Episode February 8, 2025 31 min 13s

Disciplining Girls: Understanding the Origins of the Classic Orphan Girl Story

This excerpt from Disciplining Girls examines the evolution of the sentimental orphan girl genre in American literature from the mid-19th to the early 20th centuries. The author traces how these novels depict the changing roles of girls and women in society, focusing on the dynamics of discipline, particularly affective discipline, and its relationship to gender, individualism, and power. The analysis explores how the genre's portrayal of discipline shifts from a focus on physical control to emotional manipulation, and how this relates to evolving ideas about motherhood, childhood, and the individual. Specific novels are analyzed to illustrate the evolution of these themes, highlighting the complex interplay of affection, manipulation, and the construction of individual identity. The author also considers the role of consumption and its connection to the emerging sense of self among young female characters.

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