Acknowledgements
The idea for this thesis has been percolating in my mind for several years, and the final
result is an amalgamation of work put in by a number of individuals. Dr. Annette Wannamaker,
my thesis advisor, has offered continual support and encouragement, for which I am most
grateful. I would also like to thank Dr. Amanda Allen who has acted as my second reader,
offering tips on the improvement and direction of my work, especially where Harry Potter is
concerned. I would like to thank my mom, who remains stubbornly steadfast in her insistence
that I follow every dream down every road, whether it is paved or not, never wavering in her
belief in me; my dad, who has always reminded me that I can come home anytime, which has
given me the courage not to; and Adam, my love, who first prompted me to write this thesis and
remained full of hope and confidence throughout, even when I took occasional stumbles into
those festering, self-fulfilling puddles of doubt. He has helped me to structure my days, writing
in time slots for the consumption of carrot cake, walks, and wasting time, without which I would
have been much less productive. Thank you all.
iii
Abstract
The power of belief is a reoccurring theme in fantasy fiction for children and young adults.
Oftentimes such belief merely affects the internal make-up of children or child-like characters,
giving them the confidence that they need to act upon the world, but at other times belief acts to
magically impose an imagined reality onto a physical reality. Fairies are brought back from the
dead, destinies are divined through a golden compass, phantom stags lead the way to hidden
swords. This thesis explores the power of belief and its associations with the innocence of
childhood as found in J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan and Wendy, J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series,
Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials, Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and
Through the Looking-Glass, and L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Each of the
novels that I explore features child characters whose belief in an imagined reality produces a
profound effect on the world around her or him.
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgments.................................................................................................................. ii
Abstract ................................................................................................................................. iii
Table of Contents .................................................................................................................. iv
Introduction: The Power of Belief ..........................................................................................1
Chapter One. J. M. Barrie’s Peter and Wendy:
The Power of Happy Thoughts and Copious Applause ..................................................21
Chapter Two. J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Series:
The Power of Emotions ..................................................................................................40
Chapter Three. Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials:
A Union of Innocence and Experience ...........................................................................59
Chapter Four. Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures and Through the Looking-Glass:
A Corrupted Innocent? ....................................................................................................72
Chapter Five. L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz:
The Debilitating Powers of Disbelief .............................................................................88
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................99
Bibliography .......................................................................................................................103
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