Content area
Abstract
This study is the first of its kind to be done on why urban female adolescents "select" and read the romance novel. The sample included immigrant girls from Asia (Indian, Viet Namese, Filipino), Africa (Liberian), and those born in the United States (African-American, Hispanic-American). A reader response theoretical framework and an ethnographic/triangulation methodology was used to collect data. One hundred and seventy (170) female adolescents at two New York City Public High Schools were surveyed and eighteen (18) interviewed over a two year period. Teachers and librarians were also interviewed on a continuous basis.
The topics of discussion include gender, diversity, cultural and immigrant issues, appropriate literature and programs in the curriculum for minorities and immigrants, and the needs the romance novels fill in these girls' lives.
Among the reasons given by the respondents for reading the romance novels are (1) it is a form of school prescribed text; (2) it is a source of information on love and how to behave in male/female relationships; (3) it gives ideas on how to solve family, social and academic problems and (4) how to give advice to friends; (5) it provides models of behavior in parent/child, boy/girl, and male/female intimate relationships; (6) it gives the immigrant girls information on assimilation in the United States; (7) it gives the American girls ideas and information on how to cope with existing relationships; (8) the contents provide ideas for vicarious participation; (9) it provides role models and specifies gender roles; and (10) it makes Standard American English easier to learn for the language minority students.
Among the conclusions reached are that immigrant and American urban female adolescents are searching for information and ways on how to cope with family situations, social needs, and academic skills; how to survive the multiple roles of being female; how to assimilate in the United States; how to deal with teenage pregnancy, dating, social relationships and sexually transmitted diseases. It was also concluded that romance novels perpetuate stereotypes, gender roles, patriarchy, racism, class structures, yet it is a source of learning and behavior (conformity). A third conclusion was that if reading romance novels is only a phase in the development of adolescent girls, then it is not very dangerous, but if the content and models of behavior presented in the genre are internalized then it is detrimental to the young adolescent girls. Additionally, it appears that abuse among young couples is very prevalent in high schools, and that girls need role models as well as guidance on educational and social choices if self-actualization is a priority. Lastly, to better address the particular development needs of all adolescents, curriculum changes are urgently needed.
Further research is needed in the areas of the immigrant girls and assimilation; teenage abuse in high schools; the perspectives of immigrants and American girls in the same high school context; and how to persuade the American minority girls to look critically at their academic and social choices.
