People who read tend to do it on their own time alone, however, there are some that participate in book groups. This was our class since in the beginning of the semester, there were many that said they preferred to read alone. However, having been part of the Fairest group (more like duo), I have learned that book groups can be beneficial, which was proven to be the case in different studies. I have also had the chance to learn about other books from other book groups and how they relate to each other. Through my book group, I was able to learn about different perspectives, expand on my writing, and learn more about the issue of gender expectations. 

Book groups have been proven to be beneficial. In general, when it comes to book groups, it has to be a place where everyone is respectful, present, and prepared. It is a place where everyone can learn from one another. This was seen in the study done by Carmen Alvarez-Alvarez, where she participated in five reading clubs in Spain to have a better understanding of book groups and the effects they have on participants. During one interview, a participant stated “In principle, I don’t. I go to share different views about the particular book, but I learn a lot and I am always willing to acquire knowledge. Not only about what is being read, but we also learn from other peoples’ life experiences, from our reading, from the advice given, from book recommendations.” (Alvarez-Alvarez, 2016, pp. 238). The participant didn’t go to the book group to learn, however, the various opinions, interpretations, and chance to share what they think gave an opportunity to learn through interactions with others in the group. For example, while someone may only see one theme, someone else will say the theme is something else. In the beginning of my book group, Yaminah and I would focus more on gender and stereotypes. However, as we continued with the book, I would start focusing on other themes, such as the sacrifices Talusan made and if it was even worth it. Meanwhile, Yaminah focused on society’s expectations of people and how it inspired her to be more herself instead of someone people expect her to be (Diaz, 2021). This difference in interpretations made me think outside of my usual way of thinking and learn more about the book than if I read alone. Another study, by Jody N. Polleck and Terrie Epstein, focused on a particular book group made up of female high school students. During an analysis of one of the meetings, they wrote “While Mary’s analysis situated gender politics within the context of Japanese society in the early 20th century, Tia and Sofia analyzed the text from their contemporary views of gender dynamics.” (Polleck & Epstein, 2015, pp. 90). The book they were reading took place in a different century, so the rules for men and women were vastly different than the way things are now. While three of the women focused on why it’s wrong, Mary focused on why they acted that way and what they believed in. Mary is an example of a different perspective that also gives more information that the others didn’t think about as they read the book. In the Fairest duo, Yaminah had a different interpretation to my idea about Talusan’s sacrifices. I believed that sacrificing a lot can hurt someone and if I was Talusan, I wouldn’t want to lose anyone again. However, her interpretation of Talusan’s sacrifices was more positive. She viewed sacrifices as something necessary for growth and Talusan needed to do it in order to become the person she is now. Book groups are a way to learn more in a comfortable environment. 

My experience in the book group for Fairest allowed me to grow as a writer and learn more about gender expectations. Due to the blog posts, I had the chance to try writing in a different way. Instead of another research essay, I had the chance to incorporate my voice in my writing. In my first post, titled “Stereotypes of Gook Looks in Fairest”, had no voice and instead was just quoting and explaining the quotes. However, in my last post, titled “Is It Worth Sacrificing?” (title is also better than the first one), I added my personal take on the book and quotes and even compared her life to mine. Adding voice makes writing unique to the writer and not just another essay with plain facts given. The book group was a safe place to give my opinion and now I feel confident to write my own way instead of like another robot writing another essay for a grade. While reading the book, the issue of gender expectations kept coming up for Talusan. As my group mate put it, “We all live on the same planet together, yet everyone in different locations have so many expectations whether about gender, personalities, or race.” (Diaz, 2021). We live in a society that is biased and judgemental. Even when we know that what is “normal” isn’t normal for others, it doesn’t stop people from treating people who are seen as out of the ordinary differently. For men, the problem is masculinity and how men are not allowed to be anything other cold, strong, and competitive. Talusan discusses this expectation of society on page 66, where she wrote “Had I lived in a world where men were allowed to dress and behave like women without being scorned or punished, I wouldn’t have needed to be a woman at all.” (Talusan, 2020). This quote brings questions as to why society is the way it is. Talusan throughout the book did not hate her gender, but she was restricted due to what a man is allowed to do and what they “can’t” do. We discussed this in the book group, where we discussed how everywhere she went, there were unwritten rules to follow. The only times she seemed free was when she dressed as a woman behind everyone’s backs. She had to transition genders in order to be able to be herself. The other books in the class connect to the issue of gender expectations as well. While Talusan experienced expectations of masculinity, Jaquira Diaz of Ordinary Girls was left out by her father and brother due to the fact she wasn’t a boy. One of the group members of the books wrote:

The lack of belonging that Diaz felt in her family occurred when she was compared to her brother. In comparison with her brother, she often felt isolated because she felt that he was often favorited due to his gender. The connection that she felt with her father during childhood was complicated by the secret trips her father would take her brother on to La Plaza. He would not allow her to go to La Plaza because she was a girl…” (Sellers, 2021). 

While her father and brother were having a “guy’s night”, her inability to join brought feelings of not belonging due to her gender. Instead of being able to join, she was expected to stay home. Both genders suffer from a set of expectations that society imposes, whether it be in a large community like a college or within a family. While this quote wasn’t discussed, when I saw it, I realized that everything has expectations. Everyone is labeled by their gender, race, birth place, etc. Anything has a set of expectations that, if not followed, makes a person stand out as the weird one (or an outcast). No matter where we go, society has to have us live a certain way.

Therefore, the book groups were effective in giving me the chance to grow as a writer and understand gender expectations from different lives. Due to book groups being proven effective, it was implemented in our class and gave us a chance to expand our knowledge. While my group was small, we still held discussions and wrote blog posts about the topics in the book, such as the various themes (sacrifice and stereotypes). Writing for the blog posts helped me add my voice to my writing. We also learned about various social issues, like gender expectations in Fairest and how it connected to the other books. This is significant because the experience allowed me to grow, learn, and understand new topics that wouldn’t have been covered if not for the freedom of book groups.

Citations

1. Alvarez-Alvarez, C. (2016). Book clubs: an ethnographic study of an innovative reading practice in Spain. Studies in Continuing Education, 38(2), 238. https://doi.org/10.1080/0158037X.2015.1080676

2. Polleck J. & Epstein T. (2015). Affirmation, Analysis, and Agency: Book Clubs as Spaces for Critical Conversations with Young Adolescent Women of Color. Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts, 54(1), 90.  https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/reading_horizons/vol54/iss1/5

3. Diaz, Y. (2021, November 8) Fairest: Social Norms. CUNY Academic Commons. https://worldasatext.commons.gc.cuny.edu/fairest-social-norms/

4. Sellers, Z. (2021, October 25) Belonging in the Face of Oppression. CUNY Academic Commons. https://worldasatext.commons.gc.cuny.edu/belonging-in-the-face-of-oppression/

5. Talusan, M. (2020). Fairest: A Memoir (pp. 66). Penguin Books.