Contemporary+YA+Literature

= Approaches to Literature =







Foucault, cont.: [|Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism: Purdue OWL]

= Gender and Young Adult Literature I: Judy Blume's //Forever// =

1970's Context for //Forever// Historical, Political, and Cultural Context for //Forever// =I. The Year 1975=

A. 1975 Political and Social Environment:

 * 1) Gerald Ford-President
 * 2) Life expectancy: 72.6 yrs
 * 3) Fed Debt: $541.9 billion
 * 4) Cost of new home: $42, 600
 * 5) Median household income: 11,800
 * 6) Gas: $.57
 * 7) Gallon Milk: $1.57

B. News Headlines of 1975:

 * 1) Pres. Ford announces recession policy
 * 2) US plane carrying vietnamese orphans crashes –200 killed
 * 3) Jummy Hoffa disappears-Foul Play suspected
 * 4) OPEC Oil prices increase 10%
 * 5) Unemployment rate 8.9%, highest since 1941
 * 6) Disposable razor introduced

= II. Social Issues of the 1970s in //Forever// =

A. Plannned Parenthood

 * 1) 1972-Mass. Bans birth control to unmarried couples
 * 2) 1975-natl study 43.1% using sterilization as birth control
 * 3) 1978-Congress passes Hyde Ammendment & anit-abortion restrictions to a number of federally funded programs
 * 4) 1979-family planning clinics increase

B. __NOW (the National Org for Women)__ founded 1966
b. -“Every mother is a working mother”
 * 1) Largest organization for feminist activists in US
 * 2) Goal= “to take action” bring about equality for women
 * 3) Strongest Concerns:a. -Gaining recognition of value of women’s work both in home and paid labor market

C. __Abortion:__
=Judy Blume Website:[|Judy Blume Website]=
 * 1) In 1967 NOW became first national organization to call for legalization of abortion and repeal of all anti abortion laws.
 * 2) NOW won Supreme Court victory in 1994 case (NOW vs. Scheidler)
 * 3) Ruling affirmed NOW’s right to use federal racketeering laws against anti-abortion extremists who organize campaigns of fear, force, and violence to deny women their right to abortion. (Women’s Right to Choose)
 * 4) Grandmother (unusual) advocate for NOW, sent Kat pamphlets…
 * 5) Parents taking advisory role (different from 17th Summer)
 * 6) Change in parental roles

=Meet the Author: [|Judy Blume on Youtube]=