romance

Sometimes during the week when I have nothing to do and I'm just flipping through channels I'll come across shows like The Young and the Restless or Days of our Lives. One time I was curious so I decided to watch an episode of The Young and the Restless. It followed the typical drama filled soap opera plot where there is a conflict between the characters and once that conflict is about to be resolves a new conflict will pop up. This plot style is something that Janice Radway would say is typical for romance. These types of plots are what viewers, especially women, want to see when watching romantic films or reading romance novels. Women who are mothers are able to get their fix on romance novels through satisfaction that their significant other may not be able to give them. These shows, novels, and movies are all teaching viewers that the happily ever after ending is what everyone will experience in their life. However this is not how our reality really is. Radway explains that in reality women are just as able to provide for themselves in our society as men are and women do not need a man to be happy. Romance novels show that while women are forming new ideas on gender roles, romance novels are still giving them the wrong idea on romance in reality. I enjoyed reading this article because I am a big fan of romance novels and movies. I thought it was eye opening for me to see that even though I knew romance novels are sugar coating what romance is like in real life, it showed how the romance industry has become so successful from making stories based upon a happily ever after plot that not every woman wants.