What Women Want: From Romance Novels to Oprah's Talk Show

Janice A. Radway’s “Women Read the Romance” provides a detailed account of why women read romance novels. Through talking with bookstore employee Dot Evans and interviewing her customers who frequently read romances, Radway explains that women mostly read romance novels as a way to escape. She goes on to clarify that women seek to flee from their mundane roles as mother and wife (typically, romance readers are middle-class, married, mothers). Additionally, women who are dissatisfied with their husband or boyfriend at the time find the perfect male through reading. They live vicariously through the life of the heroine and take a “small vacation from everyday life” (69). The text continues by describing romance books as barriers between themselves and the outside world. Women feel the need to believe in a fairy tale and look forw

ard to curling up with a novel. According to Radway, most women believe books provide a better alternative to television because books are “educational” and contain greater cultural value. Overall, women enjoy reading romances because they provide them with the illusion of safety and security through a powerful but sensitive male figure and because they provide the reader with hope, pleasure and happiness. Women would rather read about the deep, emotional connection between a woman and man then read about explicit sexuality. Despite the fact that most romances progress and end in the same way, women still turn to them when their marriage fails to “address all their (emotional) needs” (75). The image I chose represents the desire women feel to “escape.” It involves the perfect hero (in this case, a man who can dance) and conveys beautiful images of mermaids and hammocks on the beach. The hammock even says “perfect bliss” on it, signifying that this scenario is flawless compared to the faults of everyday life. When you look at this woman, you don’t think “mother” or “wife.” You think of a completely relaxed woman who’s found exactly what’s she’s looking for. Perhaps that is the feeling women seek when they settle down with a good romance novel in hand.

Sujata Moorti’s “Cathartic Confessions of Emancipatory Texts? Rape Narratives on The Oprah Winfrey Show” also deals with women’s issues. This text includes an ongoing debate about how significant Oprah’s show is, and in what ways. On one hand, the show provides women with the chance to voice their experiences (in this case, the reading primarily deals with rape victims). It allows for debate over controversial topics, such as date rape, and often follows a problemàsolution format. Oprah’s show is significantly different from the news because she focuses on individuals and their personal experiences rather than a general issue. However, Oprah still backs up her points with statistics and research. Also unlike the news, Oprah discusses the emotional toll that crimes such as rape take. Additionally, she tries to provide rebuttals to her arguments. For example, she had an accused male rapist on the show to discuss the male perspective. Nonetheless, the show is targeted so obviously for women. This fact, in combination with the fact that the show does not always focus on serious issues, urges some critics to dismiss the show as nothing more than a platform for conservation and debate. Such critics advocate that most of what the show does is simply to “get an audience” (523). Overall, it seems like “The Oprah show” helps empower women through voicing individual stories, providing possible solutions and general advice, and by promoting learning and discussion on to women-related issues. I picked the displayed image because much of this reading focuses on the importance of communication. For example, many people involved with rape said one of the main causes was miscommunication, or lack of communication altogether. Additionally, by conversing and debating, people can learn the difference between myth and reality. For example, many people believe that strangers conduct the majority of rapes. Oprah disproves this by bringing in people who have been raped by people they know and backing up her argument with facts and data.