Category: Week 1 Questions

1. How has the academic reception of popular genres changes over time?

Popular genres have been a point of contention in literature canon and have often been excluded from the literary canon that scholars have authorised, while genres like poetry and other prose literature in the classical mega-genres are label as having great importance and hold an incredibly privileged position in literature. Popular genres such as comics, science fiction, anime, and fantasy novels in the said canon have not been taken as seriously as other more classical literature. This is because of the may stereotypes surrounding popular genres with the prevailing ideas being that popular genres use formulaic plot structures, the characterisation is seen as being incredibly two-dimensional with little character development, and that because many exist in imaginary worlds they are difficult to take seriously. Over time, however, the reception to popular genres has shifted significantly and their gradual acceptance mirrors that of writing from minorities, and these days popular genres are studied in great depth alongside more classical literature.

 

2. What might the value be of studying them?

There is immense value in studying popular genre as they allow us to view a different perspective than that of classic literature which predominately came from very similar perspectives of older men. Popular genres show us the perspectives of people in minorities who have been unable to present their stories and critics like Terry Eagleton (Prof. Of Cultural Theory at the University of Manchester) argue that popular genres tell us more about society today than class literature. Media is much broader than what is deemed high art and it is all worth discussing as it has a great amount of influence on how we perceive issues present in society as they can broach these topics in interesting ways.

1. How has the academic reception of popular genres changed over time?

In the past, Popular genres were often excluded from approved literature, and pop genres such as comic or scientific fiction and fantasy novels were not accepted as serious literature. Also, as a product of technological development, the Pop genres were newly adopted in the evolution of new media, and it had stereotypes that it did not follow the practice of realism with the focus of the imaginary world. So popular genres were not accepted in academic fields dealing with classical and profound subjects.
Over time, however, there has been an argument that modern genres, including TV programs and pop, can tell more about today’s society than deal with classical literature. The gradual acceptance of Popular genres into literary research has led to writing about women, blacks, homosexuals, postcolonial and other marginalized groups and has caused many writers’ ambitions for their work. With increasing interest in popular genres and the acceptance of its academic importance, popular genres are now being taught as a subject in many universities.

2. What might the value be of studying them?

By studying popular genres, we can realize the problems of the present society and indirectly accept the seriousness of the issues. When studying classical literature, we just analyzed the situation of the time and the author’s point of view. But exploring popular genres can foster the ability to critically analyze and find solutions to problems such as gender discrimination, crime, and poverty in society. Also, by accepting popular genres as serious literature, we can find ways to combine with the media to increase the amount of communication between people and develop it into an interactive medium.

How has the academic reputation of popular genres changed over time and what might be the value of studying them? 

In the past popular genres were not considered to be a legitimate form of literature for academic study. This is due to their often ‘informal’ nature, as what was considered to be ‘proper’ literature was written mostly by men and almost entirely by upper class people. Especially in cases of ‘genre fiction’ or mediums such as animation and comic strips, it was believed that the stories consisted of a basic, predictable plot line with other wishy-washy themes of magic, robots, and some plot-armoured heroic figures.  Thus, it was believed that there could be no academic reading of the genres, as they existed only to entertain. However, the narratives found within popular genres, while also being full of magic systems and sci-fi elements, are also deeply thematic and carry very strong messages throughout them that are worth looking at through the academic lens.

Although some academics still claim popular genres to be ‘not real literature’ that attitude has changed in recent years. More and more universities are introducing papers based around popular genres as they also are becoming more popular among general consumers. As more people are consuming popular genre media it is important that they are critically and academically analysed. When critically analysing a classical piece of literature we are only seeing the perspectives of the people who wrote at the time, mostly older and well educated men. Popular genres allows us to see into the world of those who were oppressed and unable to previously tell their stories. This is why it is important for these texts to be studied so we can understand the perspectives of people from alternative walks of life.

1. How has the academic reception of popular genres changes over time?

Back when popular genres first became popular, such as comics, anime and fantasy novels, they were not considered ‘serious’ literature by academics and universities. It was rarely taught at universities, instead choosing to focus on classical literature, the works of authors such as Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and J.D Sallinger.

However, in the modern day, popular genres are much more commonplace in universities, taught alongside conventional texts, or even having their own specific papers. Many academics consider popular genres an important aspect of literature. Highly respected universities such as Cambridge and Yale now include papers regarding popular genres as well as classic. Though popular genres may not seem ‘serious’ at first glance, popular genre reception from academics has generally been better received.

2. What might the value be of studying them?

Although classic literature is important, it is hard for modern audiences to relate to these classic figures, who lived in a completely different time period, with different rules. Popular genres are more popular with readers, and many deal with more modern issues. They often have unique writing techniques and interesting points of view, they have a message or reflection on society, from a more modern perspective then an author such as Shakesphere or Virginia Woolf.