Critical children: the use of childhood in ten great novels

Introduction

Charles Dickens's heroic victims: Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, and Pip

Mark Twain's free spirits and slaves: Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn

Henry James's demonic lambs: Miles and Flora in The turn of the screw

J. M. Barrie's eternal narcissist: Peter Pan

J. D. Salinger's saintly dropout: Holden Caulfield

Vladimir Nabokov's abused nymph: Lolita

Philip Roth's performing loudmouth: Alexander Portnoy.