Blog 19: Old Introduction and Literature Review

Generra Johnson

13 November 2012

ENG 3029-01

Professor Chandler

Blog 19: Introduction and Literature Review

There is classical romance and modern day romance. Actually there are different types of romance genres. Today’s romances are different from the romance of thirty years ago. For example in the book, Reading the Romance, by Janice Radway the romances of 1984, would be different but yet the same romances read by today’s readers of 2012. So today’s readers still do read for the features of 1984, but they want more of a modern-day twist to the story. In other words they want something new. Many features of romances are the same, but some new features have been added. The identities of men and women have changed since thirty years ago, but the identities have also stayed the same.

My research question is: So today’s readers still do read for the features of 1984, but they want more of a modern-day twist to the story. My research question is important to language research because it is researching what people like to read. It is also researching a genre that most people like to read. One researcher that found answers to my research question is Janice Radway the author of the book, Reading the Romance, and what she found was concrete and interesting. In her book people liked mystery and romance, or adventure and romance. But it was also agreed upon by a majority of people that they do not like rape or explicit sex in a romance novel. It was also agreed upon by a majority of people, which I think are female, that they do not like that the hero is stronger than the heroine. Plus that is a similarity among the women of today’s society. In Radway’s research it also showed what themes and plots are wanted in a romance novel. My research does contribute new information. The new information that it contributes is: The opinion of today’s society on modern day romance. It contributes what romances are read often in today’s society, and it also tells what romances are liked and disliked in today’s society.

Help Questions:

1.      What other research has been done on romance novels of Janice Radway’s time thirty years ago?

2.      Who else has researched romance novels and modern day romance?

I would also like to request for help on this literature review from the class and everyone.