KLewandowska_Girls_In_SF

K. Lewandowska
Final Paper – LIS 2324
1
This paper will examine the role of girls in Science Fiction middle grade
books. The focus will be on books ranging from the 1950’s to the 2000’s. An
original investigation of the popular literature during this period will be analyzed.
Miss Pickerell series, Have Space Suite – Will Travel, A Wrinkle in Time, A Tale
of Time City, Into the Abyss and How I Stole Johnny Deep’s Alien Girlfriend are
vastly different. One would predict that the female characters in these books
would be different and diverse as well. Yet in these distinctive books the majority
of female characters purpose is “to ask questions so that information” can be
conveyed to the reader (Esmond 1981, 3). The sample of the literature is quite
small and in no way is this a definitive or exhaustive study but an inauguration for
debate.
Science Fiction, solely among our current literary genres, “can show us a
world which does not exist, has not existed, but could come into being” (Sargent
1975, 440). Many believe that science fiction can examine and explore all
imaginable subjects, whether these happen to be acceptable at the moment or
not (Sargent 1975, 434). It is created to act as a vehicle for concepts or debates,
such as being a forum for the “discussion of how science and technology” might
be used in cloning (Crew 2004, 203). It invents a world and it gets to make up
any of the rules for that world. Some or all of the rules in this invented world can
be different from our own rules. “Its primary purpose is to puncture old myths
and dreams, by proving, in the form of a literary experiment, what human
aspirations and ideals are really likely to mean for the future of mankind”
(Sambell 2004, 247). It asks what if, “which is considered essential to the genre”

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(Mendlesohn 2004, 285). Science Fiction embraces the notion that imagination
should not pay attention to the limitations of society, it should breeze right
through them. One could even go as far as to say that Science Fiction is
limitless. Yet woman and girls in Science Fiction, as with other literary genres,
have been limited to gender stereotypes. Females as a whole do not exist
outside of society’s norm. The question of ‘what if’ is infrequently asked when it
comes to the female population.
Females and the gender role of females were very much neglected in the
early years of Science Fiction. Improvements towards gender equality and an
increase number of female protagonists have been made since the 1950’s
(Sargent 1975, 434). The Hunger Games is a great example of this. However,
“the white male hero remains the staple” and these advancements have not
reached middle grade books (Carlson 1989, 30). Girl characters are no longer
stereotypically hysterical in Science Fiction books for middle schoolers yet the
literature suggests that girl characters’ only purpose is “to ask questions so that
information” can be conveyed to the reader (Esmond 1981, 3).
This is problematic for several reasons. Girls need to be able to “see
themselves in situations true to their own lives as they experience them, to be
able to identify with their own gender in any circumstances” (Carlson 1989, 30).
The lack of such protagonists establishes a sense of invisibility, which
establishes a sense of inadequacy “and actively undermines self-confidence to
succeed” or to even try in the first place (Carlson 1989, 30). Without a female
protagonist, a girl can have a challenging time even imagining herself in these

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stories (Carlson 1989). In other words, girls need positive role models. Secondly,
“if texts and the characters in them remain gender bound, the ideas which might
cause adolescents to develop expectations for the future, responses to life's
events, and stances on issues may also remain stereotypically gender-bound”
(National Council of Teachers of English 1999, 3). Finally, it is problematic
because Science Fiction prides itself with asking what if but fails to do so when it
comes to gender stereotypes. “It is odd that the role of women was not explored
more often and more fully by writers who pride themselves upon questioning all
assumptions of society” (Sargent 1975, 434). Science Fiction, more than any
other literary genre, should be a place where girls can find inspiration and
motivation.
An excellent example of the impact a Science Fiction book can have on a
child is the Tom Swift series. It is one of the first Science Fiction books or series
published in the United States. The first incarnation was published between 1910
and 1941 with forty volumes it sold over 15 million copies (Donelson 1978). The
original series “was so successful that in a 1929 study it was found to be second
in popularity for boys in their early teens only to the Bible” (Von der Osten 2004,
268). Tom Swift also inspired a generation of boys to become scientists and
engineers (Molson 1985, 61-62). Unfortunately, girls could not seek inspiration
from the Swift series. The Tom Swift series does not occur in a vacuum and as a
result there are female characters but they play an extremely minor role. They
are stereotypically hysterical and usually need Tom Swift to save them.

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That is not to say that girls had no books to inspire them prior to the
1950’s. But they were far and few between. Janice in Tomorrow-Land by Emory
Holloway is one such example (1936). The main protagonist, Janice, is a girl who
explores a future world. Girls could read this and possibly envision themselves
doing some of the things that Janice did, such as skydiving.
Baimbridge in his 1982 article entitled “Women in Science Fiction” argues
that Science Fiction male protagonist simply reflected the readership. He points
to a polled conducted in 1949 by Astounding Science Fiction, the leading
magazine at the time, on its readership “and discovered that only 6.7%were
female” (Baimbridge 1982, 1082). He further goes on to state that readership
over the decades has increased. But he misses the mark with this. First and
foremost this does not take into account sisters reading their brother’s copy of
Astounding Science Fiction. Furthermore, over the decades as more female
protagonists are introduced the female readership increases as well. The two are
related. But most importantly, it is the obligation of Science Fiction to establish a
forum for the discussion of how girls might be in a world that does not follow our
own stereotypically limitations. Science Fiction cannot pride itself to question
everything but then decide to not to question gender roles.
One of the first Science Fiction series to have a female protagonist is
MacGregor’s Miss Pickerell series. Miss Pickerell is a spinster, an ‘aunt’ figure,
who takes the reader on an adventure. She also provides scientific facts for the
time to the reader. In Miss Pickerell Goes to Mars, she accidently takes a ride to
Mars on a rocket ship (1951). The story begins when Miss Pickerell returns from

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a month long vacation visiting her nieces and nephews, only to find that someone
has been in her house. She realizes that someone has been trespassing and she
does not hesitate to investigate. Miss Pickerell even goes as far as calling the
governor to complain about the situation. She accidently goes to Mars when she
climbs into the rocket ship right before it takes off. Despite her spunk in
investigating who was trespassing on her property, her only purpose as a
character is “to ask questions so that information” can be conveyed to the reader
about the rocket ship and how things work in space (Esmond 1981, 3). When the
crew finds her they do not welcome her with open arms. They do not find her
meaningful work. To make herself useful, she ‘cooks’ the meals or in this case
finds a way to place food on the table without it floating away. This is extremely
frustrating for the modern day reader because she is in space, going to Mars,
presumably no one else has done this before and yet she is worried about how to
make the dinning area more attractive, instead of being curious or excited or
anxious or whatever else someone should feel when they find out they are going
to Mars. The crew does dramatically warm up to her but only after she saves the
life of one of the crewmembers. In other words, she had to prove herself.
A few years after Miss Pickerell Goes to Mars was published an unlikely
gender equality book enters Science Fiction genre. Have Space Suite – Will
Travel by Robert A. Heinlein is the story about a young adult named Clifford
Russell, Kip, who dreams of going to the moon (1958). The story follows Kip as
he works hard to enter a contest to go to the moon. Ultimately he does not win
the trip but a used space suite instead. In the same vein as Tom Swift, Kip works

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hard to fix the space suite and makes it functional. While wearing the suite one
evening, he inadvertently radios a flying saucer that is being piloted by young
human girl, who has escaped her alien captors. Patricia Wynant Reinsfeld, better
known as Peewee, thought she had reached safety when she found Kip but, for
the most part, Kip is useless when it comes to battling aliens. Peewee, Kip and
the Mother Thing, who also escaped with Peewee, are kidnapped and taken
back to the moon. Kip is not the hero of the story. Peewee and the Mother Thing
very much rescue Kip several times throughout the story. At the end Kip admits
as much.
Peewee in addition to being resourceful, she is a genius. She is also
tough. Kip decidedly fills the need to convey information to the reader by taking
on the role of asking questions. Peewee is the space expert and she explains
how things work to Kip. Kip complains of the difficultly of traveling across the
moon in their attempt to seek help, yet Kip has a better space suit that is
equipped with more oxygen and water than Peewee. She never once complains
during this trek or during the course of the entire adventure. However, it is
implied that this spunk is due to her young age. Near the end of the book, we find
out that Kip’s father married his star pupil, Kip’s mom. Implying that Kip’s mom
was smart and talented but once she married that all went away. Kip’s mom was
capable of having the same scientific conversations with her son as her husband,
since she was his star pupil, but she never does in the story. Further implying
that once Peewee gets older, her spunk will also dissipate.
Science Fiction embraces several female protagonists in the award-

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winning book A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (1963). Margaret Murry,
Meg is your average awkward teenager trying to find her place in the world. Her
mother, Dr. Kate Murry, has several advanced degrees and has he own lab at
home where she does experiments. Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which are
three other worldly creatures that play a prominent role in the story. There is also
the Happy Medium and Aunt Beast who are supporting characters in the story
and female as well.
Meg’s father has been missing for a very long time, so much so that it is
rumored that he has left the family to be with another woman. Although Meg is
the oldest, it seems as if her younger brothers are handling their father’s
disappearance better than she is. Everything changes when the Mrs. Whatsit
pays the family a visit. Meg, her youngest brother Charles Wallace, who is a
genius, and random Calvin O’Keefe are sweep away by Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who
and Mrs. Which to help recuse Meg’s father who is on another planet in a distant
universe.
Despite the strong presence of many female protagonists, A Wrinkle in
Time does not completely break away from stereotypical gender roles either.
Meg only agrees to set out on the adventure to rescue her father because she
believes that once she finds him he will make everything better. Random Calvin
O’Keefe, who neither Meg nor Charles Wallace knows before a chance
encounter in the woods, comes along for the adventure to protect Meg. Not to
protect Meg and five year old Charles Wallace but to protect Meg. Implying that a
male genius can protect himself regardless how old he is. Meg more often than

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not is the character asking the questions so that information can be conveyed to
the reader. Somehow always both Charles Wallace and Calvin O’Keefe know
more than Meg and it is up to her to ask questions. By the end of the story Meg
realizes that her father will not make things better that it is up to her to change
her situation and this without a doubt is a wonderful message for girls to hear.
She is also the hero who ends up saving Charles Wallace all by herself.
A Tale of Time City by Diana Wynne Jones like A Wrinkle in Time also
deals with time travel (1987). Vivian Smith is waiting for her cousin to pick her up
from the train station. World War II has recently begun and she has left London
for the safety of the countryside. She thinks she is safe until she is kidnapped by
Jonathan and his trusty sidekick Sam and taken to Time City, a place outside of
history. Jonathan and Sam think Vivian is actually someone else. When it turns
out that Vivian is plain o’ Vivian, Jonathan and Sam are disappointed but cannot
send her home because of fear of getting into trouble for kidnapping her.
Vivian is very much set up as the main protagonists but again her only
purpose as a character is “to ask questions so that information” can be conveyed
to the reader about Time City and how this world works (Esmond 1981, 3).
Whatever progress was made by Meg Murry does not find its way to A Tale of
Time City. By the end of the story, Vivian does not realize that she is capable of
great things. Vivian never really grows as a character and the reader is left
feeling that if it were not for her question asking there would be no real need for
her in the story.

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The Tom Swift series had an enormous impact on early twentieth century
youth. The newest incarnation, Tom Swift Jr series published in 2006 less so but
it is interesting to take note how Tom Swift deals with female characters ‘today’
versus almost a hundred years ago. The world of Tom in Into the Abyss (Tom
Swift, Young Inventor Book1) by Victor Appleton is very much the same world as
Tom Swift and His Motor-Cycle (2006, 1910). Female characters are no longer
stereotypically hysterical and usually needing Tom Swift to save them but they
are very much minor characters, regardless how ‘progressive’ they are. In Into
the Abyss, Tom Swift is no longer the lone inventor. Equally smart friends now
surround him. Yolanda and Bud play the role of sidekicks in this updated version
of the series. Tom now also has a successful mother and a sister, who also
happens to be a math genius. Yet, none of these characters are really necessary
for the story to progress. In twenty first century children’s literature it would be
awkward for a protagonist to not have family or friends and so they fill this void
but do not add value to the story.
Yolanda and Bud go with Tom to sea to watch his father do important
work. Tom’s father and his crew become trapped underwater and it is up to Tom
to save him. Although Sandy, Tom’s sister is described as a math genius and
Yolanda a computer whiz, their skills are never really required. It is difficult to
comprehend how this is possible. Yolanda apparently saves the ship’s computers
while Tom is underwater saving his father but this bit of information is provided in
a one sentence after thought. It is significant that in this boy’s book, boys are
being exposed to female characters that are equally talented as Tom Swift,

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however it is a disappointment that these characters play such minor roles. So
minor in fact that the normal roles of asking questions to conveyed information to
the reader is not even given to them.
How I Stole Johnny Deep’s Alien Girlfriend by Gary Ghislain follows David
Gerhwin’s adventure with his dad’s new patient Zelda. Zelda looks like any
gorgeous teen, except that she claims to be looking for Johnny Deep so that she
can kidnap him because he is her ticket back to her planet Vahalal. The police
deem her certifiable insane and take her to David’s dad, who is a psychiatrist.
How I Stole Johnny Deep’s Alien Girlfriend is very much complementary to
Have Space Suite – Will Travel. Zelda and Peewee would probably be great
friends. David, like Kip, is not the hero of his story. David very much just follows
butt kicking Zelda and fills the role of asking questions so that information can be
conveyed to the reader about why Zelda needs to kidnap Johnny Deep and how
the all female society work on Vahalal. While Zelda could be viewed as a
possible role model, she is not human. It is unclear what if any message this
could send, i.e. that only female aliens are capable of such greatness as Zelda.
Miss Pickerell series, Have Space Suite – Will Travel, A Wrinkle in Time,
A Tale of Time City, Into the Abyss and How I Stole Johnny Deep’s Alien
Girlfriend are strikingly distinctive. Based on this alone, it would be effortless to
conclude that all of the female characters would be distinctive. Yes, they all look
different and have different backgrounds yet all but Peewee and Zelda are the
primary characters that ask questions. In 1975, Sargent had argued that science

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fiction “might even be able to show us possible alternative roles both for women
and for men without using either the role-reversal idea where women and men
simply change places, or the models of past societies” (440). No matter how
amazingly wonderful both Peewee and Zelda are, they are a simply the reversal
of the standard male role. Almost 40 years later, Science Fiction has not give us
a world where possible alternative roles both for girls and boys in middle grade
books.
Have Space Suite – Will Travel comes close where it shows Kip and
Peewee both being talented but in different ways. Kip is extremely smart and
able to fix a used space suite without anyone showing him how. His work on the
suite was all self taught. Peewee is also extremely smart and is the mastermind
behind escaping the evil alien captors. They both have strengths and weakness.
Kip’s ability does not take anything away from Peewee’s and vice versa.
Although, How I Stole Johnny Deep’s Alien Girlfriend is complementary to Have
Space Suite – Will Travel, David just follows Zelda. Kip rigs Peewee’s space
suite so that she does not run out of oxygen, thus saving her life. David does not
do anything close to that significant in his adventure with Zelda.
Science Fiction can take us to the moon, back in time, throughout the
universe in a blink of an eye, but for whatever reason it cannot take us very far
from our gender roles. “Since the 1950s, science fiction has become a major
category of popular culture and one of the most important media for the
development and dissemination of radical ideologies” (Baimbridge 1982, 1081-

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1082). It is unclear why gender roles are the final frontier for Science Fiction. The
question of ‘what if’ females and males had radically alternative roles is never
fully addressed in Science Fiction for middle graders. It should be a vehicle for
alternative roles concepts or debates, in the way that cloning has been debated
in Science Fiction. It is unfair to say that middle schoolers are too young for such
topics but if not at an age when they believe anything is possible, then when? It
is not unrealistic to ask middle schoolers to ponder what outer space is like or the
impact of time travel. Then why is gender so radical a topic to that it cannot be
breeched? Peewee and Zelda are examples that it is possible to have non-
stereotypical girl characters in books.
Its primary purpose is to puncture old myths but based upon the literary
review Science Fiction has continued to mirror “the past in its treatment of
women” (Sargent 1975, 440). One possible solution is for Science Fiction writers
to develop better writing technique or styles and move away from the model of
asking questions to conveyed information for middle school books. Again, if an
author can take a child to Mars then surely they can write in a cleverer manner
than by simply having one character question everything. Girls or boys should
not be portrayed as being less than other. Girl and boy characters should be
commentary to each other, where one’s talents do not diminish another
character’s talents. Again, if an author an take a child to the other side of the
universe in a blink of an eye, they should be talented enough to make this a
reality as well.
Once upon a time, Star Trek showed us a wrist communicator. Today, we

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can use a watch to call someone. Science Fiction can and has made an impact
in our lives. Science Fiction needs to show middle school girls more worlds
where they are just as awesome as boys, and not at the expense of boys, so that
one day that world becomes our norm.
References
Bainbridge, William Sims. 1982. “Women In Science Fiction”. Sex Roles.
October, Volume 8, Issue 10, P 1081-1093
Carlson, Margaret Anne Zeller. 1989. “Guidelines for a Gender-Balanced
Curriculum in English, Grades 7-12”. The English Journal, Vol. 78, No. 6 (Oct),
pp. 30-33
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/817920
Crew, Hilary S. 2004. “Not So Brave a World: The Representation of Human

K. Lewandowska
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Cloning in Science Fiction for Young Adults”. Lion and the Unicorn: a critical
journal of children's literature (28:2) April
Esmonde, Margaret P. 1981. “Special Issues: Children’s Science Fiction”.
Children’s Literature Association Quarterly, Volume 5, Number 4, Winter. P 1.4.
DOI: 10.1353/chq.0.1846
Donelson, Ken. 1978. “Nancy, Tom and Assorted Friends in the Stratemeyer
Syndicate Then and Now”. Children’s Literature, Volume 7. DOI:
10.1353/chl.0.0318
Mendlesohn, Farah. 2004. “Is there Any Such Thing as Children’s Science
Fiction?: A Position Piece”. Lion and the Unicorn: a critical journal of children's
literature (28:2) April
National Council of Teachers of English. 1999. “Guidelines for a Gender-
Balanced Curriculum in English, Grades 7-12.”
http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED436781
Sambell, Kay. 2004. “Carnivalizing the Future: A New Approach to Theorizing
Childhoods and Adulthood in Science Fiction for Young Readers”. Lion and the
Unicorn: a critical journal of children's literature (28:2) April
Sargent, Pamela. 1975. “Women and Science Fiction”. Futures. Volume 5, Issue
5 (October), P. 433-441
doi:10.1016/0016-3287(75)90022-1
Von der Osten, Robert. 2004. “Four Generations of Tom Swift: Ideology in
Juvenile Science Fiction.” The Lion and the Unicorn, Volume 28, Number 2,
(April). DOI: 10.1353/uni.2004.0023

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