| Traditional Japanese war literature paints a clear portrait of the hero: the hero patriotically fights for his country, willingly exposing himself to hardship and death, and never questioning those who are above him in the hierarchy. Defeat in the Asian Pacific War made clear to most Japanese the tragic flaws underlying this image, and the danger of unquestioning sacrifice. Children's authors, in particular, realized that irresponsibly propounding such values in their writings caused young and inexperienced readers to take these heroic visions seriously, directly contributing to a culture that did not challenge the ideal of unlimited sacrifice for the nation. In the post-war era a new generation of authors began to write stories questioning traditional heroic values and creating alternative visions of heroism, courage, and responsibility.; This thesis examines a number of alternative conceptions of heroism in a selection of children's and young adult literature. It argues that postwar authors create an image of the hero at variance with wartime images, instead overturning traditional social roles, highlighting vulnerability rather than strength, and reshaping the heroic act.; The analysis opens with a section covering previous research on the hero in literature for youth. I then review Japanese children's literature critic Torigoe Shin's analysis of Peach Boy, a legendary Japanese figure, as hero before, during, and after the war.; Next, I examine portrayals of heroes in literature before and during the Asian Pacific War in Japan, identifying seven heroic qualities. These qualities serve as a basis for comparing how the hero is portrayed in wartime literature vs. post-war literature.; After discussing the changes brought about in children's literature by defeat at the hands of the Allies and by the literary developments of the 1940s and 1950s, I present ten translations of post-war literature for youth with war themes, material used in my comparison of wartime heroic values with post-war heroic values. I end the paper by drawing out points of contrast in the portrayal of heroic qualities between wartime and the post-war period. |
