The hope of the world : the story of Jesus and its influence in the formation of identity in working class girls in Britain, 1900-1945
The aim of this thesis is to investigate how the British Sunday school story of Jesus functioned in the formation of identity of working class girls 1900-1945. In doing so, the thesis argues that the British Sunday school network during this period provided an effective institutional base for the promotion of a popular version of developmental theory known as child study, the influence of which fed into the establishment of the pedagogies of storytelling and the educational use of pictures. It explains how the Sunday school story of Jesus was one of the most accessible narratives available to working class children, but argues that this was a reframed version of the story which was formulated to take into account insights into child psychology gained through developmental theory and which acknowledged the varying needs of different age groups. The title of the thesis, The Hope of the World, is taken from a Sunday school picture of Jesus and is used here because it is seen as emblematic of the Edwardian view of children as the potential redeemers of the nation. The thesis analyses the books, pictures and ephemera telling the story of Jesus which were produced for circulation in the Sunday school and argues
Brewer, Sandy Eleanor
Sunday school; Child study; Storytelling
The hope of the world : the story of Jesus and its influence in the formation of identity in working class girls in Britain, 1900-1945. The aim of this thesis is to investigate how the British Sunday school story of Jesus functioned in the formation of identity of working class girls 1900-1945. In doing so, the thesis argues that the British Sunday school network during this period provided an effective institutional base for the promotion of a popular version of developmental theory known as child study, the influence of which fed into the establishment of the pedagogies of storytelling and the educational use of pictures. It explains how the Sunday school story of Jesus was one of the most accessible narratives available to working class children, but argues that this was a reframed version of the story which was formulated to take into account insights into child psychology gained through developmental theory and which acknowledged the varying needs of different age groups. The title of the thesis, The Hope of the World, is taken from a Sunday school picture of Jesus and is used here because it is seen as emblematic of the Edwardian view of children as the potential redeemers of the nation. The thesis analyses the books, pictures and ephemera telling the story of Jesus which were produced for circulation in the Sunday school and argues
hope world story jesus influence_formation identity work_class girl britain aim_investigate british sunday school story jesus function formation identity work_class girl argue british sunday school network period provide effective institutional base promotion popular version developmental theory know child study influence feed establishment pedagogy storytelling educational use picture explains sunday school story jesus accessible narrative available work_class child argue version story formulate take_account insight child psychology gain developmental theory acknowledge vary need different age_group title hope world take sunday school picture jesus use see emblematic edwardian view child potential nation analysis book picture ephemera tell_story jesus produce circulation sunday school argues