Abstract

This paper constructs the mechanisms of feminist consciousness-raising and face to face feminism as a teaching and nurturing style of life in Jeffrey Zaslow’s The Girls from Ames (2009). The paper also constructs an argument that the Ames girls’ less-political circle of consciousness-raising works as a social process that helps them learn from each other how to comprehend and name their experiences, and how to identify and assess their commonalities and differences. As findings, this study supports with evidence from text the powers of feminist consciousness-raising, which has been an important feminist practice since the beginning of the second feminist wave, not only in maintaining the mental and physical health of the ten women, but in helping the girls survive the challenges of their ever-changing society, build new identities and overcome their misfortunes as well. 

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