Janet and John Books
Janet has managed to buy another Janet and John Book to add to her collection. As she looks through the Books, which reflect the innocence of childhood and Family life in the 50s and 60s, Janet is surprised by her reaction.The message these early learning Books are trying to convey is clear from the first few pages. Janet is seen alongside her Mother helping with household chores, John is pictured helping his Father with more strenuous tasks. John, is the more adventurous, the one who climbs the slide first and instructs Janet to follow, she looks for praise. They appear to have limited contact with the outside world, but seem happy to be accompanied to the park by their Mother. Instead of feeling a warm glow of nostalgia, Janet wonders if the reason why so many people of her age group are emotionally stunted and boring is because they were taught to read with these books. Have they sub-conciously, carried this image of Family, gender and acceptable behaviour around with them into adulthood. Janet has made a note, that in future when John and her are introduced to anyone she will make a point of saying, that they are marginally less boring than the characters from the Books.