The Development of the Irish Immigrant Experience in Irish-American Children’s Literature 1850‒1900

This essay explores the development of what can be considered ‘Irish’ children’s literature in America from the mid-nineteenth century to the turn of the twentieth century. Increased emigration from Ireland to America during this time meant a new Irish readership was developing, in addition to a growing readership that recognized Irish communities as part of their cultural and social landscape. This essay focuses on works by Irish author Mary Anne Sadlier and Irish-American author Mary E. Mannix. Though the works considered are driven by their concern with Irish Catholicism, the essay argues that these texts’ engagement with the boundaries of domestic and adventure genres can also be read as a more complex negotiation of Irish emigrant life in America. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.