Abstract
Reënboogrant tieners, written by Louise van Niekerk, is a popular Afrikaans youth book series published between 1995 and 2000. Like the Reënboogrant maats and Reënboogrant studente series, it centres around the lives of sisters Sunette and Shani Brink, with particular focus on their love lives, friendships, and family relationships (Snyman 2005:107). The series was reprinted by LAPA Publishers in 2018, and this article examines several key titles from the series, including Drome en dramas (1996), Hartebreker (1997), Anderkant die reënboog (1997), Liefde in Londen (1999), Paaie van die hart (2000), and Doodloopstrate (2000).
Youth books are considered to be both cultural products and stimuli, reflecting the norms and values of a community within a particular timeframe, while simultaneously reinforcing those same norms and values (Merrill 1967:648; Heinecken 2013:5). Given this, it is essential to examine critically portrayals of gender roles in youth literature – especially when they reinforce problematic or stereotypical narratives – as they perpetuate these roles in society (De Villiers 1992:3; Fox 1993:84; Poarch and Monk-Turner 2001:1).
Feminist scholars like Butler (1988, 1990, 2006) and De Beauvoir (2011) have extensively critiqued gender as a social construct, arguing that the binary framing of masculine versus feminine is inherently problematic. Not only does this dichotomy reinforce the oppressive Subject/Other binary (Butler 1990:vii‒ix), but it also suggests that gender is a fixed natural or biological concept (Butler 1990:viii). In contrast, Butler (1988:519, 512) posits that gender is fluid and performative, emphasising the need to move beyond essentialist, binary, and oppressive conceptions of gender.
De Beauvoir (2011:45, 197–8) similarly critiques the masculine/feminine binary, describing it as a socially constructed myth that positions femininity as the negative pole or the Other (De Beauvoir 2011:25–6). This myth, designed and perpetuated by the Subject, serves to oppress women (De Beauvoir 2011:196). Such myths are socially constructed rather than rooted in objective reality and teem with stereotypes that deny the complexity of femininity and womanhood (Haraway 1991:155–6; De Beauvoir 2011:315; Kjellgren 2021:66).
De Beauvoir (2011:196–7) highlights the dual and ambivalent nature of femininity as constructed by men, whereby women are seen either as positive ideals or as threats to the Subject or patriarchy. This ambivalent view of women as both unpredictable and dangerous figures is evident even in ancient Greek literature (Carrillo-Rush 2012:5–6; 7–10). Gilbert and Gubar (1979) further explore this dichotomy in their analysis of women in 18th century literature.
In The madwoman in the attic (1979), Gilbert and Gubar argue that female characters in literature are often depicted according to the angel/monster binary, which is oppressive and leads to stereotypical portrayals (Carrillo-Rush 2012:12). Women are either depicted as angelic or monstrous, with the potential for the angel to reveal monstrous traits like promiscuity, aggression, or selfishness (Gilbert and Gubar 1979:26, 28–30). Patriarchal society in turn labels these monstrous women as dangerous and urges women to embody the angelic ideal, characterised by purity, passivity, and selflessness (Gilbert and Gubar 1979:20–2).
The angel/monster binary also appears in relationships between female characters, where one may represent the innocent angel (Snow White) while the other embodies the monstrous threat (the evil Queen) (Gilbert and Gubar 1979:28; Dharmawimala 2020:51). This binary is inescapable for women, with both poles being considered threats to patriarchy (Carrillo-Rush 2012:12). The “madwoman” emerges when a female character struggles to reconcile her angelic and monstrous tendencies, posing a challenge to patriarchy (Dharmawimala 2020:47).
Although Gilbert and Gubar’s analysis originates from the 1970s, this binary persists in contemporary media, such as Gone girl (2012) (Dharmawimala 2020:42). The ongoing reliance on oppressive stereotypes raises the question: To what extent does the characterisation of Shani and Rachelle in Reënboogrant tieners and their relationship with each other rely on the angel/monster binary, as conceptualised by Gilbert and Gubar (1979)?
This article follows a qualitative and descriptive research design, using close reading to analyse the characterisation of Shani and Rachelle. The analysis reveals that Reënboogrant tieners does indeed rely on the angel/monster binary. Both characters exhibit angelic and monstrous qualities. For example, while they are attractive (angelic), they also use their allure to manipulate others (monstrous). Rachelle, more so than Shani, is sexualised, reinforcing her monstrous depiction. Despite her belief that she is a sexually liberated woman, she remains confined by patriarchal binaries; the male characters, according to Dolf, use her for sex only.
Shani exhibits monstrous selfishness by prioritising a beauty pageant over donating bone marrow to her sister. She is also very aggressive in her interaction with Tina in the series. But despite these monstrous qualities, she is an angel at times. Shani demonstrates angelic qualities by caring for orphans at Wilgehof and helping others such as Leon. In Doodloopstrate, when Shani is in a coma and she has a narrow escape from death, she is seen as a literal angel on earth.
Rachelle displays vulnerability and angelic traits when it is revealed that she feels abandoned by her rich parents with whom she does not have a close emotional bond. She also does not have many friends. Because of her loneliness and inner pain, she resorts to cutting herself. The harming of her physical body could either make her look physically more monstrous or it could contribute to her being considered a “madwoman”. She eventually uses her wounds for manipulation, hence reinforcing her monstrous image.
The relationship between Shani and Rachelle reflects the angel/monster myths, with Rachelle positioned as the monster threatening Shani. There are numerous instances in the series where Rachelle betrays the naïve and angelic Shani’s trust after pretending to be her friend or mentor. This shows that this youth book series does rely on the angel/monster myths. As a consequence, the individual characters of Shani and Rachelle are portrayed as stereotypes and they, as female characters, are denied nuance and complexity. Even their relationship with each other is stereotypical. Since youth literature such as Reënboogrant tieners is a cultural stimulus and product, authors should be more aware of social myths, especially binary and stereotypical myths of femininity. The ongoing reliance on myths such as the monster and angel myths only perpetuates stereotypical, fixed and problematic ideas of femininity and women in society. Young readers should rather be exposed to books that portray women as nuanced Subjects who are able to function independently of fixed dichotomies and myths.
Keywords: angel; femininity; gender; monster; myths; stereotypes; youth literature
- This article’s featured image consists of a background image by fotografierende (source: Pixabay) and two book covers from the Reënboogrant tieners series (source: LAPA Publishers).