Feminist Stylistics (Interface)

In this timely, provocative and lively book, Sara Mills opens up the study of style to feminist inquiry. Combining insights from literary and linguistic theory, she provides a rationale for the interrogation of texts from a feminist perspective. Through an examination of both literary and non -literary texts; newspapers, pop songs and advertisements, she examines such issues as sexism, political correctness, reader positioning, agency,and meaning. Feminist Stylistics presumes no prior knowledge of either feminist or stylistic theory. Each chapter includes a short expositiory section which shows how the issue has been discussed by literary and linguistic theorists, and then goes on to provide a feminist theoretical framework or critique. It also includes an extensive bibliography and provides readers with a tool-kit' with which to expose the gender bias of both classic' and popular' texts.