An der Schnittstelle von Age Studies und Kinder und Jugendliteraturforschung
The increasing ratio of the elderly in populations worldwide gives age studies new urgency, as such work can mitigate the proliferation of ageist discourses in society. Children's books, which play an important role in their socialization, are a rich source for exploring how age norms are taught to the young. This article, drawing on children's literature studies and age studies for its analysis, presents Michelle Magorian's popular children's book Goodnight Mister Tom (1981) as a case study. Central to the novel is the relationship between eight year old Will, who is evacuated from London on the eve of the Second World War, and Mister Tom, an elderly man who acts as a substitute parent. Thanks to the old mentor, the abused boy can thrive, and he in turn acts as a redeemer to the old widower, who has grown estranged from his feelings and community. To understand the book's implicit age ideology, one must consider its generic features and extend the focus of age studies from old age to all ages. While Magorian's novel deviates from certain ageist stereotypes, such as the decline narrative, close analysis reveals that other age and class related prejudices are reinforced as the novel draws on sentimentalism and melodrama for its picture of old age.