FROGS & SNAILS & FEMINIST TALES BY BRONWYN DAVIES

I read this book, published in 1989, which discusses ‘how and why children become masculine or feminine’. It further mentions that ‘the way in which gender is constructed in our society means that in learning to be people, to be members of our society, children must learn the way maleness and femaleness is done and they must get it right’. Bronwyn Davies studies to provide detail of the gendered world of childhood and new insights into the social construction of gender.

​The first chapter, in pages 18 and 19, discusses the behaviour of both males and females, and states that ‘by the continuing work each person engages in to achieve and sustain their gendered identity, and by the fact that when they fail to do so, they perceive themselves, and are perceived by others, as failing as an individual, rather than perceiving the linguistic structures in which the dualism is embedded as at fault’. Davies outlines initially the ways in which society expects certain behaviours from certain genders and the consequences if these behaviours haven’t been carried out, similarly to if they have been carried out to a much higher standard - see top of page 19. This highlights for us here the typical outlook on the subject, which follows with Davies’ research case study on page 21.

Case study:
The research study here involves 8 individuals ages between 4 and 5 years old. Davies reads them feminist stories and gathers their thoughts surrounding the characters and their roles. There is a very in depth consideration of the children selected regarding their backgrounds (e.g. the schools they go to). The interesting reactions of the children towards the various stories are outlined - the behaviours and actions of the male/female characters, usually in a domestic setting. In many cases, discussed between pages 60 and 67, the children didn’t quite grasp the role reversal element - the female hero and the male ‘bad guy’ who is supposed to be unlikeable. 

For me, I think considering the time this study was carried out, it is not surprising that this was the outcome. Sexism and gender stereotyping was still very much common and it seems optimistic to think that the outcome here would’ve been different.

Female power:
Within the chapter on female power, Davies looks at female sexuality, page 77, and the power, or lack of power, this involves. She covers the male gaze, i.e. how the role of a woman revolves around their perception from a male view. It is mentioned how sexual behaviours in boys is considered as natural, whereas female sexuality is generally constituted around another’s gaze, and does not comply with female virtue. ​“Sex is the ultimate double edged sword. Women can use it to get what they want (for example, to be positioned as virtuous wife and mother), but through using it they can lose their virtue and thus their right of access to the safe domestic scene.” Either way, the woman, despite feeling in control, is not.

Pages 86/87 discuss how female power differs from that of a male. Rather than power as body strength, and can be used much more tactfully, in ways which a male might struggle. “Their power is circumscribed by their own and others’ ideas of what it means to be female and of the relation of that to maleness”. Davies also highlights that in order for there to be a change in this pattern, females will ‘need to learn to want to use their bodies powerfully in self defence, and they will need to develop a new set of metaphors that undo the potency of romantic love and replace it with something equally viable and rewarding, if not necessarily ‘safe’.’ I think this is a particularly strong and inspiring statement. It highlights a need for change, in a time where this was probably quite non-conformative.

​Male power:

One of the main things which stood out to me in this chapter was the way that the reactions of the children backed up and evidenced the idea that male power equals domination. See page 91.
Page 109 mentions the ways that males and females are allocated roles which involve particular behaviours. Males are portrayed powerful, contrasting with those of a female who appear weak, ‘complementary and supportive to that power’.

Conclusion:
The conclusion I found quite fascinating. “At the heart of the idea of maleness seems to be the idea of power as male power, with females having power only in the domestic realm or as helpers of men in the male sphere.” Another element I found in the conclusion was the ways in which Davies addresses how this idea is embedded in the narrative structures of children’s books, which consequently affects their attitudes towards themselves and others as they develop - “attitudes they develop towards themselves either as active agents who can and should act powerfully in a public sphere, or as sexualised beings whose agency is profoundly inhibited through the positioning of themselves as the passive recipients of another’s gaze.” - see page 138.
Page 141 - Davies finishes the conclusion with the need for more communicative practises for children - the belief that they should not need to comply with a label of ‘male’ or ‘female’, or ‘boy’ or girl’ and the behaviours and characteristics these labels expect. “They need access to forms of discursive practice where their social practice is not defined in terms of the se too genitals they happen to have.”

It is fair to say I found this book very eye-opening, and particularly fascinating considering the era it was written in. Although it isn’t really current enough in terms of the present day problems surrounding gender representation in children’s literature, it is interesting enough to see how this has previously been addressed and researched.