The Mentor: The City as a Liminal Site in Children's Literature: Enchanted Realism with an Urban Twist
journal contribution
posted on 2025-06-25, 04:23authored byNaomi Hamer
Diverse images of "the city" in art and literature offer a range of literal and metaphoric implications: the city as metaphor for modernization; the Old World European city as romantic or nostalgic setting; the futuristic city as cautionary comment on technology; the city as centre of consumer and corporate culture; the city as a symbol of anonymous and empty (post)modern life; the city as emblem of the disrupted relationship between humans and nature; the city as a site for criminalization, drug use, prostitution, gang violence and poverty. In the context of this artistic and literary commentary over the last century, the image of the city has also become an integral and dynamic element in children's literature.
History
Journal
The Looking Glass : New Perspectives on Children's Literature
ISSN
1551-5680
Volume
7
Issue
1
Publisher
La Trobe University
Section Title
Emerging Voices
Author Biography
Naomi Hamer is a candidate for the Master of Arts in Children's Literature degree, School of Library, Archival & Information Studies, The University of British Columbia.
Date Created
2010-05-04
Rights Statement
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Data source
OJS data migration 2025: https://ojs.latrobe.edu.au/ojs/index.php/tlg/article/view/217