the secondary male characters, including the Scarecrow, the Lion, the Tin Woodman, and Oz. The Scarecrow is described as lacking brains (Baum, 1900, p. 23) and is stripped of conventional masculine qualities — he has low self-confidence, is dependent on Dorothy, and lacks knowledge. The Tin Woodman similarly lacks masculine characterization, being helpless and subordinate (Baum, 1900, p. 31). The Lion, though he initially appears to be a ferocious male beast, is revealed upon closer inspection to be a coward who is frightened by Dorothy's assertive nature (Baum, 1900, p. 40). Oz presents the reverse of the other male characters in that he initially holds power, but he is ultimately exposed as a liar and a fraud. Together, these characters reinforce Dorothy's centrality and undermine traditional male authority.
Conclusion
Classical children's books are meant to be educational, entertaining, and thought-provoking, enabling readers to explore imaginative freedom and excitement. Both Baum and Montgomery developed vivid female protagonists; however, given that these books were written in different centuries, the degree to which feminist ideologies have been employed differs considerably. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written in the nineteenth century, employs feminist ideas at a fairly subtle level, reflecting a period in which society had only begun to challenge gender roles. In Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, by contrast, feminist concepts are more fully developed, and the setting of the literary work reflects this advancement. In Baum's work, the female protagonist still carries significant stereotypical elements, and while the secondary male characters do not fully embody traditional masculine stereotypes, those elements remain present throughout the novel.
Montgomery, on the other hand, develops female protagonists far more substantially while simultaneously rendering secondary male characters comparatively minor. It is therefore evident that there is a significant increase in the representation of female protagonists from Baum to Montgomery. This progression is expected to continue, as witnessed in the recent adaptation of Little Women (2019). The trajectory from Baum through Montgomery to contemporary adaptations reflects an ongoing cultural reassessment of gender in storytelling for children.
References
Alcott, L. M. (1869). Little Women. Little, Brown, and Company.
Baum, L. F. (1900). The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Project Gutenberg.
Becker, B. (2013). A feminist analysis of Lyman Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables and Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden (Doctoral dissertation).
Bender, C. (2017). Gender stereotyping in Little Women: "Let us be elegant or die!" MJUR, Issue 8, 140–153.
Bienert, M. (2009). Imagining Anne: The island scrapbooks of LM Montgomery. The Lion and the Unicorn, 33(1), 115–116.
Grenby, M. O. (2007). Chapbooks, children, and children's literature. Library, 8(3), 277–303.
Montgomery, L. M. (2004). Anne of Green Gables. Broadview Press.
Rogers, K. M. (2002). L. Frank Baum: Creator of Oz: A biography. Macmillan.
Simons, M. A. (Ed.). (2010). Feminist interpretations of Simone de Beauvoir. Penn State Press.
Sony Pictures Entertainment. (2019, August 13). Little Women – Official Trailer (HD) [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AST2-4db4ic
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