The Rise of Historical Fiction and the Female Protagonist

Kaitlyn Gotley 110182378 Thesis Proposal 1

Kaitlyn Gotley

Student ID 110182378

Thesis Proposal

"Feisty & Fearless Females: A Feminist Critique of Female Characters in Young Adult Historical Fiction set in World War II" 2[THESIS PROPOSAL]

Introduction:

The Rise of Historical Fiction and the Female Protagonist

In the later part of the twentieth century and well into the twenty-first century, historical fiction featuring women as the main characters has become increasingly popular. The beginnings of historical fiction can be traced back centuries, however, as Joanne Brown and St. Nancy Clair (2006) argue, the mid 20th century marks when this genre began to include a young adult focus, in which historical fiction novels were written specifically for a young adult readership. As Brown and Clair (2006, p. 9) state,

“There were some notable exceptions… but in general the number of

historical novels published for young adults was negligible. Not until the

1960s and 1970s did writers for adolescents begin to give the genre

serious attention.”

Brown and Clair (2006) attribute the rising popularity of young adult historical fiction, especially in North America, to the popularity of the American Girl book series, which began to be published in 1986, as well as other historical fiction series that became increasingly popular with younger readers, including the

Dear America and Young Royals series. As well as this, effective marketing and the fact that historical fiction was beginning to have a different focus can also be seen a significant contributions to its rise in popularity amongst younger readers. Brown and Clair (2006, p. 20) state

“A final rationale for historical fiction’s popularity may be that recent

redefinitions and broadening of what is considered appropriate

subjects for historical fiction have increased the choices for writers of

the genre. Contemporary historians draw from a more diverse canvas Kaitlyn Gotley 110182378 Thesis Proposal 3

than the predecessors… viable subjects now include stories of

domestic life, women, children, and slaves, so often invisible to the

historian’s eye in the past.”

Brown and Clair (2006, p. 9) also argue that contemporary historical fiction has further switched its focus, now telling the stories of everyday, ordinary people, a clear difference to historical fiction of the past which tended to have more of a focus on historical figures. Young adult historical novels, in particular, often focus on ‘ordinary’ teenagers, but place them in exceptional, dangerous, and life-threatening, situations, in which they must overcome extreme adversity. Novels such as Cross my Heart (Carmen Reid, 2013) and

The Girl in the Blue Coat (Monica Hesse, 2016) feature women as active members of the resistance movement, whereas Paper Hearts (Meg Wiviott,

2015), Between Shades of Grey (Ruta Sepetys, 2011) and To Love a

Sunburnt Country (Jackie French, 2014) feature women placed in situations where they must fight for survival. Although the most common setting for

WWII historical novels is in Nazi-occupied countries, authors have also portrayed women in other, lesser-known situations. Ruta Sepetys, for example, portrays the Soviet work camps and how her female characters are able to overcome the adversity they face due to Soviet invasion in her novels

Between Shades of Grey (2011) and Salt to the Sea (2016). Jackie French offers an Australian perspective in her novel To Love a Sunburnt Country

(2014), depicting the experiences of women in a Japanese Prisoner of War

Camp. These women are all portrayed in situations that test both their mental and physical strength. 4[THESIS PROPOSAL]

Research Question:

"Feisty & Fearless Females: A Feminist Critique of Female Characters in Young Adult Historical Fiction set in World War II"

My research topic will be exploring many different aspects of how females are portrayed in WWII historical fiction. These include:

- What makes female protagonists in WWII historical fiction “strong

female characters”? How can the “strong female character” be defined?

Is it a result of their inherent traits and personality, or does their

strength come from the situations they are forced to confront? Is it

constructed from the characterisation of the female protagonist or the

setting/plot of the novel? How is power and strength portrayed by the

female characters in the novels? Should terms such as ‘feisty’ and

‘strong’ be used when describing female characters (an analysis of the

use of gendered descriptors)?

- Masculine versus feminine- different ways their strength is portrayed.

Do female characters in YA historical fiction tend to have more

traditionally “masculine” or “feminine” qualities? How are feminine

qualities portrayed and perceived in the novels? How are masculine

qualities portrayed? Is one portrayed as more desirable than the other?

Are male characters and female characters written differently in terms

of their characteristics and actions throughout the novels? What values

are associated with the female characters? Are these traditionally

feminine or traditionally masculine values? Do they differ from the ideal Kaitlyn Gotley 110182378 Thesis Proposal 5

values of the male characters? Will also include an analysis of what

makes certain traits masculine or feminine.

Research Objectives:

The main objectives of my research will be a literature review, examining the portrayal of the female characters in contemporary young adult historical fiction, as well as an analysis of feminist themes, ideas and critiques. My thesis will also include an examination of WWII historical fiction novels that feature female protagonists. The objectives of my thesis will be to research how women are portrayed in WWII historical fiction, a look what it means to be a “strong female character”, and an analysis of how masculinity, femininity, power and strength is explored in relation to the female characters. A variety of feminist theory and feminist literary theory will be explored and discussed in relation to these topics and themes of femininity, masculinity, strength, power and violence, and will influence my analysis and discussion of the female characters.

Proposed Chapters:

Chapter 1: Introduction: 1.1 The Rise of Young Adult Historical Fiction and the Female Protagonist 1.2 Historical Background: Young Women in WWII

Chapter 2: An Introduction to Feminist Literary Theory and Criticism

Chapter 3: Defining the Strong Female Character in Young Adult Fiction

Chapter 4: The Masculine Versus the Feminine: How are these traits viewed and represented? 6[THESIS PROPOSAL]

Chapter 5: Feisty Females: A discussion and analysis of the use of gendered language and descriptors

Chapter 6: How power and strength are represented in female characters

Chapter 7: Conclusion

Literature review and discussion:

“In recent years, the female figure in history has become increasingly

visible- previously obscured, she is now palpable, multi-dimensional,

and undeniably present. This figure has flourished in contemporary

fiction, the authors of which have worked to establish her as central to historical narratives, in a range of both fictional and factual scenarios.”

(Katherine Cooper & Emma Short, The Female Figure in Contemporary

Historical Fiction, p. 1)

There appears to be some debate among historical fiction authors about how female characters should be portrayed in historical fiction. Although some authors stand by the portrayal of “feisty” and seemingly-liberated, empowered females in their novels, other authors, for example Hilary Mantel (Furness

2017), believe that in order for their novels to remain historically accurate, the female characters need to be portrayed as submissive, with the belief that the

“strong female” is a modern phenomenon that did not exist in historical times.

Kathleen Baldwin (2017), however, argues that you can find many real-life examples of strong, liberated women throughout history, so the portrayal of such traits in female characters in these novels is not entirely inaccurate.

Katherine Cooper and Emma Short (2012), as well as Kim Wilson (2011) Kaitlyn Gotley 110182378 Thesis Proposal 7 argue that historical fiction novels are often a better representation of the ideals and values most prevalent in today’s society, rather than the society in which the novel’s story is set. The characters are often portrayed as liberated women, a stark difference to how women’s lives were actually like during these times. The author states that historical fiction is

“ often projecting onto the past a sexual agency which would not

necessarily have been attributed to women at the time. Sex… is also

seen in the context of postfeminism as a vital tool for female

empowerment” (Cooper & Short 2012, p. 9).

Brown and Claire (2005, p. 14) also supports this argument, stating

“the genre also tells us much about the period in which the fiction was

written, revealing writer’s concerns about and attitudes towards the

cultural tensions of their own times.”

Kim Wilson (2011, p. 64) also argues

“By using twentieth-century feminist ideologies to frame historical

novels, a significant contradiction is produced: The modern reaction to

the past has been projected onto the past… … The disjunction

between historical context and modern Western expectation creates a

space in which conflicting and conflicted commentaries exist regarding

the choices and expectations of historical heroines…There is the

anticipation, even demand, for strong, assertive, independent female

focalizes in literature for children and young adult readers.” 8[THESIS PROPOSAL]

In the dissertation Bad Belles: Physically Empowered Women in Fiction, the author Rhyen Campbell (2013) has found many examples of female characters throughout literature who have been put into situations where they must “be strong or die” (Campbell 2013). Many women in these novels are forced to resort to violence, and, as the author argues, adopt a traditionally

“masculine” role within these novels. The author states throughout the dissertation that it is a common stereotype that women do not possess the capabilities to be “violent women”, and that physical violence is a trait associated with men and the “masculine” (Campbell 2013). Alison Page

Palumbo (2016, p. 2), can be seen to have a similar view point, stating

“Physical force and vigour, the exuberant exercise of power, pleasure

in competition and defiance, competent authority, and autonomy are

largely absent from cultural notions of women’s “strengths”. The

archetype of the ‘strong independent woman’ arises precisely in

response to that absence… being tough, autonomous, intelligent,

aggressive, and rational no longer means being a man… strength and

independence are now part of what many women learn… in narrative

after narrative”.

Interestingly, Campbell’s (2013) textual analysis does primarily focus on the works of Stephen King and Steig Larsson and they way they have portrayed their characters as physically empowered women. Campbell (2013, p. 16) acknowledges that they “are both men… their characters were still written from the masculine point of view”. Kaitlyn Gotley 110182378 Thesis Proposal 9

However, both Clap-Intyre (2006) and Iyer (2011) note that passive women still exist in fiction. Clap-Intyre (2006) acknowledges the challenges authors face trying to make their fictional female characters liberated in a society where a woman’s role is vastly different to our own experiences in the modern western world. Authors of historical fiction face a significant challenge when trying to portray women with similar choices and freedoms that women (in certain societies) experience today, while still attempting to accurately portray the essence of the historical period in which the character lived (Clap-Intyre

2006). Likewise, Wilson (2011, p. 63) states

“Historical fiction poses a particular problem for authors who wish to

provide their stories with compelling female leads, in that women- and

girls especially- of preceding centuries have enjoyed considerably less

independence of mind and body than their equivalent in the modern

age.”

Iyer (2011) acknowledges that novels still feature the common trope of

“gender roles featuring dominant boys and passive girls”. The author has a negative view on the love stories within these novels aimed at young adults, arguing that it often leads to the damsel-in-distress, or the female character putting the needs of the male character before her own, or even abandoning her own goals in order to incorporate the male character into her life and future. The author looks at unhealthy displays of ‘love’ that are often portrayed in young adult novels, and how these novels almost always end with the 10[THESIS PROPOSAL] characters getting into a relationship or realising they love each other (Iyer

2011). It can be argued that they idea portrayed to young readers is that a

“happy ending” is only a happy ending if a male is there to complete it. As the author states, “Men still form an important role in fiction aimed at young adults” (Iyer 2011).

In the dissertation titled A Textual Analysis of the Role of Women in Historical

Fiction for Young People, Jennifer Youngblut Gassman (2006) performed a textual analysis on historical fiction, comparing how women were written in such novels published before the 1970s and after the 1970s. Her aim was to discover if there was a clear difference in how women were portrayed before and after the Women’s Liberation Movement. Unfortunately for the author, such a clear distinction did not exist, and in many cases the author found evidence of a more progressive portrayal of female characters in fiction written before the feminist movement (Youngblut Gassman 2006). Similarly, in the dissertation titled The Impact of the Women’s movement on Primary Female

Characters in Fairy Tale Literature, Volore (1997) examines whether the women’s movement during he 1960s had any impact on fairy tale literature and the ways in which the female characters are portrayed within this literature. The author discovered that, in the fairy tales and fairy tale adaptions that they studied, stories featuring female characters being “rescued” by a male character increased in fairy tales written after 1960, whereas the portrayal of female intelligence as a desirable trait increased in fairy tale literature published after 1960. The rates of female passiveness also Kaitlyn Gotley 110182378 Thesis Proposal 11 decreased in the stories that were published after the 1960s (Volore 1997).

Volore concludes that

“ there was some data that seemed to support the theory that the

primary female character in fairy tales had changed since the year

1960, however there was also data that showed little change between

portrayals of females in popular fairy tales written before or after 1960”

(1997, p. 101)

Historical fiction’s popularity with female readers can be attributed to the fact that its core themes are often seen as more relatable to women’s lives or are more “feminine” in nature. Common themes explored throughout historical fiction novels include “feminine concerns such as love, romance and domestic intrigue” (Cooper & Short 2012, p. 2). Because of historical fiction’s association with such concerns and themes, it has often been dismissed as lacking historical accuracy, “with its setting in the past considered to be little more than a plot device adding intrigue and novelty” (Cooper & Short 2012, p.

Methodology

Although this thesis will focus specifically on the portrayal women in historical fiction, in order to conduct adequate research the scope had to be broadened.

The first step of my research was to gather an understanding of the portrayal of female characters in literature. I looked a variety of articles written about the 12[THESIS PROPOSAL] portrayal of female characters across a broad range of genres, and young adult fiction in general. It was also important to look at the feminist themes and issues other academics have identified in fiction aimed at the female readership. I will analyse feminist theory and feminist literary theory and criticisms, and will use these findings to influence my own analysis and study of the female characters in Young Adult Historical Fiction.

The textual analysis will focus on historical fiction written for young adults in the 21st Century. A Minimum of 15 novels will be selected for analysis. All novels selected will feature at least one female character as the main character or characters, whereas the secondary characters may be of any gender. Therefore, the primary focus of the novels will be telling the story of a female protagonist. If written in first person, the novel must be written from the point of view of the female character, and if written in third person the female character must be the primary subject of the novel.

My research will incorporate the use of qualitative data through a literature review on the portrayal of female characters in fiction and feminist literary theory, as well as my own reading and study of a variety of historical fiction novels. Kaitlyn Gotley 110182378 Thesis Proposal 13

Timeline

The dates on this timeline represent the dates each task should be completed by, keeping in mind presentation and final submission dates. The jump in the timeline from the 15th of December to the 19th of January represents the time I will be away, in which my main aim will be to get as much reading done as I can. Tasks to 17th 1st 15th 19th 2nd 16th 2nd 16th 30th 13th 27th 4th 18th 28th complete No Dec Dec Jan Fe Feb March March March April April May Ma Ma v b y y Thesis plan completed X Chapter 2 X Historical background X (introduction ) Read 8 Novels X Chapter 3 X Chapter 4 X Read 15 novels X Chapter 5 X Chapter 6 X Introduction & conclusion X Draft of presentation X Presentation complete X Review and edit thesis X X Thesis complete X

References Baldwin, K 2017, ‘Feisty Females of Historical Fiction: Truth or Trope?’, Tor/Forge Blog, viewed November 4th 2017, http://www.torforgeblog.com/2017/05/15/feisty-females-of-historical-fiction- truth-or-trope/ Brown, J & Clair, St. Nancy 2006, The Distant Mirror: Reflections on Young Adult Historical Fiction, Scarecrow Press, Oxford.

Campbell, R 2013, Bad belles: Physically empowered women in fiction, Southeast Missouri State University, viewed October 29th 2017, https://search- proquest- 14[THESIS PROPOSAL] com.access.library.unisa.edu.au/docview/1417070235/fulltextPDF/2B150FD6 CAE944CBPQ/1?accountid=14649

Clap-Intyre, A 2006, ‘Battles on the Gender Homefront: Depictions of the American Civil War in Contemporary Young-Adult Literature’, Children’s Literature in Education, vol 38, no 2, pp. 153-161, viewed October 25th 2017. https://link-springer-com.access.library.unisa.edu.au/article/10.1007/s10583- 006-9020-6

Cooper, K & Short, E 2012, ‘Introduction: Histories and Heroines: The Female Figure in Contemporary Historical Fiction’, in The Female Figure in Contemporary Historical Fiction, Copper, K & Short, E (eds.), Palgrave Macmillan, Hampshire. Furness, H 2017, ‘Hilary Mantel: Women writers must stop falsely empowering female characters in history’, The Telegraph, viewed November 4th 2017, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/31/hilary-mantel-women- writers-must-stop-falsely-empowering-female/ Iyer, N 2011, ‘She Reads You YA YA YA!’, Herizons, vol 25, no 1, views 25th October 2017, https://search-proquest- com.access.library.unisa.edu.au/docview/892379826/8E33BED359AA44F8P Q/58?accountid=14649

Palumbo, A P 2016, Strong, independent, and in love: Fighting female fantasies in popular culture, University of Kentucky, viewed October 30th 2017, https://search-proquest-com.access.library.unisa.edu.au/docview/1798477670

Volore, T A 1997, The impact of the women's movement on primary female characters in fairy tale literature, University of Wyoming, viewed September 27th 2017, https://search-proquest- com.access.library.unisa.edu.au/docview/304385455

Wilson, K 2011, Re-visioning Historical Fiction for Young Readers: The Past Through Modern Eyes, Routledge, New York.

Youngblut Gassman, J 2006, A Textual Analysis of the Role of Women in Historical Fiction for Young People, Graduate Research Papers, University of Northern Iowa, viewed October 29th 2017, http://scholarworks.uni.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=grp