“We trespassed in the city of the dead, and all our skills and talents counted for nothing” Challenging the borders of death in children’s literature

Abstract

Children’s literature has been under pressure the last few years. There are more and more discussions on what can be written for children and how it should be written. One way to write about heavy topics for children is through fantasy. This thesis examines how ghosts can make themes such as death, grief and trauma comprehensible for children without minimising their importance or affect. The research question this thesis intends to answer is: How do representations of ghosts in children’s literature mediate and challenge the boundaries of death and its emotional impact? The two concepts used to answer this question are the Gothic and Hauntology. The Gothic provides a frame to discuss lingering fears and traumas, both personal and societal. Hauntology is used to discuss the way the past continues to influence the present, and how things we consider as “over” are still impactful. The two case studies that are analysed with these concepts are the Lockwood & co.-series by Jonathan Stroud and the novel Ophie’s Ghosts by Justina Ireland. The analysis on Lockwood & co. focuses on the long-lasting effects of trauma, and the discussion of Ophie’s Ghosts demonstrates how racism and systems of oppression continue to influence our society. This thesis argues that through the inclusion of ghosts in children’s literature, authors are able to introduce heavy themes in their books in a way that is still pleasant to read for children without minimising these topics.