The Power of Romance Novels: Lessons in Love and Life

Commercials& Trailers

Romance: 1. must focus on the development of a romantic relationship, and 2. must have a happy ending. “Robert Johnson (1983) cites Tristan and Iseult, composed in the 12th century, as the first modern romance. He argues that the romance appeared exclusively in western culture because the material progress of Europe required separating functional work from ritual, the real from the sacred, the everyday from the idealized, the rational from the irrational.” (105) [Read aloud the rest of p. 105.]

http://books.usatoday.com/happyeverafter/post/2012-02-13/why-do-we-need-romance-novels-authors-have-answers/627258/1http://books.usatoday.com/happyeverafter/post/2012-02-13/why-do-we-need-romance-novels-authors-have-answers/627258/1

From a USA Today interview with romance author Robyn Carr: “One of the things romance fiction requires is admirable characters—at least the central characters. They don’t always start that way, but they always get there. It takes goodness to create goodness, so there is always a reward for treating another human being with fairness, courtesy, love, and respect. Varying degrees of commitment are examined. This kind of lesson in human behavior can be a driving force in creating and maintaining relationships of all kinds. And once again, romance novels show us glaring examples of what doesn’t work in any relationship—deceit, selfishness, vengeance, etc. Romance novels are all about good behavior, and strength of character equals good results. Bingo—that seems to work in real life as well. How about that?” (112)

Kylie talks about how romances can facilitate the inner work of becoming a better person: “You see yourself in the heroine, so you see your best possible self or some version of it. And you see the good but also the possibilities in others, despite their shortcomings, because the hero has to be helped, transformed in some way. And you do, too, really, so the book helps you think about this and consider it. . . . “[Romance teaches that] you can be imperfect but still have moments of perfection. … That’s a central issue of life, maybe THE central issue—what is love? How do you get it? How do you give it? How do you negotiate the problems?” (113)

Wilhelm & Smith quote Sarah Wendell on lessons romance can teach: • That you must be the heroine of your own life. You are worthy of love and happiness . . . but finding your “happy ever after” is your responsibility It doesn’t just show up in the driveway and ring the doorbell. • That being able to recognize a good partner and a good friend and relate to them are invaluable skills that improve with time and experience. • That happy endings take work, require problem solving and optimism, but are attainable for everyone. (115)

Kylie talks to teachers: “Why do teachers stigmatize certain kinds of texts? I know there is a lot of crap. There is a lot of crap romance. But this disregards that there is crap of every genre! On every shelf! Teachers, if they take these not so great books and stigmatize the whole genre, that is a problem. But even if it is bad—like Twilight—there is so much that could be discussed and critiqued. Like why kids like it. That could be discussed and critiqued. And here’s another thing: I think reading badly written books can help you be a better writer because you can look at the writing. You can have points of comparison. I really hate Nicholas Sparks but I read his books and all his awkward dialogue so I can see what not to do.” (118)

Kylie talks to teachers: “Teachers should think of how these books could be on-topic instead of off-topic of what they are teaching. Love is part of the human experience and these books can teach how relationships work and should work and can go wrong. This is a conversation teachers should be having [with students]! There is like a divide between schools and life. It’s like teachers don’t want to do the things that are most interesting. [They] see it as inappropriate. They teach to the test and not what is necessary to life. Parents might not want their kids to read certain things. Because they have gay people in them, or have magic. I’ve smuggled lots of books to my friends. Teachers and parents get in the way when they try to control their kids. But the effect is for kids not to read at all, or to rebel and read what the parent disapproves of. There is no conversation this way—no give and take.” (119-120)

A closing comment from Wilhelm and Smith: “[It] seems paramount to us that teachers also provide opportunities and mechanisms for reflection, opportunities to consider how reading the genre might be healthy, but also how it might be dangerous or reasonably critiqued, how it might feed into patriarchal stereotypes. All of these are significant and profound topics for our students and for us to consider. Romances clearly provide an opportunity to do just that.” (121)

Book Clubs

Options for reading: Whole class – everybody reads the same book at the same time Individual – students select their own books, and usually read at their own speed Book club – small groups of students read together… …the same book at the same time …different books by the same author …different books with some feature in common: *same genre *same topic Other considerations: *Should groups stay the same (in membership) for the whole semester? *Should students take notes while (or after) they read? *Should groups have pre-written questions to discuss? *Who should choose the books, and how? *How should the teacher assess book club activities?

Other ideas for assessing the results of SSR, or of using SSR novels as content for discussions or other projects?

The Power of Romance Novels: Lessons in Love and Life