A common theme in children's literature is the presence of a strange and mysterious alternative universe only accessible and understandable to children. This theme is often used to encourage young readers, especially those in 21st century society, to use their imagination and explore the world around them rather than engaging with electronic devices. Two popular works of children's literature, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis and Peter and Wendy by JM Barrie, describe the emotional, behavioral, and social growth that children experience as they independently enter into alternative universes. The child characters in both texts are confronted with new societies strongly associated with gender roles and moral codes, which initially intimidate and surprise them. However, once accustomed to such principles, children experience significant growth by successfully displaying the 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 Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Child characters quickly become familiar with gendered landscapes and alternate universe settings. The interior sectors of such worlds often include enclosed domestic environments, which depict a sense of feminine warmth, security and containment, while the exterior sectors may include expansive, open and often dangerous environments, which depict a sense of danger, of vulnerability, but also a primal and masculine intrigue: “There have always been distinct spheres of gender power…the opposition between the two spaces (exterior – masculine, interior – feminine)” (Georgakis 10). There are distinct differences between indoor and outdoor spaces, such as women and men; the binaries must therefore associate with each other. The stark contrast between the interior and exterior sectors of children's literature also has deeper psychological connections, as Anne Lundin, author of Building the Canon of Children's Literature explains, "landscapes are always double...the exterior is the one we see --- the topology of the earth as well as its inhabitants, weather, seasons… the second landscape is interior – a projection of part of the exterior landscape… “The field of the heart”. » Lundin's naming of the inner sector as "the field of the heart" ties in the sensitive, nurturing, maternal expectations of female characters in children's literature, for the name itself translates as a center of emotional protection for all members of the alternate universe. In JM Barrie's Peter and Wendy, the central female character Wendy Darling finds solace in her own domestic environment in London, which leads her to associate with the domestic environments of 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 they all shelter at night. Wendy depicts her close relationship with domestic life and education by expressing to her youngest brother, Michael, "I have to have someone in a crib...and you're the littlest." A cradle is such a nice 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 spacecomforting domestic and maintain a certain form of order in a universe where disorder is strongly present. Wendy exemplifies this trait as she makes sense of the messy and chaotic nature of Neverland by finding and creating solace in the Lost Boys' underground home. In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis, Lucy, initially the only child with access. to the alternate universe of Narnia, physically enters through an old wardrobe: "She [Lucy] looked over her shoulder and there, between the dark tree trunks, she could still see the open door of the wardrobe and even seeing the empty room she had furnished” (8). The wardrobe is an interior and closed “center of the house” where “there exists a center of order which protects the entire house against uncontrolled disorder” (Bachelard 79). Entities in nature also appeal to female characters since Lucy is immersed in nature from the moment she enters Narnia. She forms a sincere relationship with Mr. Tumnus, a hybrid between a faun and a man: "Lucy found herself walking through the forest arm in arm with this strange creature as if they had known each other all their lives" (Lewis 14). Lucy 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 as she encounters 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 enclosure and natural purity because of the connection between innocence and security and femininity. As noted above, the outer sectors of alternative universes in children's literature are often associated with masculinity. In Peter and Wendy by JM Barrie, Peter, John and Michael share a similar affinity with 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 everyone get out!' Of course, that was where Pierre lured them. Michael was ready: he wanted to see how long it would take him to travel a billion miles. But Wendy hesitated” (100). The Darling boys' enthusiasm to escape domestic confinement and venture into the mysterious and unpredictable landscape of Neverland demonstrates the strong affiliation between men and the outside world. In The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Aslan portrays pride, strength and confidence. by its external presence, notably its mane. When the White Witch temporarily triumphs over Aslan, she orders her servants to shave his mane: “Looking from their hiding place, [Susan and Lucy] could see Aslan's face small and different without his mane. The enemies saw the difference too” (Lewis 153). By stripping Aslan's mane, Aslan is temporarily stripped of his pride and dominance, which further symbolizes an act of emasculation. The notion of the exterior is therefore strongly associated with the masculine 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 often dominate males when placed in an interior setting. In Peter and Wendy, Wendy gets the role of the mother in the Lost Boys' underground home. The lost boys cry out to Wendy, "O lady Wendy, be our mother" (Barrie 131), and later give Wendy complete and undivided attention as she tells them a.