Chapter 5: Analysis of Findings
5.2 From Innocent to Mature: Ways of Becoming a Woman
This section aimed to provide a comparison and contrast of these awarded books in terms of their depictions of main characters and the place around her. It was notable that the settings of these stories differed a lot within different periods of time.
All of the selected books in the 1930s were set within America. In 1960s, only one book depicted stories outside of America and the number increased a lot during the 1990s. Table 5-2-1 provided the result of Pearson Chi-Square Test and showed that there was a big difference of place settings between these periods of time.
Table 5-2-1: Crosstabulation of Awarded Year & Place
MS3-Place
Total χ² p value Within America Other Countries
Year
1930 5 0 5
6.340 0.042*
1960 6 1 7
1990 7 8 15
Total 18 9 27
The increased number of place settings in other countries reflected the diversity of population in the United States and multiculturalism in its society. Figure 5-2-1 provided a diagram showing decade distribution of place setting these three periods.
The diversity of American culture was rooted from the composition of its population.
Immigrants to the United States increased steadily from 1951 to the end of 20th Century. Except for the increasing numbers of new comers from other country, population in the United States also increased by babies who were foreign born. The following table displayed numbers of immigration and foreign born from 1951 to 2000. The percentage of foreign born raised from 5.4% in the 1950s and peaked to 10.4%, and the numbers of foreign born increased more than three times. The following table showed the increasing rate of foreign born from 1951-2000 in the United States.
Table 5-2-2 Immigration and Foreign Born, 1951-2000 (in millions) Years Immigration Foreign Born Percentage of Foreign Born
1951-1960 2.5 9.7 5.4%
1961-1970 3.3 9.6 4.7%
1971-1980 4.5 14.1 6.2%
1981-1990 7.3 19.8 8.0%
1991-2000 8.4 29.3 10.4%
Adopted from Dictionary of American History, 3rd Edition, 2003
The emerging numbers of immigration and foreign born composed a society of different racial and ethnic groups.
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Figure 5-2-1 Decade Distribution of Place Setting
The term multiculturalism appeared in American press in the early 1970s and with the diversity of population composition in the 1990s, the term were used to fulfill
“America’s quest for equality of racial and ethnic groups and women” and some even treated it as “the subversion of the nation’s unifying values” (Dictionary of American History 2003, p.473). It was notable that as the United States became the world’s largest military force, this nation enjoyed a prosperous and powerful decade during the 1990s. During this time, equity in family, education and personal rights were improved tremendously. This powerful nation attracted a lot of immigrants from different nations and with respect to people with various ethnic backgrounds, the United States was entering an age of multiculturalism.
The Newbery award winning books reflected the composition of population from the early decade of 1930s, during that time most of the population was composed by European immigrants and the nation’s major concern was on how to make the land they were on a better place. The diversity of population in the 1990s urged both the writers and the committee to produce female protagonists from various ethnic backgrounds in this decade.
After running Pearson Chi-Square Tests, items of manifest content for main characters did not show significant difference during the 1930s, the 1960s and the 1990s. All books selected described about female protagonists in school and adolescent age, and most of the girls were from family belong to the middle class.
People from upper or lower class were depicted sometimes, but the majority of them represented the main stream of the society: middle class. As for the item of parents, though there was no significant difference showing from Pearson Test, the percentage of family with both parents was decreasing. Table 5-2-3 showed the relations between awarded year and parents conditions of the main characters’ families.
Table 5-2-3 Crosstabulation of Awarded Year & MP3
In the 1930s, the percentage of main characters coming from families with both parents was 80%; in the 1960s, the percentage reduced to 57.14%, and the percentage reduced to as low as 40% in 1990s, only half of the percentage comparing to the 1930s. On the other hand, the percentage of families of single-parent was increasing.
None of the main characters of the 1930s in selected books were from family with single-parent, but 28.57% of the female protagonists in the 1960s were with only one parent, and the percentage went up to 40% in 1990s. Figure 5-2-2 displayed decade of family condition in terms of parents.
Besides, all of the single-parent families were caused by the death of father or mother.
None of them were rooted from divorce or separation of parents. Almost all of the Figure 5-2-2 Decade Distribution of Family Condition -- Parents
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female protagonists came from families with parents loving each other, no matter being alive or not. Quarrels between parents of main characters were not mentioned.
Lost of family members occurred most often by losing mothers, death of mother and child-bearing were linked.
Latent Content: Personal Issues
Female protagonists in the selected periods were described as basically strong and stable. No significant difference between decades was found though there was little difference from decade to decade. Basically, the female protagonists in the three periods were strong, active, and mentally stable. Girls who were vulnerable in physical status were also depicted as mentally unstable. But all were presented as comforting, selfless, caring, and nurturing with significant achievement in academic/
intellectual perspectives. It was found that female protagonists in the 1930s were expected by the family to act like a lady and were urged to engage in traditional female jobs. But being survival was even more important than being like a lady. Girls were allowed to act like boys when it comes to the issue of survival in the 1930s.
This changed a little bit when it came to the 1960s. Only one female protagonist planned to engage in traditional female job, teaching. As for the other six female main characters, three of them did not show special interest or encouraged by the elders about future career; one was engaging in a man’s job (Karan) and the other two planned to have jobs like a lawyer (Claudia) or a scientist (Meg). Female protagonists became more independent and were allowed to have more choices in selecting jobs.
As for female protagonists in the 1990s, no significance on this part had been displayed for only two of them faced the problem of choosing future career. One decided to be a midwife (Alyce), a traditional female job and the other flew to the ship and became a sailor (Charlotte).
The descriptions of female protagonists did not show big difference in terms of personal issues. Generally speaking, they were physically strong and mentally steady.
Although some of them might appear to be vulnerable and emotionally unsteady, female protagonists were all caring and nurturing. Besides, these main characters seemed to be allowed to have more freedom and choices for their future career in the 1960s, it was not remarkable in the 1990s.
Latent Content: Developmental Issues
This part aimed to explore the inner part of these main characters. Since initiation and growing-up was the eternal theme for young adult novels (Chang, 1998, 2007), it was found that all of the female protagonists experienced similar passage of internal development in their passage to grow up. They all explored different alternatives before making final commitment and completed most of the tasks successfully. They did show low self-esteem during adolescent age and most of them completed tasks by receiving help from others. It seemed that they were having a similar way of growing up. But when the researcher looked further into the texts, it was found there were differences for these young ladies to build their self identities in different decade.
In the 1930s, female protagonists adopted values from their parents and were growing up to become adults once when they were accustomed to the role assigned to them by the family or by the society. They wanted to be appreciated by others, especially by their fathers or other elders and were eager to show they were capable of being part of the society. The 1960s showed a little bit difference. Girls in this decade built self-identity by making themselves differ from others or by being as the same as their peers. Though these two types seemed to be opposite at first sight, they all based on the standard of social value. Being different from others or being the same as
others were ways showing evaluations from other’s eyes. Thus it was concluded that female protagonists in the thirties and sixties found their own value by coping with patriarchal values.
For females in the nineties, a new alternative of establishing self-identity was presented. Knowing one’s own value was the most important part of self-identity for girls in this decade. They had to recognize their own values, to know who they really were and to value themselves as who they were, not as who others thought they were.
The inner part was so important that even when they had to be forced into a totally patriarchal system (Shabanu and Catherine), they had to keep this part to themselves.
In other words, while female protagonists in the thirties and sixties recognized themselves from the eyes of main stream of the society, female main characters in the nineties established their own identities by escaping from patriarchy.
From innocent to mature, these female protagonists’ quest revealed different ways of growing up. For girls in the thirties, coping with social values and be useful for the society was important to prove that they were capable of fulfilling duties as adults. They had to be accustomed to the roles assigned to or expected by the social values. Girls in the 1960s appeared to be more flexible and enjoyed much freedom in appearance, but actually they still lived under social expectation. It was in the nineties that the female protagonists were taught to value themselves as what they really were, not as a subordinate of others.
5.3 Images of Main Adviser
Main advisers served as a guide in the journey of the protagonists and helped them to know better about themselves. The images of main advisers differed from decade to decade. This section would examine adviser images from the manifest content and latent content.
Manifest Content
Two of the female protagonists in the 1960s did not have main advisers. One was because she was isolated on an island (Karan) and the other was because no significant adult appeared to be her adviser (Elizabeth). There was big difference of main advisers in the three selected periods of time. In the 1930s, 80% of the main advisers for young females in the selected books were male adults. On the contrary, all of the advisers turned to be females in the 1960s. No male adult was presented in this decade for books featured female main characters. In the 1990s, female advisers outnumbered male advisers in a significant percentage. Table 5-3-1 showed the result of Pearson Chi-Square Test.
Table 5-3-1 Crosstabulation of Awarded Year & MA2
Gender
Total χ² p value
Male Female
Awarded Year
1930 4 1 5
7.081 0.029*
1960 0 5 5 1990 6 9 15
Total 9 16 25
Gender distribution of main advisers in these three decades showed that there was big difference from decade to decade. The overwhelming victory of male advisers in the thirties was defeated completely by female advisers in the sixties. But the extremely imbalance swung a little bit to the middle in the nineties. Though the number of male advisers was still much less than the number of female advisers, men still occupied a space in this status during this decade.
The above figure showed gender distribution of main advisers in different decade.
Comparing to the thirties and the sixties, the nineties was the most balanced decade with gender distribution of main advisers.
For each decade, main advisers, like the female protagonists, mainly came form middle class. Some of them were from upper class and some are from lower class, but no significant difference was found between these decades. For relation with main characters, parents, relatives and others were all possible sources of main advisers. It was notable that none of the selected books described main advisers as the teacher of the female protagonist. Table 5-3-2 listed the interrelation between awarded year and relation of main advisers with main characters.
Table 5-3-2 Crosstabulation of Awarded Year & MA4 Relation with main character
Figure 5-3-1 Gender Distribution of Main Advisers
Except for the two young ladies in the 1960s who relied on either herself or in the little world with her best friend, there were totally twenty-five female protagonists in the selected books. None of them counted on the teacher’s advice to go through the difficulties of adolescent period and none of the teachers in these books was important enough to be main advisers for these girls who were in the age of school education.
Figure 5-3-2 exhibited percentages of main adviser’s relation with main character in selected books.
As shown from the figure above, relatives were the major source of main adviser.
Parents, neighbors or even others the protagonists met in their quest might become important guide for them. But teachers were excluded from this category. Though teachers did appear in some of the books, the illustrations of teachers were flat and without significant importance. The teacher of Lucinda (RS, 1937) took care of her during her one year orphanage, but she was inspired more by uncle Earle rather than by the lovely and patient teacher. Aunt Claudia, main adviser of Julie (UR, 1967), was a teacher, but she was presented more as Julie’s relative than being her teacher.
Hillary (AE, 1990), Summer (MM, 1993), Yolonda (YG, 1996), Gypsy (PB, 1997), Billie Jo (OD, 1998) were all described during their school age but teachers in these
Relative 44.0%
Teacher 0.0%
Parent 24.0%
Others 32.0%
Figure 5-3-2 Main Adviser’s Relation with Main Character
books were not described as important as a significant character in the female protagonists’ life.
Latent Content
This part examined the characteristics of main advisers, including illustrations of their physical and mental status, their influence and help for the main characters and the jobs they were engaged in.
The physical statuses of main advisers in these three decades were described differently. Advisers in the thirties appeared to be strong, brave, and independent while advisers in the sixties and nineties were less capable. Table 5-3-3 showed that there were significant differences between illustrations of physical status for advisers in different decade.
Table 5-3-3 Crosstabulation between Awarded Year & LA1
Physical Status
Total χ² p value.
strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree
Year
1930 0 0 0 1 4 5
15.757 0.046*
1960 0 1 2 2 0 5
1990 1 4 3 6 1 15
Total 1 5 5 9 5 25
One of the major reasons might be that most of the main advisers in the thirties were males while females became dominant characters in the later years. Thus a test was conducted to review the relations between gender and descriptions of physical status.
Table 5-3-4 below showed that there was no significant difference between gender and the description of physical status.
Table 5-3-4 Crosstabulation between Gender & LA1
Physical status
Total χ² p value strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree
MA2 Male 0 4 0 4 1 9
8.399 0.078
Female 1 1 5 5 4 16
Total 1 5 5 9 5 25
It was then concluded that main advisers appeared to be more vulnerable and mentally unstable in the sixties and nineties. No matter being male or female, the main advisers were not presented as strong and capable as they were portrayed in the early days. The decline of physical status was not resulted from gender change, not because most of the advisers appeared to be female in the sixties and nineties, but because adults were described to be weaker even they are males, and the hierarchical relation between main advisers and they young heroines were eliminated gradually.
It was also true for the descriptions of their mental status. While advisers in the thirties always remained stable and reliable, advisers in the sixties and nineties were not as steady as advisers in the thirties. Table 5-3-5 showed the results between awarded year and mental status of the advisers.
Table 5-3-5 Crosstabulation between Awarded Year & LA2
Mental Status
Total χ² p value strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree
Year
Again, since gender might be the key factor of such a result, Pearson Test was then conducted to examine the relations between gender and mental status. No significant difference was found in this test.
Table 5-3-6 Crosstabulation between Gender & LA2 Mental Status
Total χ² p value strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree
MA2 Male 0 2 0 6 1 9
5.374 0.251
Female 0 1 0 9 6 16
Total 0 3 0 15 7 25
As a result, it was found main advisers were described less strong, active and steady in the nineties than in the thirties. There was a trend of weaker advisers than strong advisers for the female protagonists. Gender had no relation with the advisers’ being less active and unsteady.
As for influence and help, the physical and mental status of main advisers did not block their assistance toward the main characters. Either being strong or not, main advisers showed great influence and help to the female main characters. Besides, the jobs for main advisers focused mainly on independent jobs, no matter being male or female.
It was revealed that main advisers turn from strong and capable figure into someone who was more equal to the main advisers. The status and description of main advisers had no relation with change of gender. Male advisers in the nineties were also presented less capable than their rivals in the thirties.
5.4 Images of Major Companions
Major companion was the best friend of the female protagonist or the one who was very close with the main character. These two were about the same ages so that
they could share thoughts and feelings together. Two of the main characters (Karan and Nhamo) were described as so independent and lonely that they had no friend with them in their journey of establishing self-identity. So totally there would be 25 characters fitted into the description of major companion.
Manifest Content
Major companions tended to be males in the selected books. No significant difference was found according to decade distribution. In 1960s, male companions were as many as female companions while for the thirties and the nineties, male partners outnumbered female partners. Table 5-4-1 showed the distribution of male and female companions spreading in three decades and the result of Chi-Square.
Table 5-4-1 Crosstabulation of Awarded Year & MC2
Gender
Total χ² p value Male Female
Awarded Year
1930 3 2 5
0.880 0.644
1960 3 3 6
1990 10 4 14
Total 16 9 25
Economic conditions of major companions appeared to be a little bit lower when comparing with economic conditions of main characters. Most of the main characters were described as girls from middle class, but their companions were from both middle class and lower class. In fact, with six of the main characters described as ladies of upper class, only one of their best friends belonged to the upper class.
Though most of the companions appeared to be male, these boys were presented to be inferior to the girls they accompanied with in terms of economic condition. Table
Though most of the companions appeared to be male, these boys were presented to be inferior to the girls they accompanied with in terms of economic condition. Table