The worldwide pandemic of 2020-2021 saw millions of people around the globe confined to their homes. Social scientists noted reports of depression and domestic violence and an increase in the use of alcohol and marijuana, as people tried to cope with social isolation. AWashington Postarticle indicated more people were reading, an increase of 33% in the United States, was a bright spot amid this litany of negative findings (Reading Trends, 2020, para 1). American’s favorite subject matter included dystopias, social justice, and romance (Merry & Johnson, 2020. Para 1). Sales of romance novels rose 17% (Graham, 2020, para 1). A research question devolved from athoughtfulconsiderationofwhatcausedthisincreaseinsales.Thisapproach concentrated on a history of the genesis of romances. Statistical data confirmed the hypothesis that readers chose romances because these books gave people a chance to escape the boredom of sheltering in place. An analysis of thirty-five romances focused on a paratextual analysis, an examination of characters, humor, signals for sex scenes, as well as, problems and excellence in writing. The data gained from these analyses confirms romances are sought-after despite their relegation by literary elites to popular or low culture. Publishers use research data and authors maintain close personal contact with their readers to ensure a profitable business. Finally, readers purchase romances online as a means of escape from the horrors of the pandemic. The 2020-21 coronavirus was an unrelenting global enemy. No one was safe. Some sought solace in prayer, many in hatred. Others threw themselves into action striving to defeat this invisible, vicious adversary that demanded a Herculean effort to endure. Regardless, a few moments of respite reading a romance novel to amuse and calm anxious survivors proved a welcome, legal, and inexpensive distraction.
I was unsure how to tag this. Since it seems to be attempting to provide an overview of the genre, I'm describing it as being about "genre definition" but it's providing more of a description than a definition in the usual sense. It's very similar to another paper by the authors from the same year.
Here's the abstract:
I was unsure how to tag this. Since it seems to be attempting to provide an overview of the genre, I'm describing it as being about "genre definition" but it's providing more of a description than a definition in the usual sense. It's very similar to another paper by the authors from the same year.