Foreword

After reading the foreword on the development of pulp literature, I can say that I am curious about the material that will be covered in this class. I have never been one to read action-packed novels or watch fact-paced, action-packed movies, so I'm sure the next few weeks will be full of new entertainment experiences!

Most of the characters and scenarios described by Penzler in the foreword seemed to be what I would expect for literature in the 1920's, 1930's, and 1940's. I was not at all suprised to read about the role, or lack of role, that women had in these stories. According to Penzler, as time progressed, the role of women became more prominent. It would be interesting to look at how the progression in the roles of women in pulp literature related to the progression of women's standing in actual society. There might not be any correlation at all, but just a thought.

It seems as though almost all of the pulp stories written had a "happy ending," where the evil villian was defeated by the infallible hero. Because these stories were written during the Depression, that does not suprise me, as people needed an escape from the troubles of their everyday lives. However, I am certainly curious to see if this idea of a "happy ending" remains consistent throughout all of the stories we read this quarter.