Establishing Order. Small Girls Write about Family Life

ABSTRACT

The data used here are narratives on the topic ‘My future family’. In all, 32 children, 18 girls and 14 boys, took part in the study. The aim was to analyse children's own descriptions and interpretations of what family life is like or could be like. The article focuses on four girls and discusses their narratives using concepts from literary theory. Two types of main characters are found. These are ideal types in Weber's meaning and many of the girls' main characters are combinations of these types. The woman in control of family life can be described as the overriding theme in the narratives. The narratives can be seen as a step in socialisation to motherhood, but they must also be read as texts and seen in context.

¹ The research reported here was financed by the Swedish Council for Social Research. I wish to express my thanks to Carina Fast who, as the classroom teacher in the study, was an important partner in collecting data from the children and in discussing and analysing the material. I am also greatly indebted to Noella Bickham for linguistic assistance and to Karin Aronsson, Professor of Child Studies at the Institute of Tema Research, Linköping University, for comments on the article.

Notes

¹ The research reported here was financed by the Swedish Council for Social Research. I wish to express my thanks to Carina Fast who, as the classroom teacher in the study, was an important partner in collecting data from the children and in discussing and analysing the material. I am also greatly indebted to Noella Bickham for linguistic assistance and to Karin Aronsson, Professor of Child Studies at the Institute of Tema Research, Linköping University, for comments on the article.