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E-Thesis 956 views 306 downloads

"Trauma and absent parents in fairy tale and fantasy: Fairy stories, "Harry Potter," "Twilight," and "His Dark Materials". / Elizabeth Lockwood

Swansea University Author: Elizabeth Lockwood

Abstract

This thesis begins with an examination of paradigmatic, classic fairy tales and moves on to the contemporary fiction series of Harry Potter, Twilight and His Dark Materials mapping similarities of content in relation to trauma with specific reference to absent or lost parents. Highlighted in this st...

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Published: 2010
Institution: Swansea University
Degree level: Doctoral
Degree name: Ph.D
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa42545
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first_indexed 2018-08-02T18:54:58Z
last_indexed 2019-10-21T16:48:01Z
id cronfa42545
recordtype RisThesis
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spelling 2018-08-22T09:38:33.6678004 v2 42545 2018-08-02 "Trauma and absent parents in fairy tale and fantasy: Fairy stories, "Harry Potter," "Twilight," and "His Dark Materials". 2f994389ed3545c107c6dc2651d84068 NULL Elizabeth Lockwood Elizabeth Lockwood true true 2018-08-02 This thesis begins with an examination of paradigmatic, classic fairy tales and moves on to the contemporary fiction series of Harry Potter, Twilight and His Dark Materials mapping similarities of content in relation to trauma with specific reference to absent or lost parents. Highlighted in this study are the continuities, parallels and differences of the treatment of trauma and absent parents in these texts, with reference to their structure, content, themes, ideologies and preoccupations. The absence of parents is a recurring theme of fairy tale and fantasy stories, and leads to the creation of new or surrogate family structures such as stepfamilies, extended families and elective families. These new family structures, and the emotional, ethical and cultural tensions arising from them, are critical themes of the texts this thesis examines. The causes of trauma, including abuse, neglect, change, loss, death, violence and related features are mapped and deciphered, noting the similarities across the texts studied. These experiences can cause a person to become psychologically disturbed, with a range of damaging consequences. Obsession, repetition, fragmentation and repression are themes which are mapped across the chosen texts, as is the idea of containment. Also the importance of psychological splitting is uncovered and examined within the stories. Splitting is a very important element of trauma. It can be a survival mechanism, a moment of life change and a way of repressing a traumatic experience, and is often the catalyst for action within the plot. This thesis shows how the characters of these texts have portrayed and dealt with their traumatic affects and examines the traumatic journeys they have undertaken within the plots of these fantastical stories. E-Thesis British &amp; Irish literature.;Comparative literature. 31 12 2010 2010-12-31 COLLEGE NANME English Literature and Creative Writing COLLEGE CODE Swansea University Doctoral Ph.D 2018-08-22T09:38:33.6678004 2018-08-02T16:24:29.6186062 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Culture and Communication - English Literature, Creative Writing Elizabeth Lockwood NULL 1 0042545-02082018162502.pdf 10805294.pdf 2018-08-02T16:25:02.9400000 Output 3923472 application/pdf E-Thesis true 2018-08-02T16:25:02.9400000 false
title "Trauma and absent parents in fairy tale and fantasy: Fairy stories, "Harry Potter," "Twilight," and "His Dark Materials".
spellingShingle "Trauma and absent parents in fairy tale and fantasy: Fairy stories, "Harry Potter," "Twilight," and "His Dark Materials".
Elizabeth Lockwood
title_short "Trauma and absent parents in fairy tale and fantasy: Fairy stories, "Harry Potter," "Twilight," and "His Dark Materials".
title_full "Trauma and absent parents in fairy tale and fantasy: Fairy stories, "Harry Potter," "Twilight," and "His Dark Materials".
title_fullStr "Trauma and absent parents in fairy tale and fantasy: Fairy stories, "Harry Potter," "Twilight," and "His Dark Materials".
title_full_unstemmed "Trauma and absent parents in fairy tale and fantasy: Fairy stories, "Harry Potter," "Twilight," and "His Dark Materials".
title_sort "Trauma and absent parents in fairy tale and fantasy: Fairy stories, "Harry Potter," "Twilight," and "His Dark Materials".
author_id_str_mv 2f994389ed3545c107c6dc2651d84068
author_id_fullname_str_mv 2f994389ed3545c107c6dc2651d84068_***_Elizabeth Lockwood
author Elizabeth Lockwood
author2 Elizabeth Lockwood
format E-Thesis
publishDate 2010
institution Swansea University
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Culture and Communication - English Literature, Creative Writing{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Culture and Communication - English Literature, Creative Writing
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description This thesis begins with an examination of paradigmatic, classic fairy tales and moves on to the contemporary fiction series of Harry Potter, Twilight and His Dark Materials mapping similarities of content in relation to trauma with specific reference to absent or lost parents. Highlighted in this study are the continuities, parallels and differences of the treatment of trauma and absent parents in these texts, with reference to their structure, content, themes, ideologies and preoccupations. The absence of parents is a recurring theme of fairy tale and fantasy stories, and leads to the creation of new or surrogate family structures such as stepfamilies, extended families and elective families. These new family structures, and the emotional, ethical and cultural tensions arising from them, are critical themes of the texts this thesis examines. The causes of trauma, including abuse, neglect, change, loss, death, violence and related features are mapped and deciphered, noting the similarities across the texts studied. These experiences can cause a person to become psychologically disturbed, with a range of damaging consequences. Obsession, repetition, fragmentation and repression are themes which are mapped across the chosen texts, as is the idea of containment. Also the importance of psychological splitting is uncovered and examined within the stories. Splitting is a very important element of trauma. It can be a survival mechanism, a moment of life change and a way of repressing a traumatic experience, and is often the catalyst for action within the plot. This thesis shows how the characters of these texts have portrayed and dealt with their traumatic affects and examines the traumatic journeys they have undertaken within the plots of these fantastical stories.
published_date 2010-12-31T03:53:10Z
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score 10.997956

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