Shaping the Self: A Bildungsroman for girls?/Die Vorming Van Die Self: 'N Bildungsroman Vir Meisies? (2004)

Abstract: Shaping self: A for girls? This article proposes that two alternative forms of developed from circa 1860 to 1960, featuring young protagonists and aimed at girls a readership. To explore this proposition, article initially focuses on three girls' series to see whether they meet criteria for classification a Bildungsroman: South African Soekie series written Afrikaans by Ela Spence, well-known Canadian Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery, and German Pucki series by Magda Trott. In these series girls have to learn through experience they move toward happiness and maturity. Secondly, article explores presentation of quest, well some development options in parallel such novels Louisa May Alcott's now classic Little women and Good wives. The article concludes that some novels for girls move towards an exploration of personal development from childhood to maturity, but that criteria for should be adjusted to include forms other than single novels and novels focused on one protagonist that are more typical of male Bildungsroman. It also suggests that criteria for maturity, self-actualisation and social integration need qualification female version of this genre. Key concepts: protagonist girls' series: L.M. Mongomery; Ela Spence; Magda Trott; Louisa May Alcott Opsomming: Die vorming van die self: 'n vir meisies? Hierdie artikel beredeneer die stelling dat daar tussen omstreeks 1860 en 1960 twee alternatiewe vorme van die Bildungsroman met jong protagoniste en gemik op meisies lesers ontwikkel het. Om hierdie stelling te toets, is die artikel eerstens gefokus op drie meisiereekse om vas te stel of hulle aan die klassifikasiekriteria van die voldoen: die Suid-Afrikaanse Soekie-reeks, geskryf Afrikaans deur Ela Spence, die bekende Kanadese Anne- of Green Gables-reeks deur L.M. Montgomery, en die Duitse Pucki reeks deur Magda Trott. In hierdie reekse moet meisies uit hulle ervaringe leer hulle strewe na geluk en volwassenheid. Tweedens word die soeke en ontwikkelingsmoontlikhede as parallelle ondersoek, romans soos Louisa May Alcott se nou reeds klassieke Little women en Good wives. Daar is bevind dat sommige romans vir meisies neig om die persoonlike ontwikkeling van kindsbeen tot volwassenheid te ondersoek, maar dat die Bildungsroman-kriteria aangepas moet word om ander vorme te sluit buiten die enkelroman en die roman wat fokus op een protagonis. Laasgenoemde vorme is meer tipies van die manlike Bildungsroman. Daar word ook voorgestel dat die kriteria vir volwassenheid, self-aktualisering en sosiale integrasie die vroulike weergawe van hierdie genre gekwalifiseer behoort te word. Kernbegrippe: reekse vir meisies: L.M. Mongomery; Ela Spence; Magda Trott; Louisa May Alcott protagonis 1. Defining Abrams (1981:121) translates German terres and Erziehungsroman somewhat loosely novel of formation or novel of education respectively. In such novels, subject is the development of protagonist's mind and character, he passes from childhood through varied experiences--and usually through a spiritual crisis--into maturity and recognition of his identity and role world (Abrams, 1981:121). Similarly, Suzanne Hader (1996:s.p.) describes a ... most generally, story of a single individual's growth and development within context of a defined social order. The growth process, at its root a quest story, has been described both 'an apprenticeship to life' and a 'search for meaningful existence within society' . …