Bravado Company' : heroic masculinity in selected New Zealand young adult fiction 1985-1999, and its implications for library collections

Abstract

The focus of this study was a systematic interrogation of the characteristics of 'heroism' exhibited by male protagonists in a selection of New Zealand young adult (NZYA) novels, published between 1985 and 1999. Textual analysis of the narrative imaging of masculinity in targeted genres permitted an evaluation of the extent to which these 'heroic' models affirmed traditional, hegemonic masculine stereotypes. The implications of the findings from this investigation, for school and public library collections, was then accorded appropriate consideration via the utilization of a qualitative survey instrument.