Pippi Longstocking | Themes

Pippi Longstocking Themes

Suspension of Disbelief

This book expects the reader to suspend disbelief because a nine-year-old child like Pippi could not exist. An orphan like Pippi would not be allowed to stay alone and would surely be placed in a children's home like the police officers and townspeople wanted. No matter how much money she has, she could not have survived on her own. She would not have extraordinary strength. She would have had to have some kind of schooling. She could not have maintained two animals. Tommy and Annika's parents would have been more active and might even have stopped their children from associating with Pippi.

However, readers can overlook these things in order to enjoy the character. This is a character young readers would want to be like even though it is not possible. Suspension of disbelief is often required in literature, especially with characters that are beyond the ordinary. Also, a children's...
(read more)