Stop dreaming and face reality! an analysis of the ideas of the realistic tales shown in four Swedish books for children, published between the years 1965 to 1975

The aim of this Masters thesis is to investigate if the ideas of the realistic tale in Swedish literature for children can be identified by examining four books for children. The four books are all published between the years 1965 to 1975. The methods used to identify the ideas of the realistic tale are the concepts of alienation and antiestablishment. By using the theory of true and false consciousness represented by Diderichsen and the theory of Socialisation by Giddens, two questions are addressed. The questions are if the ideas of the realistic tale develop a true or a false consciousness. And if so, how reasonable is it to understand the analysed material as secondary agent of socialisation. The conclusion is that the ideas of the realistic tale interpreted by the concepts of alienation and antiestablishment can develop a true consciousness even though some important ideas, as for example ideas concerning consumption and mass production, are not as present as they are in the manifesto of the realistic movement. All and all, the analysed books nurtures ideas that can develop a true consciousness and the material can therefore be recognised as a secondary agent of socialisation.Uppsatsnivå: