"In Far Cathay": Representations of China in "The Boy's Own Paper", 1879-1914

Autor/in	Chen, Shih-Wen
Titel	"In Far Cathay": Representations of China in "The Boy's Own Paper", 1879-1914
Quelle	In: Children's Literature in Education, 44 (2013) 2, S.156-173 (18 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0045-6713
DOI	10.1007/s10583-012-9183-2
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Childrens Literature; Twentieth Century Literature; Nineteenth Century Literature; Nonfiction; Travel; Rhetoric; Patriotism; China; United Kingdom (Great Britain) + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; 'Children''s literature'; Kinderliteratur; Non-fiction; Nichtfiktionaler Text; Travelling; Reisen; Reise; Rhetorik; Patriotismus
Abstract	This paper considers how "knowledge" of China was presented for Victorian and Edwardian children in "The Boy's Own Paper" ("BOP") between 1879 and 1914. It considers how genre affects the representation of China in the "BOP" by comparing travel narratives and adventure stories. First, it focuses on non-fiction about China, examining the rhetorical strategies employed by the authors of travel narratives. The travellers express confidence in their ability to survey the land and present readers with the idea that China is abundant in resources awaiting British discovery. Second, the article discusses adventure stories about opium and piracy written during a period when the tension between the British and the Chinese was particularly fraught over these issues. While the authors of the adventure stories created a strong contrast between the Chinese as villains and the British as heroes, the "BOP" travel writers provide contradictory statements within their narratives, reflecting an ambivalence about China and the Chinese. However, because the "BOP" contributors sought to instil a sense of patriotism, to inspire their readers to serve the British Empire, both the non-fiction travel narratives and the fictional adventure stories related to China were published not only to entertain readers with exotic facts and thrilling stories, but more importantly, to persuade them of the necessity of British intervention. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10