Childhood Experiences In Literature

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The experiences of childhood are defined and portrayed in numerous ways throughout texts. In my research, I have chosen texts that display a wide range of different stereotypes of children and the varied situations that they are in. The texts I have chosen are Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt, “Frost at Midnight” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The God Boy directed by Murray Reece, “The Garden Party” by Katherine Mansfield, and Boy, directed by Taika Waititi. These texts include children that are living in poverty in Ireland, children living an upper class lifestyle in New Zealand (NZ), children living middle class life in the city of London, children living an abusive life in New Zealand and children living without parent in NZ. Although all these texts share a similar theme, many differences relating to this theme exist. How are the experiences of childhood presented in the texts? While investigating different texts and the way in which the common theme ‘Experiences of Childhood’ is presented, I had to take into consideration that style of writing, setting, era the text was written and type of text in order to successfully answer this question. In the first text I analysed, I discovered very distinctive techniques that were used to uncover the theme ‘Experiences of Childhood’. In Angela’s Ashes, the author Frank McCourt uses the setting and its culture to express this theme. The story is set in Limerick, Ireland where poverty is common and welfare systems are limited. For example, Frank’s mother relies on the St Vincent De Paul for simple needs such as flour. The author uses a great deal of colloquial language to convey the culture of Limerick which furthers my understanding of Franks experiences as a child, and the reality of his life. The constant use of colloquial language gives me the indication that life was indeed uneducated, casual and informal. The author
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