This article is not solely about romance, because it
presents a cultural analysis of evangelical literature, specifically fiction written for teenage girls, that examines the social pressures of accommodation and resistance. I compare the depiction of gender roles and family structures within both religious and secular novels intended for teenage girls. The analysis seeks to provide a deeper understanding of how, and to what extent, religious products of popular culture accommodate to, and resist, secular ideals. Because religious fiction, especially fiction written for teenage girls, has much potential for socializing children, these books' portrayals of family structures and gender roles may provide insight into the socialization process displayed by religious groups. The analysis compares religious fiction directly with secular fiction to determine which aspects are derived from religion, and which aspects are related to a specific literary genre. The research design allows for the isolation of genre effects, so the effects attributable to the religious subculture will be more clearly identifiable. (440)
Here's part of the selection methodology:
If the front and back covers of a book advertised a female main character, and gave the appearance of having romance as one of its themes (reflected in such things as pictures of couples on the cover, the title of the book, or the plot advertisement on the back), it was determined to be targeted mainly at females. The religious series selected (and their publishers) were Cedar River day-dreams (Bethany House), Class of 2000 (Harvest House), The Christy Miller series (Focus on the Family), and Pacific Cascades University (Palisades). Four secular series were selected in a similar manner from Barnes and Noble Booksellers, a large national chain of bookstores. Series selected were Sweet Valley High (Bantam), Freshman dorm (Harper), Sunset Island (Berkeley), and Summers (Archway). (443-444)
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I noted the occupation or non-occupation of parents. A traditional family structure dictates that the father should be the primary breadwinner, while the mother should be the primary homemaker. (445)
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In the evangelical books, half of the six conflicts dealing with boys involved established relationships, and the other half dealt with budding romances. These conflicts were presented and resolved much differently than in the secular books. Of the three "budding relationship" plots, two were left unresolved. A central impression that emerged was that the boyfriend relationship in the story was not the most important part of the character's life. (449)
This article is not solely about romance, because it
Here's part of the selection methodology:
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