The dream child : how Alice, Dorothy, and Wendy influenced heroines in children's fantasy literature

Abstract

Despite the lack of female representation in children's literature, three novels with young female leads continue to remain universally popular: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Peter Pan. The protagonists Alice, Dorothy and Wendy all share this archetype in common: a young girl who finds herself in a fantasy realm who has to overcome the obstacles in her path in order to return home. I analyze each of these stories, in addition to others, to determine the characteristics these three characters share. Furthermore, I formulate that they comprise one archetype in children's fantasy literature: The 'Dream Child.'