Funny, there's a similar debate over boys falling behind girls in (among other things) reading here in Sweden, but I don't think anyone suggests writing more "boy books" as a solution to the problem. Maybe because there are a lot of YA books on the Swedish market with clear boy appeal. I have a very hard time believing there are less such books on the English market. No, I don't think the problem lies there. The problem lies with a culture where "real men" can't be emotionally carried away without lots of screaming, running about and possibly some assault and property damage. Where if it's not visible or quantifiable it doesn't count. (I think this is part of why social networks sites are so popular - all of a sudden your previosly "invisible" social network can be weighed and measured.) Sitting down and reading a book, where's the measured value in that?
I recently listened to a very interesting lecture by Judith Fetterley where she argued that male "coming of age" stories typically are about separation. Period. Female stories on the other hand are about cycles of separation and return. Even Romance novels are typically about the heroine moving from one relationship to another (daughter to wife). Which leads to or follows from a culture where it's the norm for men to avoid relationships because it's important to be independent and they don't know how and they are afraid of separation etc, while women develop empathy and meaningful relationships and stuff, partially through reading. She said it better than me of course, what with her being a seasoned professor and all. Anyway, she saw a change in values coming on now with the increased focus on EQ and social networks, so those old-fashioned "boy books" might or should be on their way out actually.
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Date: 2007-12-14 05:15 pm (UTC)I recently listened to a very interesting lecture by Judith Fetterley where she argued that male "coming of age" stories typically are about separation. Period. Female stories on the other hand are about cycles of separation and return. Even Romance novels are typically about the heroine moving from one relationship to another (daughter to wife). Which leads to or follows from a culture where it's the norm for men to avoid relationships because it's important to be independent and they don't know how and they are afraid of separation etc, while women develop empathy and meaningful relationships and stuff, partially through reading. She said it better than me of course, what with her being a seasoned professor and all. Anyway, she saw a change in values coming on now with the increased focus on EQ and social networks, so those old-fashioned "boy books" might or should be on their way out actually.