The Bildungsroman in female fiction: A study of female development in selected women writers of color (Alice Walker, Sandra Cisneros, Michelle Cliff, Jamaica)

This thesis studies the way female protagonists in Alice Walker's Possessing the Secret of Joy, Sandra Cisneros' House on Mango Street, and Michelle Cliff's Abeng experience the Bildung. After providing a brief review of primary and secondary sources, the thesis proceeds to give a brief introduction of the novels discussed. It describes the complexity and representation of female development in women writers of color by comparing the patterns of development between these female protagonists. This study establishes a common description for female Bildung by examining the connections between themes and the issues of culture, traditions, sexual orientation, mother/daughter relationships, and sex roles. The Bildungsroman by female writers of color varies according to the cultural experience although some of the patterns of development seen in this study are archetypal and transcend culture. The study concludes with an Appendix on how the female Bildungsroman can be used by instructors and the implications in English Education.