Radway’s article describes how many women, left less than satisfied with the state of their marriages (or lives), utilize romance novels as a means of escape. The women who contributed to Radway's article all agreed: romance novels gave them a break, allowing them to relax by filling them with feelings of contentment and hope (that their own relationships will one day be as happy). These novels provide respite for the women of Smithton, allowing them a brief escape from the banalities of their lives- unfulfilling housework, being a perpetually on-call “mom taxi”, condescending interrogations from their husbands (I’m the breadwinner, what did you do all day?)- thankless duties that they are obligated to fulfill based on their role as a loving mother and wife. Sounds like fun! However mindless or vapid these romance novels actually are (I’m not buying the whole “any-reading-is-educational” thing), they serve a purpose for these women: a moment of silence, solitude, and immersion in a fantasy world where men are gentle, eloquent and shirtless. Desire for this type of “escape” might seem unhealthy, but could it just be because these are mothers and wives? Are they expected to silently endure, acting only as the caretaker and nurturer that a “good wife” is supposed to be? Plenty of other people have hobbies, other means of escape or distraction from their everyday lives, and these women should be afforded the same luxury.
This article reminded me of the Kids in the Hall movie, Brain Candy, released and subsequently ignored by most of the public sometime in the mid-1990s. Brain Candy tells the story of a pharmaceutical company that releases a new "miracle drug", an anti-depressant that allows its users to capture the joy of their happiest memory. Things go awry when the drug has an unforeseen consequence - some users may become permanently stuck in their memory. Escape from the stressors and depression of everyday life has become a trap, however happy it might seem. While the premises are obviously different, there is a common thread: these women immerse themselves in these fantasies to make them happy, but to what extent does fantasizing - living in one's head, literally or figuratively - cause damage? Could these women become trapped within their fabricated reality? Literally, obviously not, but perhaps in a way that leaves them perpetually dissatisfied with their real lives.
The video only shows her being "trapped" at the very end...the age/relative obscurity of this movie made finding a clip a little difficult...!
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