Calling all women - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Fordim Hedgethistle · 11-11-2005, 09:25 PM

I need help from BDers of the feminine type: the ladies, the maids. The Lasses of the Downs! The gals, girls, gurls...the women.

I was leading a seminar today in which we were discussing R.L. Stevenson's masterwork Treasure Island and much to my chagrin I was told, by the vast majority of the women in the class, that they did not like the book, as it was "a boy's adventure."

But wait, it gets worse. Much worse.

One of these objecting members of what I shall never call the gentler-sex went on to add that the only other book on the syllabus "as bad as this is The Hobbit."

A spirited discussion ensued as I inquired after the opinions of the other women in the class. Imagine my horror when I realised that the women, almost en masse, did not like The Hobbit because it is, like Treasure Island, a "boy's adventure" with little to offer girls.

I am assuming that everyone who reads this post will be a fan of TH and that many of those who read this post will also be women. So please, can you explain to me:

1) what these women are talking about?

2) why you like the book, despite your being a woman?

3) how I can present The Hobbit in class in such a way as to engage those women who find it so unappealing?

11-11-2005, 09:25 PM	#1
Fordim Hedgethistle Gibbering Gibbet Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Beyond cloud nine Posts: 1,844	Calling all women I need help from BDers of the feminine type: the ladies, the maids. The Lasses of the Downs! The gals, girls, gurls...the women. I was leading a seminar today in which we were discussing R.L. Stevenson's masterwork Treasure Island and much to my chagrin I was told, by the vast majority of the women in the class, that they did not like the book, as it was "a boy's adventure." But wait, it gets worse. Much worse. One of these objecting members of what I shall never call the gentler-sex went on to add that the only other book on the syllabus "as bad as this is The Hobbit." A spirited discussion ensued as I inquired after the opinions of the other women in the class. Imagine my horror when I realised that the women, almost en masse, did not like The Hobbit because it is, like Treasure Island, a "boy's adventure" with little to offer girls. I am assuming that everyone who reads this post will be a fan of TH and that many of those who read this post will also be women. So please, can you explain to me: 1) what these women are talking about? 2) why you like the book, despite your being a woman? 3) how I can present The Hobbit in class in such a way as to engage those women who find it so unappealing? __________________ Scribbling scrabbling.