A common theme in children's literature is the presence of a strange, mysterious alternate universe accessible and understandable only to children. This theme is often used to encourage young readers, especially those in twenty-first century society, to use their imagination and explore the world around them rather than engaging in electronic devices. Two popular pieces of children's literature, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis and Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie, describe the emotional, behavioral, and social growth that children experience when they independently enter alternate universes. The child characters in both texts are confronted with new societies strongly associated with gender roles and moral codes, which initially intimidate and frighten them. However, once accustomed to such principles, children show significant growth as they successfully display behaviors and actions of older, more emotionally developed children without the presence or guidance of their parents. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Child characters quickly become familiar with genre landscapes and alternate universe settings. The inner sectors of such universes often include enclosed domestic environments, which portray a sense of feminine warmth, security, and containment, while the outer sectors may include expansive, exposed, and often dangerous environments, which portray a sense of danger, vulnerability, but also l 'primitive, masculine intrigue: “There have always been separate spheres of gender power… the opposition between the two spaces (external – male, internal – female)” (Georgakis 10). There are clear differences between internal and external spaces, such as females and males; so the binaries must associate with each other. The stark contrast between the internal and external sectors of children's literature also has deeper psychological links, as Anne Lundin, author of Constructing the Canon of Children's Literature, explains, "landscapes are always dual... the external is what we see --- the topology of the earth as well as its inhabitants, the weather, the seasons… the second landscape is internal – a projection of a part of the external landscape… “The field of the heart”.” Lundin's naming of the internal sector as the “field of the heart” ties into the sensitive, loving, and maternal expectations of female characters in children's literature as the name itself translates to an emotionally protective center for all members of the alternate universe. In JM Barrie's Peter and Wendy, the central female character Wendy Darling finds comfort in her home environment in London, which leads her to associate with domestic environments in the alternate universe of Neverland along with the lost boys, Peter, and his two brothers , Michael and John, Wendy creates a warm and comforting underground atmosphere where everyone retreats at night. Wendy describes her close relationship with home life and education as she expresses to her youngest brother, Michael, “I have to have someone in the crib. ...and you are the smallest. crib is such a beautiful and cozy thing to have in a house,” and how the interior of the underground house “had become a very familiar scene to her” (Barrie 160). In children's literature it is quite common for female characters to provide a nurturing domestic space and maintain some form of order in a universe where disorder is strongly present. Wendy exemplifies this characteristic as she makes sense of the messy and chaotic nature of Neverland by finding and creating comfort in the boys' underground homelost. In C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Lucy, initially the only child granted access to the alternate universe of Narnia, physically enters through an old wardrobe: “She [Lucy] looked at herself behind him and there, among the trunks of the dark trees, he could still see the open door of the closet and even glimpse the empty room he had set up” (8). The closet is a closed, internal “center of the house,” where “there is a center of order that protects the entire house from unbridled disorder” (Bachelard 79). Nature entities also attract female characters as Lucy is immersed in nature the instant she enters Narnia. She forms an affectionate relationship with Mr. Tumnus, a hybrid between a faun and a man: “Lucy found herself walking through the woods arm in arm with this strange creature as if they had known each other all their lives” (Lewis 14). Lucy later befriends and is helped by Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, who are both civilized and materialized but still animals and parts of nature. Upon entering Narnia, Lucy finds comfort in her surroundings by encountering objects and creatures of nature. The female characters of Peter and Wendy and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe therefore find comfort in spaces of domestic seclusion and natural purity thanks to the connection of innocence and security with femininity. As stated above, the outer sectors of alternative universes in children's literature are often associated with masculinity. In J.M. Barrie's Peter and Wendy, Peter, John, and Michael share a similar affinity for adventure and the outdoors. When Peter appears at the Darling house and persuades the children to go to Neverland with him, John and Michael express interest despite Wendy's hesitation: "'I say,' cried John, 'why shouldn't we all go out!' Of course that was what Peter was drawing them to: he wanted to see how long it would take him to go a billion miles” (100). he adventure into the mysterious and unpredictable landscape of Neverland demonstrates the strong affiliation between males and the outside world. In The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe, Aslan portrays pride, strength and confidence themselves through his outward presence, particularly his mane. When the White Witch temporarily triumphs over Aslan, she orders her servants to shave his mane: “Watching from their hiding place, [Susan and Lucy] could see Aslan's face. who looked small and different without his mane. Even enemies saw the difference” (Lewis 153) By stripping Aslan’s mane, Aslan is temporarily stripped of his pride and dominance, which further symbolizes an act of emasculation. Therefore, the concept of the outside is strongly associated with the male gender in children's literature. The landscapes and settings act as a catalyst for the child characters when they are placed in unfamiliar situations in alternate universes. Female characters are often dominant over males when placed in an indoor environment. In Peter and Wendy, Wendy gets the role of the mother in the underground home of the lost boys. The lost boys cry out to Wendy, “O Wendy lady, be our mother” (Barrie 131), and later give full and undivided attention to Wendy as she tells them a bedtime story: “‘Listen then,’ said Wendy, settling down to his story, with Michael at his feet and seven boys in the bed. "Once upon a time there was a gentleman..." (Barrie 164). The male characters in this story, especially the lost boys and the Darling boys, deal naturally Wendy as their mother, which ultimately grants Wendy considerable authority over them.