Entangled worlds: the becoming of interpretive spaces in pupils’ engagement with literature through process drama

Abstract

This article explores the potential for engaging 7 and 8-year-old school pupils in performative literature interpretation through process drama. Inspired by new materialism and affect theory, we focus on how literature interpretations come into being in dramatic fiction, and on how these becoming interpretations merge with the classroom. The study explores interpretive spaces as entangled worlds in mutual engagement of pupils, teachers, and researchers in interpretation through process drama. The study establishes a theoretical framework in pointing out ways in which process drama performances contribute to engage the youngest school pupils in literature interpretation and present social problems.