Effects of school taught literature on adolescents views of gender roles

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 1
<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> on adolescents views <strong>of</strong> gender roles
Laura A. Ricklefs
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. School <strong>of</strong> Education

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 2
Table <strong>of</strong> Contents
<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> high <strong>school</strong> <strong>literature</strong> on adolescents views <strong>of</strong> gender roles........ 1
Table <strong>of</strong> Contents................................................................................................................ 2
Introduction......................................................................................................................... 4
Theoretical Background...................................................................................................... 5
Reader Response Theory ................................................................................................ 6
Importance <strong>of</strong> Language ................................................................................................. 7
Gender Studies................................................................................................................ 7
Canonical Literature........................................................................................................ 9
Canonical Literature: Increasing use in the secondary classrooms .......................... 9
Canonical Literature: The Ongoing debate.............................................................. 11
Alternatives to the canon: modern <strong>literature</strong> and outside media ............................. 12
Impacts as seen in high <strong>school</strong>...................................................................................... 13
Self-image: physical beauty ...................................................................................... 14
Self-image: Peer and teacher reception ................................................................... 15
Self-image: impact on test scores ............................................................................. 15
Impact as seen beyond high <strong>school</strong>............................................................................... 16
Need for further study................................................................................................... 16
Methodology..................................................................................................................... 17
Researcher Stance ......................................................................................................... 17
Design ........................................................................................................................... 18
Setting ........................................................................................................................... 19
Participants.................................................................................................................... 21
Teachers.................................................................................................................... 21
Students..................................................................................................................... 23
Data Collection ............................................................................................................. 23
Questionnaires .......................................................................................................... 24
Interviews.................................................................................................................. 24
Observations ............................................................................................................. 24
Data Analysis................................................................................................................ 25
Results and Discussion ..................................................................................................... 26
Jack before Jill .............................................................................................................. 26
Teaching (in)equality................................................................................................ 27
Tomboy/Sissy............................................................................................................. 28
Turning a blind eye (or ear) .......................................................................................... 30
Teachers perspective................................................................................................. 30
Students perspective.................................................................................................. 31
Male students ............................................................................................................ 32
Female students ........................................................................................................ 33
When I grow up I want to be… .................................................................................... 34
Males (when she grows up…)................................................................................... 34
Males (When I grow up…)........................................................................................ 35
Females (When she grows up…)............................................................................... 36
Females (When I grow up…) .................................................................................... 37
Implications....................................................................................................................... 38
Limitations .................................................................................................................... 40

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 3
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 40
References......................................................................................................................... 41

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 4
Introduction
Throughout high <strong>school</strong> and college I was always perplexed by the characters
presented in the <strong>literature</strong> provided by my teachers and pr<strong>of</strong>essors. While I had always
been told that females could grow up to be anything they wanted to be, the books I was
forced to read showed women in only a few roles, all <strong>of</strong> which showed females as
subservient to their male counterparts. While I came from a household where both my
mother and father held full time jobs, where both cooked and cleaned, and where my
mother had obtained a further education then my father, many <strong>of</strong> my friends did not come
from such nontraditional households. As I was reading the assigned texts, I would <strong>of</strong>ten
reflect on the absurdity <strong>of</strong> the female characters in the books, but many <strong>of</strong> my friends saw
these female characters as role models.
When I became a teacher, I thought that the text might have changed since I was
in <strong>school</strong>, thus allowing for female students to have a more broad view on female roles.
Upon reviewing the texts I could use for my classroom I saw that, disappointingly, the
text had not changed. In my own classroom I made sure to pay attention to any reaction
my students were having towards gender roles in <strong>literature</strong>, as well as gender bias driven
behaviors in my classroom. This past September, however, I learned that just realizing
that there were gender issues in my classroom was not enough.
I was introducing books to my students, explaining what we would be learning for
the year when one <strong>of</strong> my honors students interrupted me with, “Why do we always have
to read books about guys? I don’t even remember the last book we read about girls. This
is stupid.” Though maybe not the most eloquent statement that student had ever made, it
made me realize that what I was doing was not enough. Through this research study, I
hoped to answer two difficult questions: what impact does <strong>literature</strong> have on females’

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 5
views on gender roles, and what can we as teachers do to alter this? Through my own
research, as well as a reflection on past researchers, I have been able to answer both.
Theoretical Background
Throughout this research my approach towards literacy and the acquisition <strong>of</strong>
such has been that <strong>of</strong> the Socio-cultural theory. Specifically my thinking about my
research and the canonical text is informed by the traditions <strong>of</strong> the new literacy studies
(Lankshear & Knobel, 2003; Meier, 2003). That is that our interpretation <strong>of</strong> the text, is
impacted by the prior knowledge we come to the text with. As Lankshear and Knobel
(2003) explain, “Literacies are bound up with social, instructional, and cultural
relationships, and can only be understood when they are situated within their social,
cultural, and historical contexts.” (Lankshear & Knobel, p.8, 2003) With this analysis <strong>of</strong>
literacy not only would one have to take into account the social practices <strong>of</strong> the culture in
which a text is written, and thus the bias and information that the text will be transferring
to the reader, but also the social practices in which it is read. This view demonstrates an
understanding that all written language will be influenced (and biased) by the society and
beliefs it comes from. Due to this, each individual will have different interpretations <strong>of</strong> a
written text, based on his or her social and educational background. This outlook on
literacy shows an interactional relationship between the reader and the text. Not only does
the reader’s preconceived notion impact how they understand the text, but the biases that
the text contains will in turn impact the reader’s ideals. To completely understand my
perspective on literacy, one must also understand the role that readers response theory
(Rosenblat, 2005), canonical <strong>literature</strong>, and gender studies plays in the overall study <strong>of</strong>
literacy.

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 6
Reader Response Theory
That I perceive the relation between the reader and the text to be interdependent
has a significant impact on my overall study. Rosenblat (2005) began this theory with her
reader response theory.
“The popular phrasing is: the reader “finds” the meanings in the text.
This has at least the merit <strong>of</strong> rejecting the imposition <strong>of</strong> irrelevant
meanings: the reader should not project ideas or attitudes that have no
defensible linkage with the text. But one can with equal justice say
that one “finds” the meanings for the verbal symbols himself.
Actually, both formulations are false, to find the meanings solely in
the text or to find them solely in the reader’s mind. The finding <strong>of</strong>
meanings involves both the author’s text and what the reader brings to
it.” (Rosenblat, 29, 2005)
Rosenblat revolutionarily stated that reading a book involves not only the author’s
intentions, but also the readers’ background knowledge. The reader brings background
knowledge as well as an individual context when reading a text. While the reader brings
preconceived notions when beginning the book, a well written text will have some impact
on the individual’s future perceptions. So, in essence while the reader brings to the text
biases that make them interpret the text in a certain fashion, the text will also have a
lasting impact on how the reader makes future interpretations on texts as well as have a
different outlook on the world in general. The reader does not just create meaning in a
vacuum, separated from the text. The author’s text has a give and take relationship with
the reader. This give and take between the reader and the text can result in gender issues.

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Importance <strong>of</strong> Language
Due to the give and take relationship between the reader and the text, language
plays an extremely important role on the perceptions and world views <strong>of</strong> the reader.
“Language helps form the limits <strong>of</strong> our reality. It is our means <strong>of</strong> ordering, classifying,
and manipulating the world…Yet it is ironic that this faculty which helps to create our
world also has the capacity to restrict our world.” (Spender, 1978, p. 3) The power <strong>of</strong>
language is a widely recognized concept. The fact that language gives meaning to all
objects, ideas, and feelings means that language manipulates the environment we are in
and the way in which we perceive this environment. This in turn leads to the fact that
while our language helps to define objects for us, and helps us to express our ideas and
feelings, it also imposes biases unto us based upon the availability <strong>of</strong> words within
certain categories. Unfortunately, language can also create a bias in the way in which
words are used. In her study, McClure stated that “Language is the primary vehicle
through which stereotyping is perpetuated.” (McClure, 1999, 78) Unfortunately in
secondary level <strong>school</strong>s the language <strong>of</strong> texts is demonstrating a bias in the way that
gender roles and relations are displayed.
Gender Studies
One <strong>of</strong> the important assumptions I begin with, based on other’s research (
Boston,2007; Bruce,2008), is that there is a gender issue currently occurring in <strong>school</strong>
<strong>taught</strong> high <strong>school</strong> <strong>literature</strong>. Hooks (1994) fully recognized the impact that <strong>literature</strong>
controlled by the dominant culture can have on readers, particularly readers who are not
from the dominant group.
“(When discussing theories pr<strong>of</strong>essors) subvert the tendency to focus
only on the thoughts, attitudes, and experiences <strong>of</strong> those who are

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materially privileged. Feminist and critical pedagogy are two
alternative paradigms for teaching which have really emphasized the
issue <strong>of</strong> coming to voice. That focus emerged as central, precisely
because it was so evident that race, sex, and class privilege empower
some students more than others, granting “authority” to some voices
more than others.” (p. 185)
In the above quote Hooks states that part <strong>of</strong> the reason that feminist pedagogy was
created was to help overcome the extreme bias in the representation <strong>of</strong> certain cultures in
<strong>literature</strong>. The focus <strong>of</strong> much <strong>literature</strong> has been on white, middle class males. Thus, any
group that did not fit within this select privileged group would be at a disadvantage in
academic society. By having text written by, and for one particular group anyone who
does not fit within this group will have more difficulties achieving the same success as
those who are within that select group. It will also make individuals, for the purpose <strong>of</strong>
this research we will say females, feel as if there is less value in there ideas and “voices”.
While there are many alternatives that could be used in place <strong>of</strong> the western canonical
texts (such as Speak, Traveling Pant’s series, The Bonesetter’s Daughter, etc.) in the
majority <strong>of</strong> high <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong>, much as Hooks states, male voices have the
authority while female voices are barely even represented. This lack <strong>of</strong> representation in
high <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> will invariably have some type <strong>of</strong> negative impact on female
students, as they are being shown that the only voice <strong>of</strong> authority is that <strong>of</strong> the male
voice. Due to the interaction that occurs between the text and the reader, these gender
biased books are having a negative impact on adolescents’ perspective on gender roles,
and in turn it is creating a negative self-image for female adolescents.

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 9
Canonical Literature
One <strong>of</strong> the questions I ask throughout my research is what impact reading
canonical <strong>literature</strong> has on adolescents. Based on Rosenblat’s (2005) theory, not only do
readers impact the <strong>literature</strong> they read, the <strong>literature</strong> will have an impact on the readers’
view points. In that sense, it would seem imperative to pick <strong>literature</strong> that will have a
positive impact on students’ views on the world. It is also important to pick <strong>literature</strong> that
students will be able to connect with so that their background knowledge will play a
positive role in reading. In Meirs (2003) article, she discusses the three different
strategies that she believes every teacher should make use <strong>of</strong> to assist their students in
literacy acquisition. The first <strong>of</strong> these three strategies is to choose books that relate to
children’s lives. “It is difficult to overstate the importance <strong>of</strong> choosing books that connect
to children’s lives. This is important to remember for all students at every level…”
(p.247) Meirs states the importance <strong>of</strong> using <strong>literature</strong> that can connect to the students’
lives. Unfortunately, in the majority <strong>of</strong> high <strong>school</strong>s the majority <strong>of</strong> texts that are used
were written in a different decade, by authors who are currently deceased. If we believe
what Meirs and Rosenblat both stated, it would be understood that the interaction
between the reader and the text (which is one <strong>of</strong> the most beneficial aspects <strong>of</strong> reading)
would be hampered due to the disparity in the representation <strong>of</strong> minority cultures.
Canonical Literature: Increasing use in the secondary classrooms
Due to the increased concerns on the nation’s literacy, a call to return to basics
and thus classic <strong>literature</strong> has led to the canon text having a greater impact then ever.
“With the current focus on standards, teachers may feel pressure to stick to analytic
literacy with its emphasis on one way to read and one answer.” (Wallowitz, 2004, 30)
While the New York State English Language Arts regents does not require a background

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 10
in classical <strong>literature</strong>, many teachers are feeling pressured by their districts to teach just
the classics as well as only one “correct” interpretation <strong>of</strong> these classics. The majority <strong>of</strong>
texts that are used are from a list <strong>of</strong> texts called the western canonical <strong>literature</strong>. This
canon is described as a representation <strong>of</strong> <strong>literature</strong> so that students will be “…reading the
very best writers-let us say Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, Tolstay…” (Bloom, 1994, 16)
This description <strong>of</strong> authors represented on the canon shows a lacking <strong>of</strong> any minority
authors. Bloom states himself that minority (gender, race, religion, sexual orientation,
etc.) authors and protagonist may be left out <strong>of</strong> the mix when it comes to canonical
<strong>literature</strong>. “ The canon, a word religious in its origins has become a choice among texts
struggling with one another for survival, whether you interpret the choice as being made
by dominant social groups, institutions <strong>of</strong> education, traditions <strong>of</strong> criticism, or, as I do, by
late coming authors who feel themselves chosen by particular ancestral figures” (Bloom,
1994, 20). While Bloom consistently defends the importance <strong>of</strong> the western canon, even
he cannot ignore the lack <strong>of</strong> minority authors represented in this <strong>literature</strong>. Due to these
stereotypically heroic male characters and weak subservient female characters there is a
strengthening in the stereotypes that many adolescents have already been ingrained with
by the time they reach high <strong>school</strong>. Lalik &Oliver (2007) found that <strong>literature</strong>, as well as
media, tended to teach female students to accept and support stereotypical presentations
<strong>of</strong> males and females . As the majority <strong>of</strong> <strong>literature</strong> <strong>taught</strong> in high <strong>school</strong>s is taken from
the “canon”, this lack <strong>of</strong> diversity within the canon means that there is a lack <strong>of</strong> diversity
in high <strong>school</strong>s’ <strong>literature</strong>.

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Canonical Literature: The Ongoing debate
This issue <strong>of</strong> portrayal <strong>of</strong> gender roles within the canonical <strong>literature</strong> is most
certainly impacting adolescents view points. “Among other things, these tales present a
picture <strong>of</strong> sexual roles, behavior, and psychology, and a way <strong>of</strong> predicting outcome or
fate according to sex…” (Lieberman,1972, 384) The “classics” are portraying male and
female characters consistently in such a manner that assumptions can easily made as to
what behaviors and actions from different genders will be rewarded, and which actions
should be punished. It also <strong>of</strong>ten portrays exactly what actions different genders are
supposed to make, based solely on which gender they are.
In defense <strong>of</strong> the importance <strong>of</strong> the classics, many supporters <strong>of</strong> the canonical
<strong>literature</strong> have fired back with a response that canonical <strong>literature</strong> just mirrors the roles
that males and females always play in society (Bloom, 1994). These supporters <strong>of</strong>
canonical <strong>literature</strong> state that <strong>literature</strong> does not impact society’s actions, in fact <strong>literature</strong>
is simply a reflection on the society it comes from. While the <strong>literature</strong> that was created
may have accurately represented some <strong>of</strong> the gender roles that could be seen in society at
that time, in modern time the <strong>literature</strong> is simply demonstrating gender biases that should
have been eradicated from society long ago. “Representations <strong>of</strong> gender in children’s
<strong>literature</strong>, then, can be read not so much as a mirror image <strong>of</strong> the real that as a discursive
constructions that shape the social categories <strong>of</strong> “boy” and “girl”.” (Marshall, 2004, 259)
The ways in which males and female characters are portrayed, in extremely stereotypical
roles, is impacting how students view the roles <strong>of</strong> females in society not the other way
around. This bias that <strong>literature</strong> is imparting on students is so strong, that when characters
are created that do not fit the stereotypical roles, they are read as being strange.
“…characters do not fit stereotypic images <strong>of</strong> men and women are read as abnormal. A

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 12
boy who is sensitive is considered a coward; a girl who is tough is considered a tomboy.”
(Wallowitz, 27, 2004) Not only are students being <strong>taught</strong> through canonical <strong>literature</strong> that
females and males must fit into very rigid roles, they are also being <strong>taught</strong> that any one
who does not fit into the tight mold must have some negative qualities to them. Being
different then the stereotype is not rewarded in canonical <strong>literature</strong>, it is in fact punished.
The characters who are shown to be different then the traditional roles are normally
shown to either have serious character deficiencies, or are hurt in the end by their
differences. Literature such as Shakespeare’s Macbeth, or Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird
both portray females in unconventional roles, but both females are also portrayed with
dominating negative qualities, and negative reactions from other characters. Although
males are impacted in a similar fashion by the portrayal <strong>of</strong> male characters in feminist
<strong>literature</strong>, (Bruce, 2008) it is beyond the scope <strong>of</strong> this paper to explore this issue.
Alternatives to the canon: modern <strong>literature</strong> and outside media
Due to the blatant sexism displayed in many <strong>of</strong> these texts, because in a large part
to the changing gender roles in society throughout the past century, many researchers
have performed studies to develop ways in which masculinity in text can be appropriately
<strong>taught</strong>.(Harper,2006; Rutledge,1997; Bruce, et. al. 2008; Lalik&Oliver, 2007) Some
such ideas relate to the idea <strong>of</strong> studying how masculinity and femininity are portrayed in
texts and openly recognizing the stereotypes that exist within a given text. (Harper, 2006,
Rutledge, 1997) While the idea <strong>of</strong> still making use <strong>of</strong> traditional texts, and viewing them
through a critical lens (Lalik &Oliver, 2007) may help to overcome some <strong>of</strong> the gendered
stereotypes, the best results will be achieved by teaching more contemporary <strong>literature</strong>.
(Bruce, et.al. 2008) Though many <strong>of</strong> these researchers (Harper, 2006, Rutledge, 1997,

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 13
Lalik& Oliver, 2007, & Bruce, et.al.2008) are taking steps to overcome the gender bias
that can be seen in classic <strong>literature</strong>, very few studies have actually been done to see what
the exact impact <strong>of</strong> <strong>literature</strong> is on adolescents.
Literature has an impact on the way our students think about themselves and
others, and in the instance <strong>of</strong> the canonical <strong>literature</strong>, this is an unfortunate thing. “Our
notions <strong>of</strong> femininity and masculinity are socially and culturally constructed by the music
we listen to, the books we read, the television we watch, and the stories we heard
growing up.” (Wallowitz, 2004, 27) The media’s that we view, read, and hear every day
are most certainly having an impact on how we view gender roles in society. These
notions do not just create themselves; we are ingrained with them from the moment we
are able to read, the canonical <strong>literature</strong> just emphasizes the stereotypes that students have
been seeing all along.
Impacts as seen in high <strong>school</strong>
The impact <strong>of</strong> the stereotypical gender roles that are predominantly displayed in
canonical <strong>literature</strong> can be seen in the performance <strong>of</strong> female’s students in the high
<strong>school</strong> classroom. These effects can be seen every day in the way female students
participate and interact when in a mixed-gendered classroom. In a study performed by
Benjamin and Irwin-DeVinis (1998), female students were <strong>of</strong>ten asked about their
participation and comfort level in class. During the study, the researchers frequently
questioned the students as to what were the positive attributes <strong>of</strong> characters they were
reading about in <strong>literature</strong>. One student commented on the positive attributes <strong>of</strong> Anne
Frank, specifically the fact that she was quiet. The student felt that this was a positive
attribute simply because, “Most people like girls better that way…” (Benjamin & Irwin-

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 14
DeVinis,1998, 2) This student found that females who were portrayed positively in
<strong>literature</strong> were also quiet and nice. This student did not mention characteristics such as
brave, smart, strong, or any <strong>of</strong> the many other descriptions that could come to mind with
Ann Frank. This same student, who spoke frequently and animatedly throughout the
study, expressed her unwillingness to speak out in class. “Mary, who exclaimed earlier,
“I like to be loud.” Is nevertheless unwilling to speak out in class and risk the censor <strong>of</strong>
the boys.” (Benjamin & Irwin-Devins, 6) Mary felt uncomfortable speaking out in the
class because she felt the boys would dislike the fact that she was outspoken.
Self-image: physical beauty
The impact can also be seen through females’ self-perception <strong>of</strong> their physical
image. “Kristi sometimes wished she had a ‘smaller body.’ Kristi walked four miles each
day in hopes <strong>of</strong> ‘losing’ weight and reported being ‘afraid’ that she would ‘gain more
weight’.” (Lalik & Oliver, 2007,53) In the study performed by Lalik and Oliver
adolescent girls were interviewed throughout their eighth grade <strong>school</strong> year and the girls
consistently responded with negative comments regarding their looks and personalities.
Female students seem to have been inundated with negative views on woman throughout
much <strong>of</strong> the <strong>literature</strong> they were being <strong>taught</strong> in <strong>school</strong>, and this negative view led to their
belittling <strong>of</strong> themselves. This negative self-image does not stop just at physical beauty,
female students also have an incredibly low perception <strong>of</strong> what their academic abilities
are as well as the reaction <strong>of</strong> their peers and teachers if they (the female students) were to
actively participate in class.

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 15
Self-image: Peer and teacher reception
“When boys shout it’s okay, and when girls shout out it’s not.” (Matthews, 1998)
The fifth grade girl interviewed here showed a clear awareness <strong>of</strong> gender bias as seen in
the reactions <strong>of</strong> others towards males and females behaviors. This negative perception <strong>of</strong>
self, and fear <strong>of</strong> potential reactions from others is only increased by the <strong>literature</strong> that
adolescent girls are reading, “ Being liked, maintaining relationships, and being perceived
as “nice” are central as women grow up, even at the cost <strong>of</strong> knowing and speaking and
acting on their own dreams and ambitions.” (Benjamin & Irwin-DeVinis, 1998,2)The role
models that girls are currently being given through <strong>literature</strong> are those <strong>of</strong> stereotypical
roles.
Self-image: impact on test scores
The impact <strong>of</strong> <strong>literature</strong> influenced low self-perception can also be seen in the test
results <strong>of</strong> high <strong>school</strong> female students as well as their preconceived notions <strong>of</strong> how they
will perform on these tests. “Two general findings in this <strong>literature</strong> at that girls show
lower perceptions <strong>of</strong> their competence and lower performance expectations then boys.”
(Stetsenko, et. al., 200, 517) In the aforementioned research it was found that no matter
what their abilities actually were, females had a significantly lower self-perception <strong>of</strong>
how they would perform on the tests. If, in fact, they were successful they also were less
likely to attribute it to their own intelligence. Instead they would comment on the test
being easy, or the teacher being kind. To make matters worse, females did attribute any
failures to their own personal lackings. So while the females that were studied were
unwilling to take credit for any successes they might have in <strong>school</strong>, they were more then
willing to accept total blame for any poor test scores.

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 16
Impact as seen beyond high <strong>school</strong>
Unfortunately the impact <strong>of</strong> the class <strong>taught</strong> high <strong>school</strong> <strong>literature</strong> does not end
when the students leave the high <strong>school</strong>. The gender biases that the students learn when
in adolescence stay with them through their lives. The negative images they have <strong>of</strong>
themselves continue to grow as students mature, as high <strong>school</strong> <strong>literature</strong> does not just
stereotype adolescent female behavior, it also models what the perfect adult woman
should be like as well. “Girls were socially groomed by <strong>literature</strong> that emphasized
domestic roles and virtue, thus providing an appropriate guide for womanhood and
mother hood.” (Boston & Baxley, 2007, 563) The role models that girls are currently
being given through <strong>literature</strong> are those that fulfill only stereotypical roles. If <strong>literature</strong>
has the impact that many assume, then this representation <strong>of</strong> women in <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> text
could be detrimental to the development <strong>of</strong> females in roles other then that <strong>of</strong> caregiver.
Need for further study
While many studies have been performed on the topic <strong>of</strong> effects <strong>of</strong> <strong>literature</strong>,
almost all studies commented that there is much room for further research. In particular,
the researchers show a concern for the impact that the gender bias media may have on the
students’ futures. “Young girls continue to be socialized to take their stereotypically
appropriate gendered place in society.” (McClure, 1999, 79) At the end <strong>of</strong> McClure’s
report she voices a worry that if this trend continues that the female students will be
negatively impacted in the years to come. Researchers have reached a consensus that
females do suffer from low self-perception, and tend to participate less in class, and with
less self confidence. However, the cause <strong>of</strong> this lack <strong>of</strong> participation still needs to be
determined. “ Future research can now examine which culture- and <strong>school</strong>ing-specific
factors operate to damper girls’ self-views <strong>of</strong> their talent, and, on the other hand, to

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 17
enhance girls’ views <strong>of</strong> themselves as generally efficacious students, and whether such
factors can protect them from low perceptions <strong>of</strong> their potential even in a specific domain
like mathematics and even at later ages.” (Stetsenko et al., 525,2000) While most <strong>of</strong> the
concern has been focused on females’ performance in the science and math areas, there
also needs to be a focus on the humanities subjects. Texts the students read are known to
have some type <strong>of</strong> impact on their behaviors, and based <strong>of</strong>f <strong>of</strong> these perceptions comes
the question: Does the protagonist behaviors and gender in class <strong>taught</strong> high <strong>school</strong>
<strong>literature</strong> impact students image <strong>of</strong> gender roles? Knowing that there is an issue in high
<strong>school</strong> classrooms that is resulting in female students having less self confidence is not
enough. We must strive to correct this, discovering the core causes, so that our female
students can achieve the type <strong>of</strong> success that so far has been dominated by males.
Methodology
Researcher Stance
For the research on the possible effects <strong>of</strong> high <strong>school</strong> <strong>literature</strong> on high <strong>school</strong>
girls views on gender roles, I positioned myself in the critical theory paradigm. This
paradigm seems most appropriate for many reasons, such as: personal bias, personal
involvement in the research, expectation <strong>of</strong> achieving one possible truth, and the hope to
use this research to begin to make a change.
According to Peshkin (1988) every researcher comes to a study with several
pronounced biases that will impact the results. Peshkin even went as far as to state that
realizing that one has a bias is not enough, “If, in the spirit <strong>of</strong> confession, researchers
acknowledge their subjectivity, they may benefit their souls, but they do not thereby
attend to their subjectivity in a meaningful way.” (Peshkin, 17, 1988) While it is
important to realize that as a researcher, you hold a bias or subjectivity towards your

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 18
subject, it is much more important that you make your audience aware <strong>of</strong> this bias when
presenting your research. In the critical theory paradigm, a bias or subjectivity is
expected. With this particular research, I knowingly hold a bias. I am both a female, who
has gone through a public <strong>school</strong> system in which the “cannon” text were the only books
considered good <strong>literature</strong>, as well as an English teacher who unfortunately teaches
mostly books from the aforementioned cannon. As I knew the effect the high <strong>school</strong>
<strong>literature</strong> had on me, I worked consistently to keep my bias from overly influencing the
results I achieve.
On a similar note due to my connection to the positions <strong>of</strong> the participants, I
participated in this study. This falls within one <strong>of</strong> the core beliefs <strong>of</strong> the critical theorist.
“In critical theory, the researcher joins the researched in an effort to not only understand
the worldview <strong>of</strong> the researched, but to assist in changing it in some way.” (Sipe &
Constable, 154, 1996) In a study performed in the critical theory paradigm the researcher
joins the research, and participates actively in the community that they are researching.
Likewise, I completed one <strong>of</strong> the surveys that I administered, and I also actively
participated daily in the community from which I drew my participants.
Design
Given my research question, which required both the student and teacher to have
complete trust in myself as a researcher, I chose a month long, end <strong>of</strong> the year broad
based study design in a <strong>school</strong> which I am familiar with (Sipes &Constable, 1996). This
study allowed me to explore gender issues within classrooms without manipulating the
classroom environment. I grounded the study in the reader response theory, as well as
proven gender issues within classrooms (Rosenblat, Stetensko, Benjamin &Irwin-

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 19
Devinis). The classroom that I studied, as well as the students that completed the
questionnaires, provided a means <strong>of</strong> examining the larger <strong>school</strong>-wide environment.
Trustworthiness for this study was promoted in several ways. First, I conducted
the study at the end <strong>of</strong> the year, once the teachers and students were familiar with me.
Due to the familiarity that the students and teachers had with me I was able to gain an
authentic view <strong>of</strong> gender issues in the classroom as both the students and teachers felt
comfortable giving me true answers. Second, I gathered data systematically from a
variety <strong>of</strong> sources and contexts. Third, I showed all interview and observation notes to the
teachers I was working with. These participant checks enhanced confidence in the
recorded interviews and observations. This also gave me an opportunity to discuss
informally the results from the interviews and observations, as well as specific student
behaviors.
Setting
Odysseus High School is part <strong>of</strong> the largest suburban district in a North Eastern
State. The High <strong>school</strong> is connected to a middle <strong>school</strong> that serves as the “feeder” <strong>school</strong>
for the High School. Odysseus High <strong>school</strong> was built due to the increasing population in
the Rome District. Odysseus High School is one <strong>of</strong> four high <strong>school</strong>s in the Rome Central
School District. This <strong>school</strong> along with three other high <strong>school</strong>s, four middle <strong>school</strong>s, and
thirteen primary <strong>school</strong>s make up the Rome Central School District. Rome Central
School District currently has 13, 154 students enrolled in the 2005-2006 <strong>school</strong> year and
has 3,361 teachers. Rome Central School District spent $13,104 per general education
pupil and $19,821 per special education pupil in the 2005-2006 <strong>school</strong> year.

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 20
Enrollment at Odysseus High School has increased over the past three years. In
the 2005-2006 <strong>school</strong> year 1, 390 students were enrolled in grades nine through twelve at
Odysseus High School. At this time there were 320 freshman, 388 sophomores, 322
juniors, and 360 seniors. Student expenditure was $13,104 per student and average class
sizes were twenty three students. There were eighty-eight teachers that all have valid
teaching licenses, nine teachers’ assistants, and 5 administrators. The faculty and staff at
Odysseus High School are predominantly Caucasian, as well as female.
Caucasian is also the primary ethnic group represented in Odysseus High School.
Caucasians make up 87% <strong>of</strong> the student population, with the remaining students being :
5% Hispanic, 7% African American, 1% Native American, and 1% Native Hawaiian. In
addition, according to the <strong>school</strong> report card 1% (14 students) <strong>of</strong> the students are limited
English pr<strong>of</strong>icient at Odysseus High School. 24% <strong>of</strong> students at Odysseus High <strong>school</strong>
receive free <strong>of</strong> reduced lunch. Over the past three years student suspensions have
increased. In 2005-2006 there were 222 student suspensions, compared to 133 student
suspensions in 2003-2004 and 150 student suspensions in 2002-2003.
Over the past two years, Odysseus High School’s performance on the 11 th grade
comprehensive English exam has fluctuated. Students’ scoring a 65% or better increased
from 86% in 2004-2005 <strong>school</strong> year to 89% in 2005-2006 <strong>school</strong> year. However, the
percentage scoring above a 55% as well as scoring above an 85% or better has decreased.
While in 2005-2006 95% <strong>of</strong> students scored a 55% or better, 96% <strong>of</strong> students scored 55%
or better in 2004-2005. 31% <strong>of</strong> students scored 85% or better in 2005-2006, while 34% <strong>of</strong>
the students in 2004-2005 scored 85% or better. Overall, there was a lower percentage <strong>of</strong>
students passing the 2005-2006 ELA exam then the 2004-2005 ELA exam.

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 21
In addition to the assessments, Odysseus High <strong>school</strong> has its own assessments as
well. For instance, beginning this year each grade level has common quarterly
assessments in English Language Arts. These assessments are given district wide to
ninth-eleventh graders. These assessments help evaluate student’s abilities in English
language arts to track where they need some additional help. These also allow for
students to be monitored more closely so that they can be on track for the state exam in
eleventh grade.
Currently Odssyeus is participating in a pilot program with the county education
system which provides the building with a literacy coach for 10 days throughout the
<strong>school</strong> year. For this year the literacy coach will be working primarily with two teachers.
The <strong>school</strong> also has two full time reading teachers as well as one part time reading
teacher. One <strong>of</strong> these reading teachers primarily practices a push-in method, and joins
several different classes throughout the day. The other two reading teachers co-teach a
reading class which focuses on freshman who received lower then average scores in the
middle <strong>school</strong> English Language Art’s exam. Odysseus also <strong>of</strong>fers one Academic
Intervention Services (AIS) course led by an English teacher. This course focuses
primarily on those students who failed the English exam last year, and will be retaking
this exam in January.
Participants
Teachers
I worked with twelve teachers and numerous aides. One teacher had three aides
that worked with her at varying times during the day. There were four males teachers,
and eight female teachers all <strong>of</strong> whom were currently teaching English Language arts. Of
those teachers, nine had their masters, while the remaining three were currently in

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 22
graduate programs. There were four teachers who had additional certifications in Special
Education. The majority <strong>of</strong> those surveyed had been with the district for fewer then ten
years, with only one teacher having <strong>taught</strong> in the district for more then ten years.
The four teachers that were interviewed were made up <strong>of</strong> two males and two
females. One <strong>of</strong> the male teachers <strong>taught</strong> tenth grade regents and inclusion English
Language Arts. He was working towards his masters, and was in his third year <strong>of</strong>
teaching. He had <strong>taught</strong> tenth grade for all three years that he had been in the district.
This year he was working to incorporate writers and readers workshops into his
classroom everyday. The second male teacher <strong>taught</strong> eleventh grade regents and
Advanced Placement English Language Arts. He had completed a masters’ in English
and was in his seventh year <strong>of</strong> teaching. He had <strong>taught</strong> eleventh grade for the past four
years. His students consistently score well on the English Language arts exam, and he
attributed this to the amount <strong>of</strong> practice writing his students complete each year. One <strong>of</strong>
the female teachers was in her second year <strong>of</strong> teaching, and working towards her masters.
She <strong>taught</strong> ninth grade regents and Pre-Advanced Placement English Language Arts. She
was also certified in special education. This year she was focusing on modeling writing
qualities through the books the students were reading. Due to this the students were
spending an extensive time reading young adult texts, so that they could study the way in
which he authors wrote. Lastly, the second female teacher <strong>taught</strong> twelfth grade regents
English Language Arts. She had completed a masters’ in English and was in her fifth year
<strong>of</strong> teaching. She had been out for the first half <strong>of</strong> the year, and had a litany <strong>of</strong> substitutes
in for her. She primarily focused on media literacy, concentrating on how society is
portrayed in Medias versus how it is portrayed in written texts.

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Students
The students were chosen based on their comfort level with the researcher. There
were a total <strong>of</strong> eight-three participants, forty-six <strong>of</strong> which were males, while the
remaining thirty-seven were females. All student participants were in ninth grade
English Language Arts, though three <strong>of</strong> the participants were classified as tenth grade
students. Thirty-three <strong>of</strong> those that were surveyed were enrolled in Pre-Advanced
Placement English Language Arts. Seventeen <strong>of</strong> those students who participated had an
Individual Educational Plan, and were part <strong>of</strong> an inclusion class that was co-<strong>taught</strong> with a
special education teacher. Two <strong>of</strong> those students also had one-on-one aides. The students
were all from one teacher’s classroom, chosen specifically because I had been in that
classroom throughout the year, so my presence would not disrupt the classroom. The
questionnaires were given in a full class setting. As all <strong>of</strong> the students were fifteen years
<strong>of</strong> age or older, I spoke directly to the students about the study and their willingness to
participate. Only three students who were in attendance did not participate.
The make up <strong>of</strong> those surveyed was: twelve African-American, one Hawaiian,
four Hispanic, and sixty-seven were Caucasian. The majority <strong>of</strong> the students had attended
Odysseus Middle School, with only four students having attended an out-<strong>of</strong>-district
<strong>school</strong>. The number <strong>of</strong> students in each class varied, with the inclusion classes having the
smallest class size, and the one regent’s level course having the highest number at
twenty-five.
Data Collection
There were three major sources <strong>of</strong> data. The primary source was the
questionnaires that were administered to both the English Language Art’s teachers as

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 24
well as the ninth grade students. The questionnaires were supported through teacher
interviews, as well as classroom observations.
Questionnaires
Two sets <strong>of</strong> questionnaires were administered to teachers and students. The
teacher questionnaires focused on the type <strong>of</strong> <strong>literature</strong> that they were teaching in the
classroom, as well as the behaviors that the teachers observed students demonstrating in
class. In particular, the questions focused on possible gender disparity in the behaviors <strong>of</strong>
students as well as the text that the teachers were teaching.
The student questionnaire consisted <strong>of</strong> questions focused on the <strong>literature</strong> that
they were currently reading, and the gender behaviors within that <strong>literature</strong>. The students
were also asked to describe what their future life goals were as well as what they
perceived females life long goals to be.
Interviews
I interviewed the teachers formally once. During these interviews the teachers
responded to different gendered behaviors as seen in their classroom. I wrote the
interview questions prior to the questionnaires, so the interview had a more broad range
<strong>of</strong> questions regarding gender issues in the classroom while the questionnaires were able
to be more specific to certain behaviors. I wrote their responses during the discussion. I
made copies <strong>of</strong> the interviews and gave them to each teacher I interviewed to check for
accuracy.
Observations
I observed one classroom twice at the end <strong>of</strong> the <strong>school</strong> year. This was a
classroom that I was already familiar with, so my presence in the classroom did not alter

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the instruction, or student’s responses. During the observations I took notes on the
behaviors <strong>of</strong> the students, and the teachers responses to these behaviors. In particular, I
focused on student’s negative behavior and the way in which the teacher responded to
them.
Data Analysis
Data were analyzed using a critical theorist approach. I sought to not only
understand the way in which high <strong>school</strong> <strong>literature</strong> impacted students, but also to help
find solutions to the problem <strong>of</strong> gender stereotypes in the high <strong>school</strong> classroom.
Throughout the data collection I created charts in which I could organize and document
the findings from the interviews, observations, and the surveys.
For the question regarding life goals I separated the responses into three
categories, as well as by which gender was responding. The first category was
“traditional”. This category was used for answers that fit with traditional roles, which
varied on whether they were discussing female or male goals. For females traditional
roles were: wife, mother, house-wife, or other such answers that fit within the
aforementioned responses. For male traditional roles were: money maker, fireman,
police, military. The second category was “traditional/non-traditional”. This category
encompassed responses about males and females that demonstrated both traditional and
non-traditional role. Both male and female responses for this category were: A
career/education/ money making goals and wife/husband or mother/father. The third
category regarding life goals pertained to “non-traditional” roles. The non-traditional
roles varied based on whether they were discussing female or male goals. For females
non-traditional roles were something involving a career or further education. For males

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non-traditional roles were responses that focused solely on males becoming fathers or
husbands.
For the question regarding how many times males versus females spoke in class,
the responses were separated into three categories, as well as separated by students versus
teachers, and by student gender. The first category was females speaking more then
males. Responses were placed in this category only if they responded with: girls, females,
or some other response regarding female participants. The second category was males
speaking more then females. Responses were placed in this category only if they
responded with: boy, males, or some other responses regarding male participants. The
third category was females and males speaking equally. Responses were placed in this
category if they responded with: females and males, girls and boy, or both.
For the question regarding <strong>literature</strong> the responses were separated by gender <strong>of</strong>
the respondent as well as gender <strong>of</strong> the character. The responses were then separated into
“good” or positive and “bad” or negative responses. The positive responses were: smart,
strong, selfless, hero, athletic, self-love, kind, independent, happy, headstrong, strong
willed, and driven. The negative responses were: stupid, selfish, victim, weak, shy, selfhate,
vindictive, impulsive, angry, and tomboy. The responses were then counted with
slashes next to each possible response.
Results and Discussion
Jack before Jill
One <strong>of</strong> the major findings from this study is the fact that students are in fact
gathering negative images <strong>of</strong> females from the <strong>literature</strong> that is <strong>taught</strong> in the classroom.
Even the teachers who were surveyed that <strong>taught</strong> ninth grade <strong>literature</strong> viewed most <strong>of</strong>

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 27
the female characters within the <strong>literature</strong> as weak, and portraying many <strong>of</strong> the negative
characteristics that they did not want their students to be exhibiting.
Teaching (in)equality
The teachers who were surveyed not only connected a majority <strong>of</strong> negative
characteristics to the female characters, but also tended not to mention female main
characters if there was also a male main character in the text. The students already
approach the text with a biased view point, “…there were many readers who, like Laurie,
made assumptions about gender, assumptions shaped by family, culture, <strong>literature</strong>, media,
and education.” (Wallowitz, 2004,26) Unfortunately this bias is only reaffirmed by the
types <strong>of</strong> <strong>literature</strong> that the students are reading. One prominent example is Romeo and
Juliet. Of the three ninth grade teachers who were surveyed that regularly teach Romeo
and Juliet only two mentioned Juliet as a main character within Romeo and Juliet, while
Romeo was mentioned by all three participants. Similarly, <strong>of</strong> the two teachers who were
surveyed that regularly <strong>taught</strong> The Odyssey, both mentioned Odysseus, while neither
teacher mentioned Penelope, Odysseus’ wife who plays a major role within the epic
poem. For To Kill a Mockingbird while those surveyed all mentioned Scout, and only one
mentioned Atticus (one <strong>of</strong> the male main characters), all who were surveyed pegged
Scout with many negative characteristics including “tomboy” and “impulsive”.
While the amount <strong>of</strong> times that the teachers mentioned female characters may
seem inconsequential, this was just an indicator <strong>of</strong> the negative images that the female
characters are portraying. The teachers, for the most part, acknowledged that the female
characters within the texts were poor role models for their students; one teacher even
stated that, “My students automatically pegged Scout in (To Kill a Mockingbird) as a

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 28
strong female character. However, as soon as she was shown to be a tomboy, and that
was portrayed as negative thing, my students began expressing their annoyance with
Scout, and their admiration <strong>of</strong> Jem.” This particular teacher found that when the
characters began to respond negatively towards Scouts non-traditional behaviors, the
students began to respond negatively as well.
Tomboy/Sissy
The student’s perceptions <strong>of</strong> gendered behavior were very similar to that <strong>of</strong> the
teachers. The student participants also did not mention female characters as <strong>of</strong>ten as male
characters. One example <strong>of</strong> this occurred with Romeo and Juliet. While 83 <strong>of</strong> the students
mentioned Romeo as a main character, only 78 mentioned Juliet. Likewise, while 26
students mentioned Odysseus, only 1 student mentioned Penelope. For students, however,
the most telling aspect <strong>of</strong> their responses was how they classified each <strong>of</strong> these
characters. While both Romeo and Juliet were shown to have negative characteristics,
Romeo was given almost as many positive characteristics as negative. While Romeo was
overwhelmingly referred to as “stupid”, he was also considered to be “strong”, a “hero”,
“happy”, and “independent”. One student even added in “passionate” to describe
Romeo’s personality. Juliet on the other hand was described with an overwhelming
number <strong>of</strong> negative characteristics with only a few references to her positive attributes.
The students mentioned that Juliet was “kind”, but then also stated that she was “stupid”,
a “victim”, “weak”, and “impulsive”. Two students even added that she was “idiotic” and
“crazy”. These students felt so strongly about Juliet as a character, that the provided
negative word choices were not enough, they felt the need to add “idiotic” to the “stupid”
they had already circled. While the students recognizing that Juliet was portrayed as an

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 29
“idiot”, could be seen as a positive, the students also had negative perspectives on female
characters that were portrayed as not fitting within the stereotypical mold.
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird Scout is portrayed as a strong female, standing
up for herself and for her beliefs consistently throughout the book. In response to this, the
other characters describe her as a “tomboy”. Due to characters reactions the students
describe Scout with a large number <strong>of</strong> negative characteristics, which is surprising given
her heroic role within the text. An overwhelming number <strong>of</strong> students described Scout as:
a “tomboy”, “angry”, “stupid”, and “impulsive”. While the students also commented on
how she was “smart” and “strong”, none <strong>of</strong> these compared to the strong response (a total
<strong>of</strong> 42 students in total) who felt that Scout was best described as a “tomboy”. Jem, her
brother and the other main character in the text, was described with mostly positive
attributes. The most common response regarding Jem’s personality was that he was
“strong” followed by the fact that he was “smart”. Jem was considered only by two
students to be “angry” or “impulsive”. While Jem and Scout both show heroism within
the text, Jem was considered to be heroic by 14% <strong>of</strong> those surveyed, while this
characteristic was only attributed to Scout by 9%. This is despite the fact that Scout
narrated the entire text. Although this may be in part due to the previous bias that many
<strong>of</strong> the students have, much <strong>of</strong> it is due to the fact that the <strong>literature</strong> the students are
provided with in high <strong>school</strong> shows very traditional roles for both male and female
characters. “Boys are written as "active" agents and girls are featured "passively" waiting
or watching.” (Wallowitz, 2004, 28). The students come to the classroom with a bias
about genders, and the text they are currently reading are continually showing the
students how their stereotypical view point is correct. If this perception <strong>of</strong> females ended

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 30
with descriptions <strong>of</strong> characters in the text, it would not be <strong>of</strong> such a large concern, but the
student’s perspectives on female characters bled into the classroom atmosphere impacting
the number <strong>of</strong> students that felt comfortable speaking in class as well as impacting the
career goals that the students felt females should have.
Turning a blind eye (or ear)
While the students and teachers reached the same conclusions on the portrayal <strong>of</strong>
females in classroom <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong>, they were in disagreement about the impact this
portrayal had on student’s actions in the classroom. In direct contrast to what the majority
<strong>of</strong> surveyed teachers believed, students seem to be strongly aware <strong>of</strong> the differences in
gender roles within the classroom, which some attributed to the types <strong>of</strong> books they were
reading. Though teachers stated that gender differences did not play a large role in the
classroom, students noticed the variance in the amounts <strong>of</strong> times students spoke within
the classroom based solely on gender.
Teachers perspective
When interviewed and surveyed the majority <strong>of</strong> teachers stated that the amount <strong>of</strong>
times a student speaks in class is not at all dependent on gender, instead they feel that the
amount <strong>of</strong> participation is based solely on the personality <strong>of</strong> the student. One twelfth
grade teacher stated that, “I have kids who either speak or don’t. Whether they are male
or female doesn’t have much to do with it.” In her observations she had noticed no
difference based on gender. She later went on to emphasize the importance <strong>of</strong>
personality, not gender, in differentiating who was more vocal in her classroom. This
theme was not only found in the upper levels <strong>of</strong> high <strong>school</strong>. One ninth grade teacher
stated that, “[It] depends on the class I have. Some classes where the males are more

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 31
boisterous and others where the females run the show.” Similarly, a male tenth grade
teacher responded with a simple “Nope” when questioned on whether he sees any
differences in the amount <strong>of</strong> times females or males speak in class. The teacher felt no
need to elaborate, as from his perspective, and that <strong>of</strong> many <strong>of</strong> the other teachers that
were questioned; gender has little or nothing to do with most classroom issues. Across
gender, age, and grade level <strong>of</strong> instruction, the responses in interviews were in agreement
with only one outlier. This lack <strong>of</strong> recognition <strong>of</strong> the impact <strong>of</strong> gender stereotypes in the
classroom has been documented in prior research. “Though some in the group wanted to
discuss what teachers could do to avoid gender bias, a fair number <strong>of</strong> participants were
ready to discount the whole issue as ‘no big deal,’” (Matthews, 1998, p.54) Matthews
experienced what can essentially be called denial on the parts <strong>of</strong> teachers regarding
genders importance in the classroom. Despite the beliefs <strong>of</strong> many educators, students are
noticing gender differences, and are being impacted by them. Unlike the perceptions <strong>of</strong>
the educators, the students seem to be keenly aware <strong>of</strong> differences in gender roles within
the classroom.
Students perspective
Out <strong>of</strong> the students that were surveyed 34 out <strong>of</strong> 83 students felt that males spoke
more frequently then their female counterparts, compared to only 22 who felt that
females spoke more <strong>of</strong>ten then males. This also transcended gender and age groups <strong>of</strong> the
surveyed students. In response to the question <strong>of</strong> “Do males or females speak more <strong>of</strong>ten
in your classes?” The students seemed to be very assured in the fact that males were the
stronger participants in class, and that male students felt more comfortable voicing their
opinions and attitudes then female students.

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 32
Male students
In this study as well as in other studies (Matthews, 1998; Benjamin, 1998) it has
been clearly shown that males tend to recognize other males as being most vocal and
responsive in the classroom. “Boys overwhelmingly named other boys as students who
most contributed to class discussions…”(Matthews, 1998,p.58) Matthews discovered that
males seemed to be confident in the fact that they were the primary participants in the
classroom. Through the responses provided from the male participants in this study it was
shown that not only do males feel they are the primary participants in verbal activities in
the classroom, but they actually feel that they are truly the most dominate members in the
classroom in general. While the majority <strong>of</strong> males, throughout inclusion, regents, and
Pre-AP courses responded in a similar fashion, there was a slight division in responses
between the regents/inclusion courses and the Pre-AP. The male respondents were
extremely assertive and aggressive in their responses. Male participants generally
responded with; “Males, the females stay quiet” and “Males, we dominate”. Other
students used punctuation to show their assurance in their responses, using multiple
exclamation points following the single word “Male”. For the male responses, it was not
just the answers that were indicative <strong>of</strong> their feelings regarding participation in the
classroom, but also the way in which they worded it. The vast majority <strong>of</strong> male responses
indicated a strong feeling <strong>of</strong> dominance over the females within the classroom, which
they felt was represented through the amount <strong>of</strong> times that certain genders spoke in class,
(even if the participation was not on topic, or even classroom appropriate). Even those
few males who felt that females spoke more <strong>of</strong>ten then males, discounted the importance
<strong>of</strong> what the females had to say. One male student wrote that he felt females spoke more
<strong>of</strong>ten because, “they talk about lots <strong>of</strong> drama and their social things.” This male student

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 33
admitted that females may be more vocal in class, but he felt that they contributed
nothing positive to the classroom. Males tended to minimize the impact that females had
in the classroom, responding in ways which indicated that females were truly just “props”
within the classroom, while the males were the important players.
Female students
The females, while they still tended to respond with similar answers, worded it in
a much different format. The students tended to use no punctuation, and answer with little
to no elaboration, simply replying with the single word “male”. Those who did elaborate
tended to seem to almost question their own response when answering, with one female
student actually writing “Males-I think”. Despite the students being frequently reminded
that there were no wrong answers, as this was an opinion survey the student still seemed
to question the validity <strong>of</strong> her response. Even those few females who felt that males and
females spoke equally within the classroom seemed to use less aggressive language in
their explanations. One female student responded with, “Well, I think they both talk
because girls talk about what happened during the weekend, but boys talk too.” Even in a
response that solidifies female participation within the classroom the female student
words her response in such a way that it demonstrates a great uncertainty in her response.
Matthews noticed similar responses from her female subjects, summarizing in the end
that, “…girls were more likely to name both boys and girls as students who contributed to
class most.” (Matthews, 1998, p.58) Even in this example at the end <strong>of</strong> the <strong>school</strong> year,
where the girls felt relatively more comfortable participating in class, they still
acknowledge the important role that their male counterparts played within the classroom.

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 34
This is in direct contrast to the responses from the male participants who felt that females
contributed little to nothing to the classroom.
When I grow up I want to be…
Falling in line with other data that was gathered through this study, student’s
reflection on female’s life goals as well as their own life goals showed a dominating view
point towards that <strong>of</strong> stereotypical female roles. This aligns with the students viewpoints
<strong>of</strong> female characters in classroom <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong>. While many students recognized that
females might want to have a career and an education in the future, even more students
felt that getting married and having a family was imperative to a female’s happiness.
Males (when she grows up…)
Among the 41 male students that were surveyed, and answered the question
regarding females’ life goals, 23 <strong>of</strong> them had responses that clearly indicated the
importance <strong>of</strong> marriage and family. Of those 23 responses, 16 focused solely on females
getting married or having a family. One respondent stated that female’s life goals are to
“Marry a guy and have babies.” While this may be some females life goals, this also fits
within the stereotypical view point <strong>of</strong> what females life goals and future should be. Some
students even commented that looks should be the most important factor for female’s
future, “(females life goals are to) get married, have kids, and look good.” These types <strong>of</strong>
responses were shocking at first, but as the study progressed these answers became
common place. Even the few male participants who cited the importance <strong>of</strong> an education
or a career in a female’s future, tended to also cite the importance <strong>of</strong> having a family. The
most common response from those who cited the importance <strong>of</strong> a career in a female’s
future centered on getting a job and being a good wife and mother. The word choice that

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 35
the male respondents used when discussing females life goals when compared to what
they (males) saw as their own life goals was astoundingly different. When discussing
what females life goals should be they mostly discussed how the females needed to be a
good wife. The males seem to discuss the female’s accomplishments in view <strong>of</strong> how they
will impact others, almost as if the female’s goals are essentially to serve the males. In
direct contrast to this subservient attitude that the males have attached to the females, the
males seem to see themselves as dominate members <strong>of</strong> society.
Males (When I grow up…)
One could easily complete this subtitle with a litany <strong>of</strong> stereotypical male jobs,
and according to this study she would be correct. By and large the male participants who
completed this portion <strong>of</strong> the survey listed very stereotypical life goals that they had for
themselves, with only 6 <strong>of</strong> the 38 participants that completed this portion <strong>of</strong> the survey
even mentioning marriage or family in their responses. Many <strong>of</strong> the male participants
mentioned a life goal to play a pr<strong>of</strong>essional sport, or just simply to make a lot <strong>of</strong> money.
Those few who did mention getting married or having a family as one <strong>of</strong> their life goals
seemed to put it in as an after thought, never leading their response with talk <strong>of</strong> family or
marriage. One participant wrote, “Have a successful job and a family.” This response
summarizes all <strong>of</strong> the male responses that were given which mentioned family. All <strong>of</strong> the
respondents led with an answer that described either a job that would earn them a high
income, or just simply stated that they wanted to be rich. After establishing the
importance <strong>of</strong> making a sizeable income, those few male respondents that considered
family in their futures, would then mention having a family almost as an afterthought.
This is in direct contrast to what these students felt females futures should be centered on.

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 36
Females (When she grows up…)
The female’s responses were strikingly, and disturbingly, similar to that <strong>of</strong> their
male counterparts. Among the 33 female students that responded to the question
regarding female’s life goals, 17 responded in a manner that pointed towards
stereotypical roles for females. Of these 17, 8 had responses that focused solely on
females desire to marry and have a family. One female respondent responded with a
telling, “Have babies, get married. Girls are dumb.” Even the female participants
reflected on the fact that many <strong>of</strong> their peers strongly value conventional female roles,
while essentially ignoring other possible life goals. Many <strong>of</strong> the female students seemed
to be leaning towards the possibility that many <strong>of</strong> their female peers had been socialized
to believe that the only possible life goal one could have would be motherhood. This
finding correlates perfectly with the findings in Boston’s study. “Girls were socially
groomed by <strong>literature</strong> that emphasized domestic roles and virtue, thus providing an
appropriated guide for womanhood and motherhood.”(Boston & Baxley, 2007, 564)
Boston & Baxley found as well that female adolescents seem to be acculturated to the
stereotypical role that they are “supposed” to fill; most specifically females are <strong>taught</strong> to
focus on the goal <strong>of</strong> motherhood. Very generic answers were given by the few females
that did respond in a way that allowed females life goals outside <strong>of</strong> the traditional roles <strong>of</strong>
housewife and mother. The most common response from those who listed nontraditional
life goals for females was, “to be successful”. The female respondents seemed unwilling
or incapable <strong>of</strong> naming specific career paths that a female might take other then being a
stay at home mother. The results from the self-analysis <strong>of</strong> what their specific life goals
are were strikingly similar.

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 37
Females (When I grow up…)
Unfortunately, the female respondent’s future goals for themselves did not differ
greatly from the traditional roles they saw the majority <strong>of</strong> females working towards.
While the majority <strong>of</strong> the females who were surveyed stated that they saw themselves
working towards an education, or future career, most <strong>of</strong> these responses still fit within the
traditional roles, as they either: referred to a career that is female dominated (such as
teaching), were extremely generic, or were still dominated by the need to be a good wife
and have a family. “Studies show that because <strong>of</strong> society’s ascribed gender roles,
adolescent females, as a whole, experience loss <strong>of</strong> voice, self–confidence, and positive
feelings about themselves and seek identification and acceptance within specific groups”
(Boston & Baxley, 2007, 566) As Boston stated, and this study has emphasized, female
adolescents seem to be pointed towards only one possibility for their future, and because
<strong>of</strong> this they seem to feel less confident stating alternative life goals. This lack <strong>of</strong>
confidence was seen in this study not only through the female responses that indicated
being a mother or a housewife as a goal, but also through those females who indicated
alternative life goals.
Many females indicated that they would like to finish their education, though
most did not indicate a particular education level they wished to reach. Likewise, when
discussing goals outside <strong>of</strong> education the female respondents tended to give very general
responses about what their future should be. The majority <strong>of</strong> the respondents that
discussed life goals beyond completing an education, or becoming a housewife stated that
they wanted “to be happy” or “to be successful and happy”. The female respondents were
mostly unwilling to state a specific career goal. The few respondents who did state a
specific career goal picked careers that fit within the confines <strong>of</strong> what traditional female

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 38
roles should be (i.e.: mothering instinct, caring, compassion). Careers such as teaching or
being a pediatrician were the most commonly named careers. Both <strong>of</strong> these careers
exhibit the aforementioned characteristics.
These responses fell in line with the reactions to different characters in the <strong>school</strong>
<strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong>. While the students seemed to admire the male characters in texts such as
Romeo and Juliet, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Odyssey, and The Count <strong>of</strong> Monte Cristo
due in a large part to what the students perceived as brave and heroic acts, the females in
these same texts were seen as “idiotic” or a “tomboy” if they exhibited these same
characteristics. The characters that the female students did seem to empathize with were
the weak females, who played very traditional roles within the text. The student’s views
on gender roles within the text <strong>of</strong> the books they are reading, and the way in which they
see their own career goals are frighteningly similar. "In this way, texts help reinforce
gender assumptions, making them seem inevitable" (Wallowitz, 2004, 27) While both the
male and female respondents stated that males’ future goals should be either a heroic
pr<strong>of</strong>ession or one that makes a lot <strong>of</strong> money, they also said that females should
concentrate on being wives and mothers, just like the characters that they seem to admire
so much in the text.
Implications
This study gives a limited picture <strong>of</strong> how <strong>literature</strong> impacts student’s views on
gender roles. It documents that just by teaching novels with characters that fulfill
stereotypical gender roles, students are picking up on “good” and “bad” behaviors for
each gender. While this has been a long assumed issue, the surprising fact is that the
teachers who were surveyed did not seem to see these gender roles portrayed in their

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 39
classrooms. The students, however, clearly documented that how they feel that males
play a more dominant role not only in the classroom, but in society as a whole as well. As
teachers we must actively provide many different view points on female and male life
goals, so that students are not just reliant on those traditional gender roles.
One possible solution for this is to continue to teach the traditional novels, such as
To Kill a Mockingbird, Romeo and Juliet, The Odyssey, etc. but to teach them in a new
way. As Wallowitz (2004) showed in her classroom, students can be educated as to the
influence that these stereotypes are having on their outlook. By continuing to read classic
novels, students are reading texts that will most likely be used in the collegial level, as
well as allowing the teachers to make use <strong>of</strong> texts their <strong>school</strong> district currently has. This
method also allows students to learn to look critically at things they see, hear, as well as
read. This will help them to be aware <strong>of</strong> the influence that media can have on them, and
continually work to look critically at these Medias.
As well as teaching traditional books in a critical view point the teachers should
try and obtain some more modern texts that show characters in non-traditional gender
roles. If there are budgetary problems this can be accomplished by just supplementing the
traditional text with short stories that have characters in non-traditional gender roles. By
combining both a critical view on traditional texts as well as non-traditional texst students
will be able to see these characters in non-traditional gender roles can accomplish just as
much, and be seen as just as positive, as those characters in traditional gender roles. If the
teachers make students aware <strong>of</strong> the differences, and truly have them think about the
impacts <strong>of</strong> gender roles, the students will be able to make informed decisions about their

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 40
futures, as well as their judgments on others, not just fall into traditional roles and ideals
because that is all they are seeing.
Limitations
This study took place in one suburban high <strong>school</strong>, focusing on one teacher’s
ninth grade students. Furthermore, the surveys were all administered at the end <strong>of</strong> the
<strong>school</strong> year, so all <strong>of</strong> the students surveyed had read the same texts with the same teacher.
Additionally, all <strong>of</strong> the teachers that were surveyed worked in one <strong>school</strong>, though at
varying grade levels. Certainly a richer picture <strong>of</strong> <strong>literature</strong>’s influence on gendered
stereotypes could be gained by surveying students at multiple grade levels; however I
wanted to be able to focus on specific texts to get a more in-depth understanding on how
specific texts influence students views on gender roles. In the future, it would be
interesting to study the long term impacts <strong>of</strong> high <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> by interviewing
adult males and females in different career paths regarding what texts they read in high
<strong>school</strong>, and what they remember about the characters.
Conclusion
Many researchers have noted the negative self-images that female adolescents
have, but have been unable to pinpoint where these ideals are coming from. With this
study I have been able to determine that not only are gender biases a problem in the high
<strong>school</strong> classroom, but also that many <strong>of</strong> these gender biases are developing and being
reaffirmed through classroom <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong>. Unless teachers make an effort to
incorporate gender studies into their classroom, these gender biases will continue to hurt
our female adolescences and limit their options <strong>of</strong> future life goals and careers outside <strong>of</strong>
those few that fit within the traditional mold.

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>school</strong> <strong>taught</strong> <strong>literature</strong> 41
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