Secondary Research

Shaakira Jordan

Dr. Kim Middleton

Contemporary Fiction—Secondary Research

December 2, 2009

Hendrickson, Norejane J., Deborah Perkins, Sylvia White, and Timothy Buck. “Parent-Daughter Relationships in Fiction.” JSTOR, July 1975. Web. 1 Dec. 2009. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/583175>.

• In as comprehensive terms as possible, what is the author’s argument?  What terms or contexts might you need to include/explain/define for someone that has not read it as carefully as you?

The article Parent-Daughter Relationships in Fiction by Norejane J. Hendrickson, Deborah Perkins, Slyvia White and Timothy Buck provides a study which is based on the family as seen in fiction. Hendrickson, Perkins, White, and Buck conclude in study-based format that family relationships (specifically mother-daughter, mother-father, and father daughter relationships) are heavily reflected in American fiction. The study contains a “guideline sheet” that outlines the criteria for familial relationships such as consistency, conflicts, structure, focal problems (i.e money, status, marriage plans, etc), social distance, etc. The study also is based off of 42 books that represent family and familial aspects in fiction.  The books are not only compared to one another but contrasted as well.

• Give at least two of the author’s main points of support for his/her argument, and explain how they work to support it.

1. One of the authors’ main points is that concepts in fiction specifically relating to family are based off the current society.
2. Significant findings in the study:
   1. Families in upper socio-economic levels as pointed out in fiction
   2. Books that contained conflicted situations between fathers and daughters and their consistency.
   3. Emotional connections with father-mother, father-daughter, mother-daughter relationships.
   4. Stories in urban settings

• Note at least three other minor ideas/references  that the author makes that people might find useful in their papers

1. “One of the major concerns of the writers of the article is the seeming lack of quality stories about intact, happy families.”

2. “Mothers were often portrayed as prostitutes, illegitimate mothers, servant girls to the husbands, scatterbrains, and so forth. (Jonathans Mother, etc. )

3. “The unequal portrayal of mother and father roles.”

4.  Marriage is presented in a negative light.

• Finally, give at least two examples of arguments or points that a writer might use this article to support.  (Be specific here: mention particular themes, relationships, ideas, texts, etc.)

1. Particular themes in this article include familial relationships as seen in fiction that is adjusted to the society at hand. Specific relationships include parent daughter, mother-daughter, father-daughter, and father-mother.   
2. A point that a writer could find useful in this article when applying secondary research is the significant findings of mother-daughter relationships (i.e Beli and Lola, Sandy and Birdie). More specifically father-daughter relationships that are seen in fiction as inconsistent, socially distant, are reflective of that particular society.