This thesis explores the romance novel and its readership among young girls. The romance novels examined appeal to the adolescent girls, hence form an important sub-genre of literature read by the young.
The study is based on the premise that the ideas and images expressed in the romance novel have a possible influence on their readers. Critical studies in the area of romance are therefore significant, bearing in mind that in the adolescence stage, one is easily influenced by what they read. An examination of the romance novel should lead to a better understanding of the works themselves and their possible impact on the perception of their young readers.
The romance novels are avidly read by the girIs and are popular, especially since they address many of the readers' expectations. These include the ideas of romance, fashion and adventure, which are portrayed through the figures of the heroine and hero - the leading characters in the romance novel. The romance novels therefore involve their readers in the world created by a romance.
The thesis further concerns itself with how the girls' worldview is, has been or can be shaped and influenced by ideas derived from the romance novels.
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the primary texts have been examined. These are the romance novels among the Sweet Dreams and Mills and Boon series. (15)
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In order to further emerge with a specific study, three romance novels have been selected for analysis. These are Judy Baer’s Working at Love and Stephanie St. Pierre's Sun Kissed in the Sweet Dreams teen romance series and Candace Schuler’s Sophisticated Lady in the Mills and Boon series. (16)
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Our study will focus on Form One girls, most of whom average thirteen to fifteen years. As young adolescents, the Form One girls enjoy reading the romance novels. To record a diversity of ideas, a cross section of girls’ schools have been sampled. These are Kenya High School, State House Girls High, Ngara Secondary School and St. Theresa’s Secondary School. These are government run schools. A private school, Loreto Convent Valley Road is also included in the sample. Two of the schools, Kenya High School and State House Girls High School, offer both boarding and day facilities, while the rest are wholly day schools. Girls from different socio-economic backgrounds are found in these schools. As a result, a variety of responses and views concerning the act of reading romance novels emerge. (17)
Here's the abstract:
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