Table Of ContentF
Women’s Studies / Rhetoric ly
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lizabeth A. Flynn’s Feminism Beyond Modernism reconfigures feminist traditions by defining postmodern F Feminism
F e m i n i s m
feminism as a critique of modernism rather than as an antimodern opponent. Flynn provides an alternative
to monolithic representations of feminism and to commonly accepted disciplinary configurations of femi-
e
nist traditions that too often result in a confusing proliferation of names.
m
Since there is little agreement on what these feminist traditions are or how they are related, postmodern
feminism is often unfairly identified as opposed to modernism and associated with subjectivism and rela-
i
tivism. In Feminism Beyond Modernism, Flynn addresses these problems by provisionally defining postmodern
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feminism as problematizing and critiquing modernism without directly opposing it. Flynn also suggests that
feminist traditions that reject modernism, such as radical and cultural feminisms, are antimodern rather than i BeBye y oo nnd d
s
postmodern.
Although Flynn defines feminist traditions broadly with an interdisciplinary focus, her work often situ- m
ates discussions within the contexts of literary studies and rhetoric and composition and explores the troubled
relationship between these fields. Departing from accepted definitions of modernism within literary stud-
ies and feminist literary studies, Flynn distinguishes between aesthetic modernism and Enlightenment
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modernism and uses the work of John Locke, Sigmund Freud, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Michel Foucault,
Donna Haraway, and others as benchmarks for historical placement and as evidence of complex and often
e M o d e r n i s m
Modernism
inextricable perspectives.
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As a way of illustrating the provisional map of feminist traditions, Flynn distinguishes among modern,
antimodern, and postmodern global feminisms. In addition, rereadings of works by Virginia Woolf, Adrienne o
Rich, Alice Walker, Louise Rosenblatt, and others demonstrate the complex ways in which they respond to n
modernist pressures and tendencies.
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Misunderstanding and denigration of postmodern feminism are widespread. Elizabeth A. Flynn’s Femi-
nism Beyond Modernism comes to its defense in a cogent and astute manner by first distinguishing between
postmodern and antimodern feminisms and then reclaiming postmodern feminism by reconfiguring its re-
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lationship to modernism.
“In Feminism Beyond Modernism, Flynn offers readers a triple treat: an even-handed sorting out of im-
portant strands of feminist thought that manages to avoid reductionism; a compelling vision of postmodern
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feminisms as dynamic, multiple, and transformative; and a bracing account of how to relate theoretical con-
d
cepts and pedagogical practices. This is a book that calls for intense conversation, as well as one that points
the way toward future feminist projects.”—Andrea Lunsford, Stanford University e
A recipient of grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Council of Teachers of En- r
glish, Elizabeth A. Flynn is a professor in the Department of Humanities at Michigan Technological Univer- n
sity. She is the coeditor (with Patrocinio P. Schweickart) of Gender and Reading: Essays on Readers, Texts, and
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Elizabeth A. Flynn
Contexts and the founding editor of Reader.
s
Studies in Rhetorics and Feminisms m
Southern Illinois University Press
P.O. Box 3697
Cwawrbwo.nsidua.eled, uIL/ ~62s9iu0p2r-e3s6s97 ISBN 0-8093-2435-0 UniveSouth
Printed in the United States of America ,!7IA8A9-dcedfe! rsity Pressern Illinois
Studies in Rhetorics and Feminisms
Series Editors, Cheryl Glenn and Shirley Wilson Logan
feminism beyond modernism
F E M I N I S M
B E Y O N D
M O D E R N I S M
Elizabeth A. Flynn
Southern Illinois University Press
Carbondale and Edwardsville
Copyright © 2002 by the Board of Trustees,
Southern Illinois University
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
05 04 03 02 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Flynn, Elizabeth A., 1944–
Feminism beyond modernism / Elizabeth A. Flynn.
p. cm. — (Studies in rhetorics and feminisms)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Feminist criticism. 2. Feminism. 3. Feminism and literature.
4. Rhetoric. 5. Reader-response criticism. I. Title. II. Series.
HQ1190 .F593 2002
305.42—dc21
ISBN 0-8093-2434-2 (alk. paper)
ISBN 0-8093-2435-0 (pbk. : alk. paper) 2001041077
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National
Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials,
ANSI Z39.48-1992. ∞
To John (1943–2000) and Kate
Contents
Preface xi
Introduction 1
Part One. Reconfigurations
1. Modern/Antimodern/Postmodern: Rewritings 19
2. Reading Global Feminisms 44
Part Two. Opposing Modernisms
3. Woolf’s (Anti)Modern Reading 57
4. Rich and Walker on Writing and Mothering: Radical/Cultural
Feminist and Womanist Perspectives 77
Part Three. Critiquing Modernisms
5. Pragmatic Reading and Beyond: Rosenblatt and Feminism 99
6. Toward Postmodern-Feminist Rhetoric and Composition 116
7. Employing Resistance in Postmodern-Feminist Teaching 135
Notes 159
Works Cited and Consulted 183
Index 207
