The 2000-2010 decade saw a proliferation of English language fantasy texts for young readers. In the wake of Harry Potter’s success, many other fantasy series followed patterns laid down in Rowling’s text, including writing female characters as Hermione-shaped girls and women. While there are positive aspects to these types of characters, which have been lauded thoroughly in popular culture and the academy, there are also significant drawbacks that have received far less attention. This thesis investigates these Hermione-shaped characters, and the texts from which they come, culturally, narratologically, and epistemologically. The culmination of this research finds that, even against authorial intent, the genre of children’s and young adult fantasy, with its structural narrative patterns as well as ingrained ideological pressures, often creates characters that appear feminist but who often uphold patriarchal power structures.
","abstract_html":"<p>The 2000-2010 decade saw a proliferation of English language fantasy texts for young readers. In the wake of <em>Harry Potter’s</em> success, many other fantasy series followed patterns laid down in Rowling’s text, including writing female characters as Hermione-shaped girls and women. While there are positive aspects to these types of characters, which have been lauded thoroughly in popular culture and the academy, there are also significant drawbacks that have received far less attention. This thesis investigates these Hermione-shaped characters, and the texts from which they come, culturally, narratologically, and epistemologically. The culmination of this research finds that, even against authorial intent, the genre of children’s and young adult fantasy, with its structural narrative patterns as well as ingrained ideological pressures, often creates characters that appear feminist but who often uphold patriarchal power structures.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Pankiewicz, Josiah"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts (MA)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"English Language and Literature","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Annette Wannamaker, Ph.D., Chair","Amanda Allen, Ph.D., Second Reader"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2020,"date_issued":"2020-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2020-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:40Z","subjects":[],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1047","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Annette Wannamaker, Ph.D., Chair","Amanda Allen, Ph.D., Second Reader"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Pankiewicz, Josiah"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2021-02-16T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["English Language and Literature"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts (MA)"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1047"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The 2000-2010 decade saw a proliferation of English language fantasy texts for young readers. In the wake of Harry Potter’s success, many other fantasy series followed patterns laid down in Rowling’s text, including writing female characters as Hermione-shaped girls and women. While there are positive aspects to these types of characters, which have been lauded thoroughly in popular culture and the academy, there are also significant drawbacks that have received far less attention. This thesis investigates these Hermione-shaped characters, and the texts from which they come, culturally, narratologically, and epistemologically. The culmination of this research finds that, even against authorial intent, the genre of children’s and young adult fantasy, with its structural narrative patterns as well as ingrained ideological pressures, often creates characters that appear feminist but who often uphold patriarchal power structures.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Hermione syndrome: Reexamining feminist sidekicks and power in 2000-2010 children’s and young adult fantasy literature"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Annette Wannamaker, Ph.D., Chair","Amanda Allen, Ph.D., Second Reader"],"dc:creator":["Pankiewicz, Josiah"],"dc:date.available":["2021-02-16T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The 2000-2010 decade saw a proliferation of English language fantasy texts for young readers. In the wake of Harry Potter’s success, many other fantasy series followed patterns laid down in Rowling’s text, including writing female characters as Hermione-shaped girls and women. While there are positive aspects to these types of characters, which have been lauded thoroughly in popular culture and the academy, there are also significant drawbacks that have received far less attention. This thesis investigates these Hermione-shaped characters, and the texts from which they come, culturally, narratologically, and epistemologically. The culmination of this research finds that, even against authorial intent, the genre of children’s and young adult fantasy, with its structural narrative patterns as well as ingrained ideological pressures, often creates characters that appear feminist but who often uphold patriarchal power structures.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1047"],"dc:title":["Hermione syndrome: Reexamining feminist sidekicks and power in 2000-2010 children’s and young adult fantasy literature"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["English Language and Literature"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts (MA)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:40Z"}