Efl Students’ Responses On Women’s Ethical Code In Learning American Literature (In The Light Of Reader-Response Criticism)

Abstract

Literature is an essential subject for English-majored students. Students majoring in English Studies learn to interpret literary texts and each literary character's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. During the literary learning process, EFL students are exposed to different kinds of foreign works, including American literature primarily written about women. The study is implemented to investigate students’ responses to literary female characters in some American literary works in terms of their ethical code in order to understand the students’ perceptions and challenges when learning about American literary female characters through the lens of reader-response criticism. A mix-method approach is utilized to collect data from 109 participants majoring in English Studies at the School of Foreign Languages, Can Tho University. Three selected research materials in the study include A Rose for Emily (1930) by William Faulkner, The Story of an Hour (1894) and The Awakening (1899) by Kate Chopin. The findings show that students perceive the main female characters in American literature with a very positive attitude. Although EFL students show their deep commission with the characters’ lives, they express that they cannot accept the characters’ behaviors. The study also indicates some challenges in learning American literature written about women. In addition, students believe that the behaviors and attitudes of female characters shown in American literary works are inappropriate from the perspectives of their own cultures. Implications and recommendations are also discussed in the study.