Looking glasses and neverlands

by Karen Coats

"This study introduces and explores Lacan's complex theories of subjectivity and desire through close readings of canonical children's books such as Charlotte's Web, Stella-luna, Holes, Tangerine, the The Chocolate War. Looking Glasses and Neverlands thus provides an introduction to an increasingly influential body of difficult work while making the claim that children's textual encounters are as significant as their existential ones in constituting their subjectivities and giving shape to their desires. The texts render lucid Lacan's theory, and the theory helps explain why the texts remain so profoundly influential in constructing a child's sense of self." "Coats shows how our literate culture has come to define and cope with the inevitable losses and separations of childhood, and how discourses of race, gender, and desire get written on our bodies, transforming us into the subjects we are. The book offers a comprehensive introduction to Lacan's theories of subjectivity, gender, and