The Privilege of Place

Domestic and Work Locations of Characters in Children's Books

Abstract

Images of males and females at home and at work in interior and exterior settings were studied in two samples of children's picture books: those published prior to and after 1980. The pre-1980 data showed adult male characters outside the home more than inside, with the reverse being true for adult female characters. Boy characters were also found outside more than inside, but with little difference shown for girls. When the two time samples were compared, male child characters were depicted in significantly fewer outdoor settings in the post- compared with the pre-1980 samples. But, the number and variety of occupations for males in the post-1980 sample exceeded those for females by a considerable amount. Results are discussed with implications for children's development of career aspirations, self-esteem, and the interactive aspects of gender, power, and environment as parameters defining different interpretive communities of readers.