My research proposal is a comparative study of the magical worlds in adolescent literature and the influence they have on main characters. I will be pulling from many different types of books. So far I have read A Wrinkle in Time, The Borrowers, Twilight, Harry Potter and Peter Pan. I want to make it a point to use chapter books as well as picture books that young children could use too. I also want to focus on using the books I write reviews for as a part of my research collection for comparing magical worlds. I will argue that magical worlds are a means of escaping from some form of problem in the main character/character(s) living world. There has been a growing trend in fighting conflict through a separate world. In some genres the conflict is heavy, such as saving a life. In other magical worlds we see the need for order to be restored, and it seems to only happen through average humans from an otherwise mundane world.
I selected this topic because I enjoy reading the creativity of the author. In Harry Potter there is an entire monetary system, as well as a separate government from the non-magical world. This is a single example. Some authors describe new means of travel, and the climate and environment of the world around them. Other authors describe the emotions felt more so than the separate world their characters are engaged in. I will be seeking out different ways of communicating, traveling, eating, and virtually all means of living that are different to what we as readers are accustomed to. I specifically want to focus on what the main character is fighting or escaping from, and in this process, what they are experiencing in their alternate world. I am really looking forward to seeing the differences.
It sounds like you are well on your way to outlining the paper. I like the strategy that you describe for comparing the magical worlds - ways of communicating, traveling, etc. I think this will be particularly effective. I approve the topic and look forward to reading the paper! =o)
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