STEREOTYPING VS. PROTOTYPING THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION EFFECT OF TRANSLATED CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Gender roles are socially constructed and often reinforced through stereotypes. While a prototype reflects the typical traits observed in each sex, a stereotype represents what society expects individuals to be, regardless of reality. These socially imposed expectations not only define behavioral norms but also influence how individuals perceive their own identities and the identities of others. Children’s literature often presents images that seem prototypical but are in fact stereotyped, subtly shaping young readers’ perceptions of what is “appropriate” for males and females. Such portrayals can normalize unequal power relations and validate restrictive gender norms at an early age. This study analyzes two Turkish children’s books, Muhteşem Kız Kitabı and Yenilmez Erkek Kitabı, using quantitative content analysis focused on the article titles in their content lists. Characteristics are categorized into five gender stereotype domains, which are personal traits, role behaviors, activities, physical appearance, and social relationships, based on Deaux and Lewis (1984) and Huston (1983). This categorization allows for a systematic and comparative evaluation of how gendered language operates across texts that are intended for young audiences. Findings show that both books present clearly differentiated and idealized depictions of femininity and masculinity, emphasizing socially accepted representations of gender roles, thus stereotypes rather than prototypes. By highlighting qualities such as bravery and dominance for boys, and kindness or gentleness for girls, the texts reproduce long-standing gender hierarchies. Integrating characters that reinforce distinct gender norms through translation into Turkish from other languages may potentially foster a form of discrimination: oppression through glamorization. In this context, translated children’s literature may serve as a significant tool in shaping the social construction of gender.