Date
12-19-2024
Department
College of Arts and Sciences
Degree
Master of Arts in Literature (MA)
Chair
Ernest Enchelmayer
Keywords
adaptation theory, studio ghibli, female protagonist, Kiki's delivery service, Tales from earthsea, Howl's moving castle, Linda Hutcheon
Disciplines
English Language and Literature | Film and Media Studies
Recommended Citation
Frymire, Lauren F., "Mundane and Magical: How Studio Ghibli Adapts Female Protagonists Toward Gendered Narrative Reconstruction" (2024). Masters Theses. 1246.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/masters/1246
Abstract
This paper explores the literary significance of film adaptations, specifically focusing on Studio Ghibli's adaptations of children's novels. Through examining the themes of self-discovery, transformation, and cultural representation in films like *Kiki's Delivery Service*, *Tales from Earthsea*, and *Howl's Moving Castle*, it discusses how Ghibli’s choice of young female protagonists connects with both their original audiences and broader cultural narratives. Drawing on Carl Jung’s theory of the unconscious, Linda Hutcheon's theory of adaptation, and Mariah Chiara Oltolini’s insights on mass media adaptations, the study argues that these films successfully preserve the "magic" of their source material while offering unique, culturally-infused interpretations.
