Document Type
Thesis
Degree
Master of Arts (MA)
Major/Program
English
First Advisor's Name
Vanessa Kraemer Sohan
First Advisor's Committee Title
Committee chair
Second Advisor's Name
Shewonda Leger
Second Advisor's Committee Title
Committee member
Third Advisor's Name
Michael Grafals
Third Advisor's Committee Title
Committee member
Fourth Advisor's Name
Anne Castro
Fourth Advisor's Committee Title
Committee member
Keywords
stereotype threat, speech act theory, fantasy, agency, children's literature, Diana Wynne Jones, Howl's Moving Castle
Date of Defense
3-25-2022
Abstract
This thesis analyzes significant moments and selected excerpts from Diana Wynne Jones’s Howl’s Moving Castle, focusing on the protagonist Sophie’s character development and uses of magic through speech in relation to stereotype threat and speech act theory. This thesis connects recent scholarly conversations about stereotype threat to the metaphor of Sophie’s spoken magic as the means by which she establishes her own identity and reclaims power over her life. This thesis considers Jones’s reflections about connections between fantasy writing and reality, as well as the potential significance of those connections for children whose experiences are reflected in fantasy works by translation. This thesis thereby argues that Sophie’s experiences with expectations of others that limit her perceptions of her own abilities and willingness to leave the place where she started can be seen as representative of real-world experiences of stereotype threat, an issue that is faced by children and adults alike.
Identifier
FIDC010693
Recommended Citation
Peña, Jennifer, "Castles and Curses: An Analysis of Speech Acts and Stereotype Threat in Diana Wynne Jones's Howl's Moving Castle" (2022). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 4968.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/4968
Included in
Children's and Young Adult Literature Commons, Other Arts and Humanities Commons, Other English Language and Literature Commons, Reading and Language Commons, Speech and Rhetorical Studies Commons
Rights Statement
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