Identitet och påverkan
om unga kvinnor och skönlitteratur
The purpose of this Master's Thesis is to explore the influence of fiction on the identity and self-esteem of young women. The purpose is also to investigate if there are any books that they consider to be of importance for their identity. Furthermore, I investigate what appeals to young women generally in fiction and if it is difficult for them to find books that appeal to them. The primary question posed in this thesis is: How does fiction influence the identity development of young women? The data collection is based on literature on the subject and on interviews with eight young women between 15 and 20 years old. The theoretical framework focuses on how it is to be young in modem society, the influences of fiction and reader response criticism. In the analysis I relate the results of the study to the theoretical work of Louise M Rosenblatt, Catherine Sheldrick Ross and Thomas Ziehe. My study reveals that all the interviewed women do have books that are important to them. Many of them also consider these books to have made a significant and positive difference to their self- esteem. I have come to the conclusion that reading fiction influences the identity of young women. Reading fiction can help young women examine critical issues they often face. Fiction is particularly appreciated by the young women when they can identify with the main characters, with situations and feelings expressed through the literature.