ABSTRACT
This essay examines some of the recent trends and themes in Malaysian children’s fiction through a discussion of not only canonical texts of Malaysian literature for children, such as classic folktales and legends like Puteri Santubong, Bawang Merah, Bawang Putih and Mahsuri (among those that reflect and perpetuate an inherently conservative patriarchal ideology) but also revisionary tales like Puteri Pucuk Kelumpang and Dewi Labu Kundur, among others, that illustrate a more inclusive rendering of gender, class and race in Malaysian society. The essay aims to trace the evolution of these literary texts as aesthetic and cultural forms within the context of Malaysia as a former British colony, to its current status as a postcolonial nation reflecting upon its own identity in the face of modernization and globalization. The essay is in three parts. Part 1 presents a historical overview of children’s literature in Malaysia, with a particular emphasis on the influence of the English literary canon in the formation of the Malaysian school syllabus, from colonial to present times. Part 2 discusses the significance of popular folktales, myths and legends in Malaysian culture and society in the transmission of feudalistic or patriarchal values through the analysis of three representative tales: Puteri Santubong (Princess Santubong); Bawang Merah, Bawang Putih; and Mahsuri. Part 3 covers various folktales that feature a more progressive outlook in the representation of female characters and/or marginalized societies. Ultimately, these literary texts highlight the diversity of voices in the contemporary production (and reproduction) of Malaysian children’s fiction published in English, and the viability of such stories for the promotion of cross-cultural understanding among young readers, not only in Malaysia but also globally.
