An analysis of children's story books written between the years1930-1946 in terms of religious motifs and values

The aim of this research is to examine the use of religious and moral motifs in children's storybooks written between 1923 and 1946. The study employed document analysis, a qualitative research method. Fourteen children's storybooks written between 1923 and 1946 were evaluated using content analysis. The analysis examined concepts under the headings of religious motifs and moral motifs. The findings revealed that concepts associated with faith, such as God, prophet, angel, afterlife, and destiny, as well as motifs of worship like prayer, pilgrimage, fasting, sacrifice, and supplication, were present in the examined books. Additionally, concepts commonly found in fairy tales, such as jinn, fairies, magic, and enchantment, were identified. The frequency and variety of motif usage varied from book to book. The use of the concept of God varied significantly, being intense in some books and limited in others. It was found that religious motifs like supplication and those used in daily language were more frequently present than motifs of prayer, pilgrimage, fasting, and sacrifice. However, in general, religious motifs were used sparingly in the books. Moral motifs (justice, friendship, honesty, self-control, patience, respect, love, responsibility, patriotism, charity) were more prevalent than religious motifs in the examined books. The research concluded that the restriction and partial prohibition of religious education during the studied period were reflected in children's storybooks, resulting in the limited presence of religious motifs.