Animals Versus Humans in Der Struwwelpeter and other Children's Literature

Abstract

Der Struwwelpeter is a classic children’s German book that attempts to teach about behavior by exaggerated punishments. In many of the stories in Der Struwwelpeter, it is clear that animals have a significant purpose. The animals are portrayed as powerful and dominant against the protagonists, adding a statement on the effects of misbehavior. However, compared to animals in other children’s literature, animals in Der Struwwelpeter serve quite different roles. In this poster, we will take a closer look at the differences between the animals in Der Struwwelpeter and C. S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia. The animals in Der Struwwelpeter take control over the humans whereas the animals in The Chronicles of Narnia are friendly and welcoming towards the humans. This poster will aim to compare the relationship between animals and human characters in Hoffman’s Der Struwwelpeter and C. S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia.