According to Radway, this is not a question we can yet answer. She explains that there are many types of romance novels within the genre and they all have different types of readers. Important to consider is that the readers of these novels do so with different purposes. Some read them to observe the contradictions between the novels and feminism while others read them because of "pressures exerted by developments in the larger culture." What these have in common, is that all of the readers are participating in a female community within our culture. However, because that may be where the similarities end, Radway tells us that what needs to be considered are the effects of reading romance, but this has proven difficult to track. In order to succeed, she suggests we need to create a new discourse fitting for the subject.
Radway's discussions of the women taking part in culture and romance novels' affects, or lack of affect, on readers can be traced to Bazerman and Williams. Bazerman suggets that texts influence behavior. Whether these novels encourage readers to take action or not, shows that their reading of the texts has some effect. Williams suggests that we do not merely consume culture as Marxism seems to suggest, but that we partake in culture. Precisely what Radway describes. She also discusses the idea of using text to reconstruct culture, another idea Williams discussed. Finally, Radway's final paragraph, a call to action to create a way to talk about this subject, suggest a post-structuralist idea of giving new meanings when necessary, which comes from Derrida and Foucalt.
I appreciate Radway's consideration that reading romance novels can be in alignment with feminist beliefs. Despite its cause of inclusion, feminism often excludes many people for their actions or enjoyment in certain activities or consumption of pieces of culture. A similar example to romance novels is the current debate over whether a person can be a feminist, or even just considered an independent woman, while at the same time enjoying Disney movies. Like the romance novels described in Reading the Romance, Disney princess are portayed as helpless and need saving. However, our involvement in this piece of culture does not mean we are helpless. It means we either enjoy and/or wish to critique this act of culture. As Radway explains, we can partake in this with a lens of recognition regarding the stereotypes being portrayed, despite the feminist stereotype that women should not enjoy these things. Our enjoyment does not mean we will act like the heroines or princesses in the texts.
0 comments:
Post a Comment