Chick Lit Group

7/21/2019 Chick Lit Group

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Chick Lit


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I. Introduction


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Statement of theProblem

This report seeks to analyze the image of theFilipino oman through the emerging Chick Litgenre by comparing Tara FT Sering!s to books"#$lmost %arried# and #&eteen 'inner and the%orning $fter#. This report aims to analyze thePhilippine Chick lit genre as a medium thatrepresents the modern Filipina. &y tracing thehistory of Chick Lit through its foreign roots(analyzing the books! themes( characteristics( andarchetypes( disco)ering ho it is made to cater totheir audience( and determining the ideologies and

con)entions present( this report ould like todisco)er if these books truly represent a progressiveand independent image of a Filipino Woman or dothey merely reinforce traditional and patriarchalviews on what a Filipino woman should be.


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*rganization ofStudy

I. Introduction $. Statement of the Problem

&. *rganization of the Study

Issues

Scope and Limitations

'e+nition of Terms

II. Conte,t

$. -istory and &ackground

Conceptual Frameork

III. Comparison of $lmost %arried and &eteen 'inner and the%orning $fter

I. $nalysis

. Conclusion


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Issues

Patriarchal society

%an is seen as superior to oman

/oman as 0incomplete1

%arriage 2or ha)ing a boyfriend3 )ersussinglehood

/oman as ob4ects

Crimes against omen( omen as somethingthat completes men( 4obs that make theminto ob4ects


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Scope andLimitations

This paper aims to analyze the image ofthe modern Filipino oman as deemed bythe emerging Chick Lit genre bycomparing Tara FT Sering1s to books"

#$lmost %arried# and #&eteen 'innerand the %orning $fter#.

$nalysis on the modern Filipino oman isbased on the local Chick Lit genre1s targetaudience( ho are mostly comprised ofyoung( urban( 6nglish7 speaking( loer toupper middle class female readers.


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Defnition o Terms

Patriarchy 8 The notion that the oman should besubmissi)e to men. %en should be the breadinners. Theoman1s role is to bear children. 2itug3

Traditional oman 8 *ften associated ith the %aria Clara

here the oman is )irtuous( obedient and submissi)e.2*piniano3

%odern Filipino oman7 9oung professionals in theirtenties and thirties ho are na)igating through urbanlife hile facing issues about relationships( career( familyand lo)e. 2Tara Sering3

Chick literature or :chick lit; 8 a term commonly used todescribe a subgenre of no)els about omen struggling tobalance their careers and their personal relationships.2Ferriss and 9oung(


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C*=T6>T


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-istory and&ackground

Three ob4ecti)es according to the thesis statement

This report seeks to analyze the emerging PhilippineChick Lit genre as medium that represents the %odernFilipina

This report seeks to analyze the image of the Filipinarepresented in the emerging Philippine Chick Lit genreby comparing to of Tara FT Sering1s books" $lmost%arried and &eteen 'inner and the %orning $fter

This report ould like to disco)er if these books trulyrepresent a progressi)e and independent image of aFilipina or do they merely reinforce traditional andpatriarchal )ies on hat a Filipina should be.


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?. This report seeks to analyzethe emerging Philippine Chick

Lit genre as medium that

represents the %odern Filipina


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What is Chick Lit?

=e Literary Form in /omen1s Fiction

$chie)ed immense popularity andcommercial success


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The Debate about Chick Lit

disdain 2dismissal as tri)ial( frothy( andantifeminist3 )s. respect 2+ction that represents

the modern and contemporary oman3 $nti Chick Lit

$nna /einberg" :Inside their dust 4acketsco)ered ith shopping bags( martini glasses(shoes( or purses( many of these titles really are

trash" Trash that imitates other( better books thatcould ha)e ushered a ne a)e of smart postfeminist riting;

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&eryl &ainbridge on Chick Lit" :Froth sort ofthing that 4ust astes time.;

'oris Lessing" :It ould be better( perhaps( iffemale no)elists rote books about their li)es

as they really sa them and not thesehelpless girls( drunken( and orrying abouttheir eight.;

Pro7Chick Lit @enny Colgan 2*n &ridget @ones3" :It1s a terri+c

book and it has sold more than to millioncopies. They ha)e not all been bought bylo)elorn single omen in London;

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-elen Fielding" :Sometimes I ha)e peoplegetting their knickers in tist about &ridget@ones being a disgrace to feminism. &ut it1sgood being able to represent omen as they

actually are in the age they are li)ing. If ecan1t laugh at oursel)es ithout ha)ing apanic attack o)er hat it says about omen(e ha)en1t gone )ery far ith our eAuality. :

$leisa -olliday" :/hat frightens me about thesle of articles trashing the ne Chick Litgenre is the subtle se,ist bias in all of them.;

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Why is this there a debate?

(A Short History o Chick Lit) Chick Lit adapted many literary traditions.Chick Lit1s connection to these traditions ill

help clarify its place in literary history and thereaction in pro)okes.

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Prose Bomance

Bomance" term that has been used at dierenttimes to refer to a )ariety of Fictional orks

in)ol)ing some combination of the folloing"high ad)enture( tharted lo)e( mysteriouscircumstance and improbable triumphs

First e,clusi)ely used to refer to medie)alromances 2or chi)alric romances3 ritten inFrench and composed in )erse

These narrati)es ere often concerned ithknightly ad)enture( courtly lo)e( and chi)alricideals

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Prose Bomance spurned debate amongits contemporaries o)er the omanriter1s moral and +nancial status as

ell as the genre1s readers Bichard Cumberland 2?DE( 'ramatist3

@ohn Trumbull 2?DD


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=o)el 'isplacement of the Prose Bomance 2


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Popular Bomance Chick Lit is also linked to the popular romance

because of Chick Lit!s roots in commodity

Paul Hrescoe 2K?D( %erchants of enus3e,amined -arleAuin publishing and impliedthat :does not so much creates no)els but tosell them;

Popular romance is usually characterized by

Lo)e story as the central focus 6nd emotionally satisfying clima, that

resol)es the lo)es story

Traditional romance narrati)e"

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*+ST,-. -/ CH,C0 L,T

Traditional or ,deal !s#1odern or Sub!ersi!e

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Chick Lit1s )alue is under debate.

gi)en Chick Lit1s connections ith the Prose Bomance(the =o)el 2feminine one3( and the Popular Bomance( itis gendered as ell and sub4ected to traditional )ies.

$ssociated ith /omen" fri)olous( sentimental( frothy(commercial( arti+cial (silly

Chick Lit )s. Traditional Bomance"

:responds to the uphea)als in dating and mating orderthrough a mi, strategy of dramatization( farce( and satire;2


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unlike earlier generations( omen protagonistsha)e the right to choose. =o the problem is toomany choices 2e,. Carrie &radsha1s dilemma inone episode of Se, and the City3

%r. Bight 2romance3 )s. %r. Bight( %r. /rong or %r. %aybe

Priority" self de+nition( balancing of ork andsocial interaction is gi)en PBI*BIT9 or eAualattention ith the relationship conMict

6)en if usually the books culminate in marriage( Singularity isgi)en a more positi)e conte,t 2before"incompletenessJbarrenness after" readiness( openness(and self suciency3

%ore realistic portrayal of single life( dating( e,ploring(dissolution of romantic ideals

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K. This report seeks to analyzethe image of the Filipina

represented in the emergingPhilippine Chick Lit genre bycomparing to of Tara FT

Sering1s books" $lmost %arriedand &eteen 'inner and the%orning $fter

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&ringing the Chick Lit genre in a localconte,t

/ho is Tara SeringN

Osing the con)entions of Chick Lit( sheadapted the genre for the Philippineaudience

The book supposedly set the tone for thekind of riting that ould come to beknon as Philippine Chick Lit 2Santiago3

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'ierent %arketJ $udience 'ierent market from the Philippine popular

romance such as alentine Bomance orPrecious Petal Bomance

Targeted for the middle class Filipina Sering set the standard for a realist reckoning

of ho middle class Pinays li)e and are merry(ho they may become miserable andinconsolable( ho they struggle ith societyand learn to deal ith it( and ho they go

through a process of +nding themsel)es gi)enthose limitations 2Santiago3

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Philippine Chick Lit is characterized as

Pinay ho( for the +rst time( is oning thechick label and li)ing it out on her on terms(ith her on money( ithin her on spaces. Italmost seems as if the man is secondary2Santiago3

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TheoreticalFrameork

Simone de &eau)oir1s The Second Sex The /oman is alays the

*ther in opposition to %an1s Self.

%an essential( complete( supreme/oman inessential( incomplete(

subordinate

%yth of the :6ternal Feminine;

/oman1s essence her ability to

gi)e birth

'eny oman1s indi)iduality

$rchet pes of


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$rchetypes of/omen

In order to reduce the )alue of the /oman( she isgi)en roles to ful+ll.

Ideal /oman

Seetheart( /ife(%other( -ouseife

Passi)e( obedient( resourceful

Sub)ersi)e /oman7%istress( Prostitute( *ther /oman(Femme Fatale7Bebellious( e,cessi)e( 'estroyer


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$rchetypes of /omen in

Chick Lit

In chick lit( the /oman S66%S to sub)ertthe image of the Ideal /oman

Independent( asserti)e( se,ually liberated(

has a successful career

&ut is this trueN

Her success is still 2uded by $hat1an dictates

%$L6 H$6


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$rchetypes of /omen 8

Chick Lit

-er contentment still lies in the %an

She still ends up married in the end

6)en if she is more liberated( she isstill a product of a male dominatedsociety

/oman is still the *ther


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$nalysis/hy Chick lit appeals to Filipino omen

$lmost %arried


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$lmost %arried2Synopsis3

$fter ha)ing e,perienced a failed engagement( Qaren( a KEyear old copyriter( has once again found bliss in the armsof her ne boyfriend( &ert Beyno. -e is the perfect guy forher 7 seet( funny and does e)erything to please her. Theiryear old relationship as going great until &ert +nallyproposed to Qaren. She felt that it as :too good to betrue;. -oe)er( she had doubts that this relationship mightend up the ay it did before ith her pre)iousengagement.

/ith &ert1s proposal( memories of Qaren1s past relationshipith %iko 2her old boyfriend3 all come back to her( hichmade her decide to go on a soul7searching trip to &oracay.-oe)er( this didn1t do any good. %any Auestions cameinto Qaren1s mind" /as &ert really sincere ith hisproposalN Is &ert really the lo)e of her lifeN This soul7searching trip is her path into trying to look for ansers toher Auestions.


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'ays after Qaren1s trip( she +nds herself back in %anilaand in the company of &ert. &ased on hat she hase,perienced( she then realizes ho much lo)e she hasfor &ert and that he really is the perfect guy for her.

$fter the long ait( Qaren and &ert e)entually decideto get married.

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&eteen 'inner and the

%orning $fter 2Synopsis3 $bigail Cortes 2$bi3 as about to lea)e for San Francisco

hen +)e random strangers con)ince her to tra)el ith themto the same destination the ne,t day instead of tra)eling thatnight. She then spends the rest of the night sharing personalstories ith each other hile gimmicking in %alate.

Prior to the aforementioned e)ents( $bi as in a relationshipith Cris( her banker boyfriend of to years hom she nolonger feels in lo)e ith. *ne day( she recei)es an email from@uno( an architect based in San Francisco hom $bi met 2andfell in lo)e ith3 in 'umaguete eight years before. -issucceeding e7mails rekindle feelings she once had for him77

hich lead her to break up ith Cris 2despite her family!s andfriends! e,pectations3( resign from her 4ob( and take a chanceto meet 2and possibly get together3 ith him in San Francisco.


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/hen $bi arri)es in San Francisco( she and @uno catchup on hat had happened in the eight years they hadnot met. /ithin the con)ersation( @uno mentions that agirl he had been seeing casually got pregnant 2and

that he ill be a father.3

In the end( $bi and @uno ne)er get together( but $bitakes it ith stride( thinking that :$ll those strangersshe met took risks much bigger than abandoning a

4ob...and Mying halfay around the orld 4ust to knoif she as meant to be ith someone.;


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Themes and $nalyses Lo)e and relationships

Almost 1arried3stay ande!entually etmarried

4ein theother' a$omancom%letes aman $hileshe hersel isincom%lete

(Simone de4eau!oir)#

4et$een Dinner3 nomarriae'inde%endence

Qaren e)entuallymarries &ert at the end

of the no)el.

$bi re4ects Cris1marriage proposalR

lea)es him for a chance


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'ualities

Lo)e and Belationships

Qaren( although she is in amonogamous relationship ith &ert( still

thinks of other men. $bi( though she later on chooses to

lea)e Cris( attempted to sa)e herrelationship by going on a )acation ith

Cris in 'umaguete.


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Career

Almost 1arried3Loss o career

as a result othe dro$nin oselhood (de4eau!oir)

4et$een Dinner3 asassertion o

inde%endence

Qaren and @anice are+red from their 4obsbecause of relationships.

$bi resigns from :a4obshe hates anyay; for achance to be ith @uno.


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Career Qaren( though her being +red from her 4ob

makes her return to the traditional roles of

the oman( she still shos herindependence by saying to her boss thatshe ill become an entrepreneur.

$bi passes up the opportunity to pursue her

dream in order to pursue someone sheants to be ith. -ad she attained hatshe anted( she ould1)e reinforced theideal role of oman as seetheart.


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Se, Life"

Almost 1arried3 se5

$ith %ur%ose'monoamy

4et$een Dinner3 se5

as %astime (or no se5at all)

Se, for procreation( se,beteen lo)ers

$bi fails to ha)e se, ithCris 2tice3 due to hisork. Bosa1s 0friends

ith bene+ts1relationship.


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Se, Life

Though Qaren and &ert practice monogamy hen itcomes to se,( there ere times herein se, asn1t sotraditional1super P'$1( thinking of other men( &ert

)arying his 0style1 to match Qaren1s mood. $lthough the se, in Bosa1s and $bi1s relationship iscasual( they only engages in it ith one personR /hen sheas ith Cris( she ne)er had se, ith anyone else. &ackhen $bi as ith @uno( she ne)er had se, ith himshemade out ith him instead.


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'e)elopment as a person

Almost 1arried3 otherto ideal

4et$een Dinner3 idealto other

Karen gets married in theend.

Abi has a boyfriend and yetshe chooses to break upwith him and follow her ownpath


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'e)elopment of the person

The protagonists and the process theygo through in +nding themsel)es both

ha)e ideal and sub)ersi)emanifestations. It is through them thatthey ould embody one side.


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Friendship

Almost 1arried3listenin to riends

4et$een Dinner3 notlistenin to riends

Qaren goes on a soul7searching trip ends upith &ert

$bi asserts hat sheants instead of doinghat friends aread)ising her to do.


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Friendship

The protagonists1 friendspresumablyof their age rangeuphold the )ies of

the patriarchy. In :&eteen 'inner;( it is the +)e

strangers 2four are of a dierentgeneration than her3 she meets ho

encourage her to pursue hat sheants.


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$rchetypes

$lmost %arried

0*ther &ecoming the Ideal1 2Qaren3

/ife 2Tonette3

%other 2Tita %yrna3

Femme Fatale 2$ngelina @olly3


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&eteen 'inner

0The Ideal &ecoming The *ther1 2$bi3

Seetheart 2Tuesday3

Prostitute 2Bosa3

I Chick lit is presented to


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I. Chick lit is presented to

omen in certain ays

a. Co)er art" /omen in designer fashion(high heels( cosmetics( omencarrying shopping bags( omen

shopping 2Ferris U 9oung ?K3.b. %arket" middle7class omen orking

omen in their KG1s to


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I. Chick lit is presented to omen in

certain aysd. =ot :comple, and hea)y handed; 2Ferris U 9oung ?V3

i. Features elements from omen1s daily li)es 2Ferris U 9oung ?VK3

?. Perceptions of the genre 2Ferris U 9oung VE3

K. %an in relation to the outside orld. /omen in relation to %an.

ii. Formulaic elements 2Ferris U 9oung VW3

?. Formulaic characteristics 2Ferris U 9oung VW3

K. Static U predictable. 2Ferris U 9oung ?V3


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p p

their hidden needs ithin a Patriarchal

society

a. Se,ual fantasies

i. $bi attempted to ha)e se,ual intercourse ith

her steady boyfriend to spice up theirrelationship.

ii. Qaren and her boyfriend( &ert( perform se,ualintercourse regularly.

iii. Chick lit female characters freely talk about se,

i). Se, Scenes

). Be4ection of the Ideal

II. c 7 t a os F p no /omen to


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p

e,press their hidden needs ithin a

Patriarchal societyb. &eauty U Flas

i. $bi and Qaren ere both described as

young and attracti)e omen but notdrop7dead gorgeous.

ii. $ttracti)e enough to be admired but nottoo beautiful to be resented 2Ferris U

9oung W3.

iii. 6ndearing faults 2Ferris U 9oung K3.

II. Chick7lit allos Filipino /omen to e,press


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societyc. Career

i. Illustrations

ii. The careers of the protagonists are not central to the story.

2Ferris U 9oung 3

iii. The protagonists1 relationship problems often interfere iththeir performances at ork.

?. Illustrations

i). /omen ho are career7oriented are regarded as anomalies 2San@uan ?XG3

). :Labor poer became entirely male7oriented.; 2San @uan ?X3



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societyd. Lu,ury

i. Qey scenes that change the course of

the plot usually take place in bars.

ii. $cts of reMection and discernment areusually held in their apartments(

hotels( cafY1s and restaurants usuallyith their friends.



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societye. Friends

i.The protagonists in $lmost %arried U&eteen 'inner and the %orning $fter2Qaren and $bi( respecti)ely3( bothha)e an eccentric group of friendshom they dra their strength from.

ii. These peer groups pro)ideindependence from their parents2Ferris U 9oung ??3.



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societyf. Lo)e

i. /omen as acti)e characters in lo)e and relationships2Ferris U 9oung VW3.

?. Illustrations

ii. The security of marriage

?. Illustrations

iii. /oman1s contentment still lies in man

III $re omen1s desires


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III. $re omen s desires

sub)ersi)e or progressi)eN

a# The emale stri!es to achie!etranscendence#

i. Illustrations.

b. alue U success are still looked at interms of hat man dictates

c. :They had forgotten that literature is anart( that art functions through irony( andthat all the sincerity in the orld doesn1tmake bad art good; 2Ferris U 9oung ?W3.


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. Conclusion

Pinoy Chick Lit as a medium of realityrepresents the idea of a #%odern Filipino/oman#. The comple,ity of omen shosa duality and di)ersity.

It reinforces traditional and patriarchal

)ies of omen in society and at thesame time( shos the progression of anindependent image of the Filipino oman.


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Patriarchal Progressi)e


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Chick Lit can be considered asconser)ati)e since it still shos

images of omen ha)ing traditionalroles in a male7 dominated society.

-oe)er( Chick Lit is slolypro)iding spheres of e,pression foromen1s groth and e,periencesthat allo them to step7 out ofcon)entional e,pectations and

transcend into the contemporaryomen1s riting.

Chick Lit Group

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