Figure 1.--

I noted in trying to sketch out my list of boy literary characters that the most memorable ones are all Amercan or English. I assume that is because the Anglo-American ones written in English are the ones most familiar with HBC readers and myself. Is this true? Or are there important boy liteary characters from other countries that I just have not read about. After several years of working on this issue we have discovered some boy characters in other countries. In almost all instances, however, they are well known only in their own country and none have the international fame of say Oliver Twist or Tom Sawyer. This conclusion may prove wrong as HBC continues to exoand its coverage of European literature, but it is certainly the one we are left with today. The next question of course becomndes, "Why?" Why has Anglo-American literature focused more on boy characters than the literature of other countries and why have these chracters been accepted by the readers in other countries as well. Here HBC does not have an answer for either question, but would be interested in any insights readers mighthave.

Large Number of American and British Boy Characters

I noted in trying to sketch out my list of boy literary characters that not only do there seem to be more boy characters in Anglo-American literature, but the most memorable ones are mostly Amercan or English. A webmaster also woring on literature concerming children writes, "I would have to agree with you. I have over the past few years tried to take a look at the literature from outside the US and UK for works with children as a theme but haven't found any although I must admit I haven't spent that much time at or or very consistently either."

American boy characters

Many famous liteary characters are boys, especially in American literature. Many American novels are set around a boy's experiences or have boys as important characters. The costuming of these characters, especially the contemporary books, offer important insights into historic costuming. This is especially true of the books with illustrations. Less useful, but more available, are modern books written with histoical settings or recent editions of historical books with modern illustrations. Perhaps the archtype boy hero in all literature is Tom Sawyer. Some of the major American boys in literature are: Harvey Cheyne (Captain's Coureageous), Patrick Dennis (Auntie Mame), Cedric Erol (Little Lord Fauntleroy), Jim Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird), Huckleberry Finn, and Penrod Schofield), and Tom Sawyer. Some suggest that Mark's Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the greatest American novel.

British boy characters

British aithors like Americans have created many memorable boy characters. It is surprising how many memorab;e boy characters English writers have created and how few have been created by other European writers. Some of the most memorable are: Tom Brown (Tom Brown's School Day), William Brown (Just William), Billy Bunter, David Copperfield, Jim Hawkins (Treasure Island), John Christopher Timothy. Jennings, Peter Pan, Philip "Pip" Pirrip (Great Expectations), Harry Potter, Christopher Robin, Oliver Twist, Kim, and David Balfour (Kidnapped). Images of these boys have been provide in the text and illustrations of the originial editions as wll as subsequent illustrators and more recently movie and TV productions. This is especially the case of these English boy characters as there have been so many new editions and well as movie and TV productions.

Boy Charactes in Other Countries

I assume that the number of American and British boy literarty characters familar with us are at least in part because the Anglo-American ones written in English are the ones most familiar with HBC readers and myself. Is this true? Or are there important boy liteary characters from other countries that I just have not read about. After several years of working on this issue we have discovered some boy characters in other countries. In almost all instances, however, they are well known only in their own country and none have the international fame of say Oliver Twist or Tom Sawyer. This conclusion may prove wrong as HBC continues to expand its coverage of European literature, but it is certainly the one we are left with today. A German librarian writes us. "I think your thesis that the principal boy characters in literature are from Anglo-American literature is at least partly true." HBC will continue to archive references to litterary characters readers from different countries send us. About 40 percent of HBC's readership consists of countries other than America, Britain, and Canada. This overtime we hope to build a fairly comprehensive list.

Popularity

It may be that there are just as many important boy characters in other literary traditions, but they are just not as famous. A German librarian writes, "I think there are German boy characters but they are just not world famous." A Freanch reader has made a similar point about French by characters. This is a little complicated to assess. While it is possible to list well-know charcters, it would be a huge undertaking to list lesser known characters. And if we listed lesser known foreign characters, for comparitive purpses we would have to list lesser known Anglo-American characters. Such a project would be daunting indeed. What we are interested in here is characters tat are well known in each country. The kind if character that virtually every one in a country will instantly recognize. This does not mean on an internatiional basis, but on a national basis. Putting aside the issue as to wheter there are many boy characters in non-English speaking countries, the answer arrises, why are they not better known. Here we are not sure. This could reflect the relative importance of the English speaking world in book publishing.

Reason for Anglo-American Dominance

The next question of course becomndes, "Why?" Why has Anglo-American literature focused more on boy characters than the literature of other countries and why have these chracters been accepted by the readers in other countries as well. Here HBC does not have an answer. Throughout this website, HBC has posed countless questions. Often we have some possible answers to these various questions. Here we just have no idea why there is such a difference between the literary output of American and British writers as opposed to writers in other countries. We would be interested in any insights readers might have.

Created: April 11, 2004
Last updated: April 11, 2004