Grenby 2008: 160 believes that the fantasy writing can be “the antithesis
of the didactic tradition in children’s literature”. It shows the way those who are subordinate in their home worlds become those who bear the fate of the
world resting in their shoulders once they enter the fantasy worlds. It can be seen through two examples namely
Bilbo Baggins’s
Hobbit
and Lucy Pevensie
’s
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
. Fantasy does not dictate children but it gives children spaces to explore their lives and world better. In
addition, the „real’ portrayal of children and childhood which ought to be the main focus of children’s literature becomes the center of the fantasy stories.
He 2008: 166 also states that the fantasy introduces children as the readers with empowerment because in this genre contains “the new world where
nobody knows the rule, children are not placed to a competitive disadvantage, and consequently feel the equal of adults in a way that they do not do in their
real lives”. Those qualities of the fantasy genre become the reasons why researcher focuses on the fantasy rather than other genres.
B. Child Empowerment
The word of “empowerment” has been popular in recent years. It happens as according to Rappaport in Lord and Hutchinson, 1993: 2 empowerment
leads people to be aware. Thus, empowerment is used to certain issues related to equality and equity. It can also be intended to solve some problems in
reality, including what happens to children. Child empowerments need to be done to make children aware with their capability, equity and position. It is in
line with the aim of literature which is to equip children with capabilities and „tools’ to enter the world. As what Kieffer in Sadan, 2004: 75 says,
empowerment is an interactive process occurring between a person and hisher environment.
Kieffer in Sadan, 2004: 75 also adds that the result of this process can be skills, which are important for insights and abilities, and essential features
such are consciousness, participation and capacities to cope with frustration and to struggle over hisher environment. Thus, empowerment can stimulate
changes, both internal and external, to children. Therefore, for the sake of this research, child empowerment can be defined as an interactive and active
process to make children aware of their capabilities and own power to make decisions, deal with problems and engage with the world.
Children’s literature and child empowerment can work together to give children wider chances to
discover, be aware and explore their lives for better and brighter future.
1. Kinds of Empowerment
There are two kinds of empowerment: individual and community. According to Sadan 2004
: 84, “individual empowerment is a process of personal development. The process involves both development of skills and
abilities and a more positive self- definition”. This empowerment emphasize
on personal changes. This kind of empowerment is established in order to make children develop their skills, ability, self-definition and identity. It can
be associated with children’s literature. Children’s literature may empower
every child to achieve their own dream, desire and self-definition without being compared and standardized with others.
In addition, Sadan 2004 : 85, states that “community empowerment is the
increased control of people as a collective over outcomes important to their live
”. This empowerment highlights in collective change in order to make the children have opportunities to exercise more control in their lives.
Children’s literature may be able to give information and awareness for all children about
their position and power. They are stronger and more capable than what most adults believe about them.
2. Empowerment Factors
According to Lord and Hutchinson 1993: 10, there are four factors initiating the empowerment. These factors are such as giving opportunities to
child characters to be involved in a crisis or “life transition”, representing
children in acting on anger or frustration, giving children new information about their situation, and building children on inherent strengths and
capabilities. The researcher believes that those factors can stimulate the empowerment and act as a catalyst for empowerment process. In addition,
people may develop the new direction for themselves. Thus, these factors may help children to be empowered and indicate they can change for better.
