THE AGE-OLD TROUBLE: AN ANALYSIS OF AGE AND HUMOR IN BEVERLY DONOFRIO’S NOVEL RIDING IN CARS WITH BOYS
Keywords:
women authors, italian-american fiction, wit and humor in literature, Beverly DonofrioAbstract
Riding in Cars with Boys is an autobiographical novel about Beverly, a teenage Italian American girl who is pregnant in high-school. The article focuses on Beverly’s development towards maturity and the obstacles she has to overcome in order to turn out right at the end. Donofrio’s novel is a good example of contemporary female wit which has not been sufficiently explored by scholars. What is more, this work is part of the female Italian American literature which questions patriarchal standards of this immigrant community. With her disruptive attitude Beverly challenges the traditional family schemas by using irreverent expressions, especially those related to sex, which are considered taboo in her circle. Hence, she is what we can call a “bad girl” as opposed to her mother, a sexist example of “good girl”. Donofrio’s use of humor is a means to challenge society and women’s role in society, especially in the Italian American community.
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