Gender Differences in Literature Instruction

Michelle Goodsite

ENGL 7701

Topics in Literature

The History

• Three waves of Women’s movement beginning in the 1800s through the 1960s to today.

• Feminism became feminisms with several identity categories

• “Add women and stir”• Resistance for traditional women’s roles• Multiculturalism was the focus in 1990s

American Literature Anthologies

• 98 writers represented

• 65 white men• 10 black men• 2 male Native

Americans• 1 male Chicano

• 16 white women• 4 black women• no Asian Americans• Most women and

minority writers were in the Modern period as poets;only 5 fictional selections by women

Lessons in the Classroom

• Questioning where student’s assumptions of gender begin; culture, media, education,

• Reading simple texts to deconstruct gender• Including more female writers in the canon• Analyzing men’s writing; female characters• Taking gender-based issues into real life• Pairing male and female writers

Conclusions

• Most female characters are physically weak and passive.

• They are victims of negative experiences with men.

• Oppressed stereotypes exist about people of color and people from other cultures.

• Cultural structures teach gender.

Teaching Implications

• Reexamine the secondary canon to include more women

• Use simple text to begin conversations

• Juxtapose male and female writers

• More research!!

References Baker, A.P. (1989). A gradual approach to feminism in the American-literature

classroom. English Journal, 78:6, 39-44. Retrieved June 23, 2004, fromGALILEO database.

Greenbaum, V. (1999). Seeing through the lenses of gender: Beyond male/female polarization. English Journal, 88:3, 96-102. Retrieved June 23,2004, from ProQuest database.

Moore, L. (1989). One-on-one: Pairing male and female writers. English Journal,78:6, 34-38. Retrieved June 23, 2004, from GALILEO database.

Pace, B.G. (1992). The textbook canon: Genre, gender, and race in US literatureanthologies. English Journal, 81:5, 33-38. Retrieved June 23, 2004, fromProQuest database.

St. Pierre, E. A. (1999). A historical perspective on gender. English Journal, 88:3, 29-34. Retrieved June 23, 2004, from ProQuest database.

Wallowitz, L. (2004). Reading as resistance: Gendered messages in literature and media. English Journal, 93:3, 26-31.