Gender-bias in literature within the high school English curriculum : a study of novels used in the Lakeshore School Board

It seems self-evident that novels and other literary forms profoundly influence the way we think, feel and learn about society. However, while a number of studies have acknowledged the importance of textbooks used within the school curriculum, few have examined novels that are studied within the high school English program. Thus this thesis focuses on gender-bias found in a study of 21 novels identified as those most commonly used in the high schools of the Lakeshore School Board. The results show significant gender imbalance in all categories: the number of female authors, characters, voices, and perspectives. The recommendations that arise from this study are (1) that English teachers be aware of the issue of gender bias when they select novels for their students. (2) that strategies be developed in the classroom to address gender-bias in literature, and (3) that a balanced literature curriculum be developed