Can you believe it's the fifth week? We are focusing on girls and YA this week, as well as Nisreen's articles. Feel free to respond to either topic. You are also encouraged to write about the YA novel you are reading for this week and how it intersects with the theory/research we have been reading. Here are a few questions to get you started if you are having trouble finding something to write about:
1. How might reading YA novels influence teenage girls' identity development? If reading can have such an effect, what does this mean for teachers of literature?
2. Have you ever read any "chick lit"? Why did you read it? How can chick lit be defined as "post-feminist"?
3. Do you think girls' aggressive behavior is related to popular culture? How is such aggression portrayed in YA lit?
See you soon,
Janet
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I want to leave some general responses for now to these questions. I would love to have some feedback or know if any of you feel the same way as I do.
1. I believe that YA lit can influence girls' identity development on some level, but not in a completely life changing way. To elaborate, any form of entertainment, communication, literature, etc. will inevitably make a person think, female or male. During the teenage years, girls are very vulnerable in many aspects. Ultimately, this vulnerability is associated with acceptance. When a girl is reading a book, more than likely she is looking for characters who are experiencing the same feelings and changes that she herself is. Through reading certain texts, a girl might find a form of acceptance that will ease her worries on some level. Knowing this as an educator is beneficial more on an individual standpoint rather than as a whole class standpoint simply because teenagers of both genders develop at different rates. I find in my experience that in whole class situations, I am teaching mostly moral lessons and friendship themes/struggles. It is hard to talk to a group of 28 students ranging from 15-17 years old about specific female or male identity issues. It would be ideal to be able to seriously discuss this, but I have yet to find a truly meaningful way of doing so. I use individual readin assignments as opportunities to tune in to students based on their levels of development. In general, though, as teachers, if we know that YA novels can influence girls' identity development, we definitely need to be finding more ways to positively suggest ways for girls to look into these types of novels so that they can become aware that they are not alone in the way they are growing.
2. I was never much of a chick lit reader, even growing up. I always thought the main characters were, well, bitches. I tried to read The Babysitter's Club but just couldn't. I thought it would be cool because my friends read them, but I just didn't click with it. I read Nancy Drew some, but only because I went through a mystery story phase...I even read The Hardy Boys too. I really don't have an answer to the question of post-feminist. I would like to see more input from others.
3. I think girls' aggressive behavior is definitely related to pop culture. It's plastered in the media that it's cool to be a tough and mean girl. Does this seem to give girls a sense of confidence and power if they're aggressive? I can't think of a specific example of aggression in the YA lit I've read, but I'm sure it's present.
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