CONSUMING DESIRES: A FEMINIST ANALYSIS OF BESTSELLING TEEN ROMANCE NOVELS Naomi Ruth Johnson A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Communication Studies. Chapel Hill 2007 Approved by: Julia T. Wood Jane Brown Patricia Parker Lawrence B. Rosenfeld Michael S. Waltman © 2007 Naomi Ruth Johnson ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT Naomi Ruth Johnson Consuming Desires: A Feminist Analysis of Bestselling Teen Romance Novels (Under the direction of Dr. Julia T. Wood) Teen romance novels are routinely ignored as frivolous forms of entertainment. Nonetheless, they (re)produce particular versions of femininity and, therefore, are worthy of study. This quantitative and qualitative research examined three bestselling young adult romance series: Gossip Girl, A-List, and Clique , which are all produced by Alloy Entertainment, a marketing firm subsidiary. Alloy Entertainment markets these books to advertisers as a vehicle for product placement (Mehegan, 2006). Consumption, often of specified brands and product lines, were linked with female character’s (a) social status; (b) need for a thin body; and (c) increased romantic and sexual desirability. Hundreds of brand names appear frequently within the texts. These are linked through narrative to desirable and stigmatized lifestyles and identities. I argue that these novels’ central focus is not romance at all, but rather how an idealized femininity may be established through consumption. iii DEDICATIONS I dedicate this work to my teachers, who engaged my curiosity and passion for learning. In particular, three amazing women inspired and challenged me toward personal, professional, and intellectual growth. I am honored to have them as mentors and friends: Dr. Shirley Morahan, Truman State University (Undergraduate advisor) Dr. Tracy C. Russo, University of Kansas (Master’s program advisor & committee chair) Dr. Julia T. Wood, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill (Ph.D. program advisor & committee chair) I also dedicate this work to Greg Tsigaridas, whose good humor; patience with my many “leisure” hours spent in front of a computer; generous discussion, reading, re- reading, and editing of this work; and unconditional love through the process of this research reminds me of why he is better than any fictional romance hero. Most importantly, I dedicate this work to all the girls who read romance novels, imagining and planning their futures. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ...............................................................................................…v LIST OF FIGURES………………………………………………………………………vi Chapters I. INTRODUCTION: WHY STUDY TEEN ROMANCE NOVELS? ...................................................................………………1 Alloy Entertainment Produced Romance Series Overview .………...……2 Values of this Study. .…………………………………………………….. 6 Research Questions and Methodology..…………………………………..8 Overview of Chapters……………………………………………………10 Conclusion……………………………………………………………….10 II. ROMANCING THE GIRLS: THEORETICAL GROUNDING AND LITERATURE REVIEW………………………………………………..11 Interactions of Mass Media and Culture...………………………………12 Theoretical Grounding: The Circuit of Culture………………………….13 Romance and Mass Media: A Review of Literature………………….....15 Product Placement: A Brief Overview…………………………………..31 Feminist Analysis of Alloy Produced Teen Romance Novels…………..34 III. METHODOLOGY………………………………………………………36 Data Selection……………………………………………………………36 Qualitative Methods……………………………………………………...37 v Quantitative Methods…………………………………………………….44 A Comprehensive Method……………………………………………….45 IV. COMMODIFYING FEMININITY IN ADOLESCENT ROMANCE FICTION…………………………………………………………………46 Brand Names and Frequency…………………………………………….48 Connecting Femininity and Consumption in Narrative………………….53 Social Status: Buying (Un)Popularity…………………………………....55 Small Expectations: Ideal Female Bodies………………………………..63 You Can Buy Love: Commodification of Romance and Sexuality……..69 Buying Femininity and Identity………………………………………….76 V. (UN)BRANDED IDENTITIES: MARKETING STRATEGIES, CULTURAL NORMS, AND DISRUPTION…………………………...79 Research as a Socially Influenced Process………………………………79 Product Placement and Branding Strategies……………………………..83 Examining Gossip Girl, A-List, and Clique Series Within Culture……...85 Directions of Future Research…………………………………………...91 Beyond Branding: Redefining Femininity……………………………...100 Conclusion……………………………………………………………...105 APPENDIXES………………………………………………………………….107 REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………129 vi LIST OF TABLES 1. Books analyzed by series and publication date………………………………………37 2. Frequency of most referenced clothing/accessories, beautifying products, and retailer brand names………………………………………………….………….52 3. Clothing and accessories brand names……………………………………………..116 4. Cosmetics, hair styling, and beautifying product brand names…………………….119 5. Clothing/accessories retailer and spa brand names…………………………………120 6. Automobile brand names………………………………………………….………..121 7. Electronic brand names……………………………………………………………..122 8. Mass media brand names…………………………………………………………...123 9. Food brand names…………………………………………………………………..124 10. Alcohol, tobacco, and recreational drug brand names…………………….………..125 11. Restaurant and bar brand names……………………………………………………126 12. Non-alcoholic drink brand names…………………………………………………..127 13. Mass media producer brand names…………………………………………………127 14. Miscellaneous brand names……………………………………………….………..128 vii LIST OF FIGURES 1. Circuit of Culture model…………………….……………………………………….15 2. Individual brand names appearing in each text………………………………………49 3. Types of branded products appearing across series………………………………….49 4. Sara Rue promotional picture from ABC sitcom Less Than Perfect ……….………..65 5. Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz and Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s …………………………………………………………………………..67 6. 3D Eyelashes glued to existing lashes……………………………………………….73 7. Series book covers………………………………………………………….………..93 8. Sample Gossip Girl series covers…………………………………………………..108 9. Sample A-List series covers……………………………………………...…………110 10. Sample Clique series covers………………………………………………………..113 viii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: WHY STUDY TEEN ROMANCE NOVELS? “And that is why I’m standing here today in a pair of limited-edition Manolo Blahnik dancing shoes and an Oscar de la Renta suit that was tailored just for me,” Blair told her audience with an indulgent smile as she wound up her [graduation commencement] speech. “Don’t ever let anyone tell you you should be happy with what you have. There’s always more, and there’s no reason you shouldn’t have it all.” Blair Waldorf, central protagonist in the teen romance series, Gossip Girl (Nothing can keep us together, p. 162) “The current crop of ‘chick lit’ novels and memoirs about the lives of young women offers potential for touting vodka, cigarettes, clothing and other brands…. The sky is the limit.” Book agent, Giles Gordon, representing writer, Fay Weldon, who in 2000 became the first best-selling author to publish a novel with paid product placement (Kirkpatrick, 2001). Upon hearing the term “teen romance novel,” many likely would think of a chaster version of steamy adult romance novels featuring bare-chested heroes embracing longhaired heroines. Others might think of the classic series Sweet Valley High or its many spin-off series portraying the adventures of adolescent twin sisters in their dramatic quests for love. In either case, the books would hardly seem to merit much concern. As Brown (1996) stated, romance novels are routinely ignored as “mass produced fantasies that are atrociously written, mindlessly consumed, and concocted according to the same tired and tiresome recipe” (p. 43). However, as demonstrated by the opening quotes, some contemporary young adult romance novels have changed, in significant ways, from the “same tired and tiresome recipe” that many have come to expect. Rather, storylines now promote particular brands in association with the heroines’ search for love. Teen romance novels merit study because a sizable number of adolescent girls read romantic fiction. Millet (1970) stated that the way women are represented in literature influences how they define themselves as subjects in their own lives. As I show in Chapter Two, many young female readers regard teen romance novels as both reflections of how life works and guides for how to be happy and successful. Although dismissed by some as “just entertainment,” teen romance novels have ideological consequences. In this chapter, I (a) describe Alloy Entertainment’s teen romance series, which are the focus of my study; (b) identify the values and limitations of this study; (c) overview the methodology I employed; and (d) provide previews of Chapters Two, Three, Four, and Five. Alloy Entertainment Produced Romance Series Overview This study examined three bestselling romance series developed by the firm Alloy Entertainment. In the following pages, I discuss Alloy Entertainment’s business practices and overview the three romance series analyzed in this research. Alloy Entertainment Alloy Entertainment, a division of Alloy Media + Marketing, is known as a “book packager” in the publishing industry (Rich & Smith, 2006). Long (2005) stated, “Alloy Entertainment operates more like the romance novel industry than a traditional trade 2 publisher. It has a New York staff of about 10 editors who diligently research what’s hot in the teen world —