“Where the Girls Are”: Resource and Research
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Elaine J. O’Quinn Professional Resource Connection Elaine J. O’Quinn, guest columnist “Where the Girls Are”: Resource and Research or more than a year now, her statements in the NYT book their attention? How do portrayals there has been a rash of bad section and on the Oprah Winfrey of girls ultimately influence their F publicity surrounding texts for Show. Ms. Wolf’s criticisms aside, it choices? Where are the divides teenage girls because of Naomi is not news that socio-cultural between girls’ lived experiences Wolf’s public attack on Alloy context influences literature written and the fictional representations of Entertainment’s series books like for girls. Recall that Little Women them? Missing in Wolf’s conversa- Gossip Girls and the A-List. Some and Elsie Dinsmore came out the tion is a balanced consideration of argue that these books break faith same year, despite having very the texts in which young female with what they believe makes different perspectives on who girls protagonists courageously work Young Adult Literature valuable, are and who others think they through complicated life experi- and in many ways they are correct, should be. Both have been in ences rather than simply enacting as these books clearly fall more into continuous publication while superficial social norms in a limited the romance novel category than serving the reading interests of context. Had she shown she was the YAL category. However, as quite diverse groups. The struggle aware of more than just the stories those who study YAL know, these for the minds, bodies, souls, and, I that sensationalize the lives of texts constitute just one example of might add, pocketbooks, of girls is some girls in some environments, the books available to young a long one; in part, Ms. Wolf’s she would have better served women. Reasons for supporting comments make it clear the fight everyone concerned, including the their continued publication are continues. girls themselves. To define and more complex than they at first Of more critical interest to condemn the reading habits of girls appear and have as much to do those who study girls or who just through such limited examples is to with encouraging reading as generally care about their well- determine a very narrow view of allowing girls to vicariously work being, should be the questions and who they are and who they may be. through issues and situations that issues that Ms. Wolf’s critique Although our interest in how in many ways do apply to them. I raises that move beyond the texts: “realistically” girls are represented suggest a deeper investigation of What is the influence of culture and and treated in the books teens read these texts is cause to aggressively society on girls? How are myths of is important, we should also take question the material values and what it means to be a girl perpetu- care to note the social realities that, male-centric images of teen girls ated through texts? What power like it or not, form those impres- represented in the larger society, as does the imposed positioning of sions. From girls’ relationships to opposed to questioning the value of girls actually have on them? How themselves, to how they attend to YAL, something I wish Ms. Wolf do girls fare in a social environment others, to public and private had spent more time examining in that is so clearly in competition for perceptions, it is critical that those 8 THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2008 c8_14_TAR_Sum08 8 5/3/08, 12:49 PM of us who teach, study, work, and however, that I find accessible for a live with girls understand the To make gains in our quick overview of what charts the varying and complicated structures most comprehensive story of that have held and continue to hold understandings of how to adolescence is Teenagers: An them in place. It is also imperative American History, by Grace that we note the oppressive forces best allow girls to thrive, Palladino. This well researched and from which they have managed to we must have a clear readable text introduces useful break free. Many images we have of concepts for further study that girls that we tend to think of as a picture of how they have frequently have been applied to thing of the past continue to impact gender specific trends by various their young lives today, and more been continuously envi- scholars and writers. It is a must social constructs than we realize sioned and manipulated read for anyone trying to get at the still determine to a large degree breadth and depth of teen culture. what constitutes an appropriate by any variety of forces. A few of the issues Palladino covers girlhood experience. In a sense, Ms. that apply specifically to the lives of Wolf’s argument against the girls include: the economics of aforementioned texts is undermined continue to impact socio-cultural girlhood; the commercial sexualiza- by her reference to the more thinking and popular culture tion of girls; girls as proponents of traditional “girls” texts (Austin, trends? To make gains in our popular culture, as mass media Alcott) that she considers edifying. understandings of how to best consumers, as juvenile delinquents, Other readers may not see her allow girls to thrive, we must have and as individuals determined to recommendations quite the way she a clear picture of how they have define a culture of their own. It is does. On the one hand, her ideal of been continuously envisioned and my intent to explore briefly texts texts that uphold a particularly manipulated by any variety of that connect to these concepts and pleasing image of girlhood, while forces, as well as how they have suggest what they might contribute admirable at some levels, might be imagined and enacted their own to our work as teachers, scholars, found limiting and stifling at others. sense of personhood despite these parents, friends, and advocates of Just as the Gossip Girls represents a forces. A review of some contempo- girls. cultural niche that is somewhat rary resources that locate images of Recently, a graduate student of alien to me (not totally, I might girls in text, media, and a material mine was transcribing some notes add, since I participate in the culture context will greatly expand for me from Joan Jacobs consumer culture referenced our insight as to why girls choose Brumberg’s The Body Project: An throughout), so might the texts Ms. texts as varied as those from the Intimate History of American Girls. Wolf applauds feel equally alien to Clique series to Angus, Thongs, and He told me that as he began the a wide host of girl readers for any Full-Frontal Snogging to Stargirl. work, he thought he would simply number of reasons. The point here This investigation should prove skim through my notes and type is that no one book will satisfy the fruitful in filling out our thinking of them up. However, as he started to reading needs, desires, and plea- how girls are portrayed in the read about what girls give up and sures of all. literature that is written for them must negotiate in the name of their Most of us interact with girls and how they respond to those bodies, he became interested on a daily basis, but Wolf’s con- portrayals. enough to read Brumberg’s book cerns make me wonder how much Numerous books exist that cover to cover. The end result, he we actively think about those girls provide a foundational understand- said, was mind-boggling. What he as both pawns and agents in ing of the history of adolescence in had in the past attributed to evolving perceptions of adolescence America, including the popular A “hormones and phases” was and gender in American culture. Tribe Apart, by Patricia Hersch, and quickly replaced with concrete How DOES the presence of girls in Thomas Hines’ The Rise and Fall of evidence of what consumerism, unsanctioned roles and situations the American Teenager. The one, social pressure, and the era changes 9 THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2008 c8_14_TAR_Sum08 9 5/3/08, 12:49 PM able in accepting they exist, that we them for their own purposes. Her Girls once concerned with truly forget the harm they continue text is as scholarly as it is engaging, to cause. Slut!: Growing Up Female and it takes a stand that enables mere pimples and “baby with a Bad Reputation by Leora girls rather than simply analyzing Tanenbaum explores important their dilemma. fat” are now faced with ground in broadening the scope of Other groundbreaking texts dermabrasion and even what labels mean to girls. Once that take a close look at girls and “named” a slut herself, Tanenbaum work to deconstruct popular plastic surgery. looks at the stories of how good cultural images include American girls are stereotyped in this destruc- Sweethearts: Teenage Girls in 20th tive manner for any number of Century Popular Culture by Ilana from a repressive society to an reasons, some more vicious than Nash; Where the Girls Are: Growing obsessive one has actually cost others (Story of a Girl). After Up Female with the Mass Media by girls. Brumberg’s work deepens the sharing her own story, Tanenbaum Susan J. Douglas; and Some Wore issues attended to in many YA texts, exposes the socio-historical roots of Bobby Sox: The Emergence of but especially those that concern what will later come to define girls Teenage Girls’ Culture, 1920-1945 by themselves with body image. as tramps, loose, and outsiders. She Kelly Schrum.