Notions of gender roles are blatantly challenged in Harriet the Spy. The characters seem to oppose stereotypes of what readers are conditioned to expect of them. Harriet is indeed an interesting character. We are first introduced to her on the playground where she is teaching Sport to pay her game. Although Sport would much rather play ball it is pretty much Harriet's way or no way. The female character takes control, Sport is compliant.
As the children are creating their characters for the city, better yet Harriet's city, the ideals of their characters seem to be switched. Sport, the boy, imagines a peaceful and coherent atmosphere where the characters live happily amongst one another. He also envisions a son who cooks and plays football. On the other hand Harriet is repulsed by Sport's lack of creativity and placid dreams. Harriet's vision is inclusive of violence, deformity, and everything less the than princess fairytale that I was expecting.
In the scene where Ole Golly finds Harriet and Sport in the mud, I immediately noticed that Ole Golly was only concerned with Harriet being in the mud. In a way this correlates to the article that criticizes the didacticism of children's literature. The adults establish the decorum in which the children should follow. It is okay for Sport to play in the mud, presumably because he is a boy, but not Harriet.
In the scene where Ole Golly finds Harriet and Sport in the mud, I immediately noticed that Ole Golly was only concerned with Harriet being in the mud. In a way this correlates to the article that criticizes the didacticism of children's literature. The adults establish the decorum in which the children should follow. It is okay for Sport to play in the mud, presumably because he is a boy, but not Harriet.
