The image of the father in contemporary prose for children

Psychologists and sociologists realize expression "crisis of fatherhood", at least in three aspects. At first, this is one of the manifestations of the crisis of family. Secondly, it is the weakening of the male hegemony. Finally, it is violation of the hierarchy of power in general. Transformation of ideas about fatherhood inevitably reflected in the culture, in media, in literature. The conflict between fathers and sons is one of the main themes in the prose for children. In this article with the methods of comparative research, the author explores idea of changing the image of father in the texts for children of the second half of the XX and early twenty-first centuries. Two books of stories, which presented in the article: "As Dad was a kid" of Alexander Raskin (1961); "I bring up Dad" of Mikhail Baranovskiy (2013). As seen, in the book of Alexander Raskin, father and son are antagonists. The family represents a variant of rigid hierarchical structure, which has vertical of power, the dominant figures (parents) and subordinates (children). The author does not doubt of the possibility and necessity of didactics, and the main task of parents is to educate. Contemporary book of stories offers considered the father's role in other way. The main form of interaction between father and son is the dialogue. In many cases, result of a conversation is not crucial, the process of talks is very important as the possibility of co-presence. The parties do not attempt to change the point of view of each other. That is why the father and son can afford to talk about anything and to laze. For them to laze is a form of joint action, which is becoming the main alternative to education. Family roles of parents and children are equal. Father can make jokes; fool around, to dream, to play on the computer. The child takes his own decisions; in some cases, he is responsible for his father. Father cannot insist on the correctness of only his position. The democratic model of education transforms children and adults in the colleagues, partners in discussion. Confrontation gives way to the unity of the parties. The main requirement of the modern children's prose is to maintain love as the only method of influence on parents and children.

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