Making of the Modern Child

Andrew O'Malley

Taylor & Francis, 2003 - Literary Criticism - 189 pages

This book explores how the concept of childhood in the late-18th century was constructed through the ideological work performed by children's literature, as well as pedagogical writing and medical literature of the era. Andrew O'Malley ties the evolution of the idea of "the child" to the growth of the middle class, which used the figure of the child as a symbol in its various calls for social reform.

What people are saying

Review: The Making of the Modern Child: Children's Literature and Childhood in the Late Eighteenth Century

User Review  - Tracy - Goodreads

O'Malley give a good overview of Children's Literature and how it fits into the Childhood in the late Eighteenth Century. Of note are his chapters dealing with the different standards of literature ...

About the author

Andrew O'Malley is Associate Professor in the Department of English at Ryerson University, Canada.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Making of the Modern Child; Volume 28 of Children's Literature and Culture; Garland reference library of social science: Children's literature and culture
• Author: Andrew O'Malley
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis, 2003
• ISBN: 0415942993, 9780415942997
• Length: 189 pages
• Subjects: Literary Criticism / Children's Literature; Literary Criticism / General