Gendered Expectations in Twenty-First Century American Literature
Open Access
- Author:
- O'Neill, Lauren
- Area of Honors:
- English
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Liliana Marika Naydan, Thesis Supervisor
David Ruth, Thesis Honors Advisor
Kyle R King, Faculty Reader - Keywords:
- American Literature
Gendered Expectations
Twenty-First Century
Feminist
Alternative voices
Culture
Women
Identity
Intersectionality - Abstract:
- In this thesis, I examine how the narrative of the feminist movement affected and altered the work of five authors of mainstream literary fiction. I discuss the ways that gender is produced culturally and how that is informed by literature. I contend that authors like Jennifer Egan, Erin Williams, Kristen Roupenian, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Louise Erdrich use their writing to criticize oppressive parts of women's experiences in the U.S. To emphasize the complexity of gender identity in 21st-century America, these authors discuss, among other things, identity as an intersectional phenomenon, digital technology advancements, public conflicts, and the mechanics of women's work. These texts emphasize the diversity of restrictions imposed on women and reveal the complexity of women's struggles. Finally, they contend that literature can aid in the understanding of injustice and can thus support social movements for change.
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