児童文学の宗教性

概要

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Much of the content and subject matter of children's literature includes religious aspects. Before the modern period, there were myths, legends and folk (fairy) tales. Similar trends can be identified in textbooks and guidebooks for behavior, morality and religion of this era. In the nineteenth century, Hans Christian Andersen created original tales for children. In May 1835, he published a short volume entitled Eventyr, fortalte for Boern, containing the original story "Little Ida's Flowers," which is considered to be the advent of children's literature. Andersen's story integrated imaginative folk beliefs and the realism of modern science. Many authors in England subsequently contributed to this new literary genre. In Japan, Kenji Miyazawa was also influenced by Andersen's story. He was a celebrated author who was simultaneously a promoter of faith in the Lotus Sutra. The literary and religious sides of his stories are thus inseparable, and his tales contain aspects of both imagination and realism. A dual-structured work of his that balances the fantastic and the mundane, called "Frame Story," typifies Miyazawa's style of fantasy. In his fables, a hero or heroine breaks through to another world from reality. Miyazawa was unsuccessful in his religious activity in real life, yet he attempted to surmount his troubles through literary fantasy. He strongly believed that fantasy could take us to the realm of truth which lies beyond reality. Miyazawa's dualism can be compared to children's primitive religious consciousness. The religious view of children is typified by aspects of prognostication, reunion, absorption and prayerfulness. Children correspond with God in their imaginations without departing from reality. They become absorbed in the realm of imagination, then turn back to face reconstructed real life. Thus children can gain experience, develop their imaginations, and apprehend the spiritual world as truth. Children's authors similarly made full use of their imaginations in creating alternate realities and, through this, attempt to understand the meaning of the world. Trying to escape from one's troubles in reality, one is not able to overcome difficulties. However, once absorbed into the world of imagination and separated from reality, one stands face to face with one's own troubles. Thus one re-encounters the world objectively, and finds a means to overcome difficulty. Children's literature maintains a balance between reality and fantasy, because it uses the power of children's imagination, which is why it is an effective means of conveying an author's religious view. It is through the religiosity of children's literature that we will be able to cope with difficulties and make a new life, providing we realize that realities can often be influenced by our own imaginations.
東京大学文学部宗教学研究室,Department of Religiou Studies. The University of Tokyo,東京大学大学院博士課程の論文
2003-03-31

児童文学の宗教性

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概要

東京大学文学部宗教学研究室,Department of Religiou Studies. The University of Tokyo,東京大学大学院博士課程 | 論文

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