The Complexity That Is Gender Stereotypes : A Study of Gender Stereotypes in Mark Haddon’s “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”, and Its Potential for Teaching Gender Equality within the Swedish EFL-Classroom

Sammanfattning

The thesis examines the upholding and the subversion of gender stereotypes in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2003) using a gender theoretical approach. Depiction of the protagonist’s father, Ed, does on the one hand uphold feminine stereotypes, such as care and helpfulness, but on the other hand, masculine stereotypes, such as strength and assertiveness. Depiction of the protagonist’s mother, Judy, also uphold some feminine stereotypes, such as care and concern, but in large, they are subverted and do not align with the traits ascribed to femininity. Furthermore, depiction of the protagonist’s teacher, Siobhan, uphold feminine stereotypes, but is questioned in regards to her profession. The thesis further demonstrates how to apply the novel in a Swedish EFL-classroom, using a gender pedagogical approach, to teach students about gender equality and the importance of critically studying literature to counteract the binary classroom and gender biases within the institution.