Nancy+Drew


 * __ Nancy Drew: Article __**

Nancy Drew is a young fiction amateur detective girl who has captured the eyes of young girls and women for generations. Nancy Drew was created in 1930 by Edward Stratemeyeand his Stratemeyer Syndicate. Nancy Drew was ghostwritten by Stratemeyer. He used a pseudonym like Carolyn Keene to write Nancy Drew. Many other writers have also used Carolyn Keene as a pen name to write books about Nancy Drew. Nancy Drew books sold about 80 million copies and were translated in to over 45 different languages all over the world. The Nancy Drew books longest running series had 175 volumes. It included the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series. Nancy Drew books were published in countries like France, Germany, Denmark, many Asian and Latin countries. Nancy Drew has been in existence for over 75 years. Nancy Drew went through the great depression and WWII but the books were not was not affected by it. Lastly due to the popularity of Nancy Drew, there were many books, games, films, and television shows about Nancy Drew.

**__Table of Content__**
 * 1) **Article**
 * The character Nancy Drew
 * About the author
 * Nancy Drew in the 20th century
 * Evolution of the character Nancy Drew

2. **Analysis**
 * Feminism
 * Changes in Nancy Drew's character
 * Introduction of romance to the Nancy Drew books
 * Nancy Drew in the 21st century
 * Impact of Nancy Drew

Nancy Drew is an 18-year-old (in original book she was 16) amateur detective. She lived with her father and house keeper in the town of River Heights. Her mother died when she was three (in original book she was 10). Her 2 best friends were Bess Marvin and George Fayne. Nancy Drew was described to be a super girl who is cool, attractive, wealthy and very talented. She is an amazing swimmer, dancer, cook, tennis player, golf player, seamstress, etc. She was very intelligent. She studied psychology at the age of 16 and she learned how to drive. She is a curious, bold, gentle, deductive, well-manned, and an independent girl. Nancy Drew has a boyfriend and his name is Ned Nickerson. He is a college student at Emerson College. Nancy Drew was and is still an icon to women all over the world. Here in America she is an icon to female political figures like Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Hillary Clinton. The first mystery she solved was //The Secret of the Old Clock//. Nancy Drew solved over 350 mysteries and she is known as one of the most famous heroines of modern times.
 * The Character: Nancy Drew **


 * About the creator **

Edward Stratemeyer is the creator of Nancy Drew. He was born on October 4, 1862 and he died May 10, 1930. He was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. His parents were Henry Julius Stratemeyer and Anna Siegal. He did not go to college; instead he worked in his father’s store after high school. He eventually became a publisher and children’s book writer. He owned his own printing press and he wrote short stories like //The Newsboy’s Adventure, The Tale of a Lumberman// and more. In 1888, he sold a story called //Victor Horton’s ideas// to //Golden Days// for seventy-five dollars and thus this was where his career as a writer began. He wrote about 1300 books and he sold about 500 million copies. He wrote well-known fictional book series for juvenile kids as a ghostwriter. He used pseudonyms (pen names) like Clarence Young for //Motor Boys// (1906-1924), Laure Lee for //The Bobbsey Twins// (1904), Victor Appleton for //Tom Swift// (1910), Franklin W. Dixon for //The Hardy Boys// (1926), and Carolyn Keene for //Nancy Drew// (1930) and more.

Nancy Drew is one of Edward Stratemeyehis Stratemeyer Syndicate most famous and successful creations. Nancy Drew was created because the series //The Hardy Boys// was very popular among girls and Edward wanted to create a series for girls. He wanted the main character to be an amateur detective girl who is the heroin of the book. Stratemeye believed that a woman’s place was to be at home. Yet he wanted to show that he could create a similar series just like T//he Hardy Boys// that would get the attention of young girls.


 * Nancy Drew in the 20th century **

Nancy drew was first known in the 1930 as an independent girl who was 16 and had already finished high school. The earlier Nancy Drew was athlete and an artist. The original Nancy Drew around the 30s to the late 50s was outspoken and commanding. Mildred Benson one of Nancy Drew’s ghostwriter who used Carolyn Keene as a pen name was told to make Nancy a more kind-hearted and less aggressive character. Then Bobbie Ann Mason a mystery writer questioned the series of the Nancy Drew books that were about racism because she did not want it so seem like Nancy Drew’s character was being racist. She only wanted Nancy Drew to be a daredevil type of girl but at the same time a sweet lovely girl.

In the late 50s to late 70s, Nancy Drew’s character was drastically changed. The series Nancy Drew mystery stories was published in 1959. The new version was mostly created to boost the popularity of Nancy Drew. Nancy Drew book was recreated in 1961 because the original book featured elements of racism that were considered to be unacceptable for that time in age. In the original novel, Nancy uses racist terms. The author did not want racial stereotyping in his books so, it was decided that the African American housekeepers be replacement.
 * Evolution of the character: Nancy Drew**

Nancy Drew went from an independent girl to a docile girl. 1986, the Nancy Drew files was created and the new Nancy Drew was more about romance and less about solving mysteries. The current Nancy Drew has lost most of her appeal but is a fun and sassy teen that can’t wait to catch the bad guys. Lastly there were many games made based on the mysteries that Nancy Drew solved. Also Nancy Drew was made in to television shows like //The Nancy Drew Mysteries// and film like //Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase// (1939) and //Nancy Drew// (2007). Nancy Drew will forever be known as our favorite detective girl.

**__ Analysis : Nancy Drew __**

__**Feminism**__ Nancy Drew is a big influence to women and girls all over the world. She showed that been smart, polite, and bold is cool. Nancy Drew‘s values and beliefs are timeless and unbreakable. Nancy Drew as a character was influenced by girls. The creator, Edward Stratemeyer was influence by girls of the 30s. He created //The Hardy Boys,// and he realized that the book was very popular among girls. So he wanted to create a book that would attract girls but be just a popular as //The Hardy Boy.// It had a twist; it would have a feminine heroine. This book turned out to be Nancy Drew. Throughout the 20th century, Nancy Drew had evolved. Nancy Drew influenced many female political figures in America. This is a result of how women born in the Nancy Drew era responded to her. Nancy Drew represents many American cultures like girl power and feminism. The creator of Nancy Drew wanted to create a book that girls could relate to, a book that would be a role model for them. Edward Stratemeyer wrote Nancy Drew in 1930. This was around the time //The Hardy Boys// became popular. He noticed that the book was very popular among girl and he noticed girls interest in mystery books with a strong female heroine. So he thought what if he could write a book just for girls that would be just as popular as //The Hardy Boys.// This was how Nancy Drew came to be. Stratemeyer believed that a woman’s place was at home not outside working. Despite this belief, he still wanted to write Nancy Drew. When he was writing Nancy drew, he knew that girls would not read a book written by a man. So he decides to use a pseudonym, Carolyn Keene. Stratemeyer had it in mind that someday his book would bring to the start of something great like feminism.

__**Changes in Nancy Drew's character**__ As Nancy Drew’s character evolved, so did young girls in America. Young girls went from been perfect little flower petals to rebels in the night, young girls showed a more aggressive and daring side of themselves that they had never showed before. Nancy Drew in the 40s was a young 16-year-old girl, who was very wealthy, smart, bold, and very independent? Nancy Drew showed that being you is the best policy. Nancy Drew in the 40s was the teenage Nancy Drew she was identify by her short shirt, sweater and short hair with curly tips. Girls in the 40s also had short hair with curly tips. This showed a proper way to fix your hair. Nancy Drew having the same hair style showed her personality. Nancy Drew represented American culture because she introduced the idea of tying a sweater on your neck was cool.Then in 50s to late 70s, Nancy Drew’s character got more aggressive, her hair color changed, she was now 18, and she started dating a college boy.

__**Introduction of romance to the Nancy Drew books**__

In the 80s, Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys were combined for the first. Also it is also the first time Nancy Drew’s character show sex appeal. This was because of the dramatic change in teenagers. The fashion styles of girls changed. Girls wore things like Paddled Shoulder tops, High waist pants, Leather jackets and clothing that revealed parts of their body to show sex appeal. This was also the first time, Nancy Drew books moves from been about mystery to been about romance. Nancy Drew wore thing like short skirt and clothing that reveals parts of her body like her stomach and chest. Also for the first time in the Nancy Drew books, Nancy Drew wore pant. The first book that this was noticed in was the book, //The Message in the Hollow Oak.//

__**Nancy Drew in the 21th century**__ Later now in 21st century, Nancy Drew has lost most of her sex appeal, but she is still cute and is still willing to solve any mystery thrown at her. Many teenage girls of my generation are not necessary influenced by her anymore, but they still think about Nancy Drew once in a while.

__**IMPACT OF NANCY DREW**__ Nancy Drew influenced women in American by making the first step towards feminism which later came in the 80s. Nancy Drew was like a mythic hero to feminist in the 80s. She was an icon to women all over America. Nancy Drew gave a whole new way to look at women. Nancy Drew showed that women were could do anything just as good as men could. She showed that women can be bold, independent, yet calm and settled. Nancy Drew was the ideal women. Many women grow up reading Nancy Drew books and they were inspired by Nancy Drew’s courage and quick thinking. Some of them wished to be like Nancy Drew. Nancy Drew book has showed young girl of many generations the joy in reading. So she did not only influence girl, but she influenced the idea that reading is an amazing thing and should be done all the time. Now many girls like reading because of their love for Nancy Drew books. This showed that Nancy Drew also helped in education by showing young girls that reading is fun and good for you. Even famous politicians like Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, Sandra Day O'Connor, Hillary Clinton, and Laura Bush were influenced by Nancy Drew.







Due to the great popularity of Nancy drew, many movies, games and TV shows were made based on her character. Nancy Drew may not be as famous as she was before, but she is still known as the female Sherlock and America’s favorite girl detective. Nancy Drew will live in our hearts and in the hearts of future generations forever.

Work Cited Dyer, Carolyn Stewart., and Nancy Tillman Romalov. //Rediscovering Nancy Drew//. Iowa City: University of Iowa, 1995. Print. "Edward Stratemeyer - Biography and Works. Search Texts, Read Online. Discuss." //The Literature Network: Online Classic Literature, Poems, and Quotes. Essays & Summaries//. Web. 19 May 2011. [].

"Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her by Melanie Rehak at Harcourt." //Houghton Mifflin Harcourt - Distinguished Book Publishing since 1832//. Web. 19 May 2011. [].

Merriam-Webster's Biographical Dictionary//.// Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 1995. Print.

"Nancy Drew: Curious, Independent and Usually Right : NPR." //NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR//. Web. 19 May 2011. [].

"Nancy Drew History, Nancy Drew Trivia." //White Rock BC, City of White Rock, White `Rock Beach//. Web. 25 May 2011. [].

"Nancy Drew." //Mystery Net.com: Online Mysteries, Mystery Games, Mystery Books//. Web. 19 May 2011. [].

"Nancy Drew: The Hidden Staircase - Overview." //Allgame//. Web. 19 May 2011. [].

"The History of Nancy Drew." //The Nancy Drew Sleuth Unofficial Website//. Web. 19 May 2011. [].

"The History of Nancy Drew." //The Nancy Drew Sleuth Unofficial Website//. Web. 25 May 2011. [].

"The Motor Boys Series by Clarence Young." //Series Book Central - Home Of Juvenile Series Books & Pulp Heroes//. Web. 19 May 2011. [].

"The Timeless Influence of Nancy Drew - ParentDish." //ParentDish - Parenting Tips, Expert Advice and News//. Web. 25 May 2011. [].

"Times Change, but Nancy Drew Has Lost None of Her Appeal Var _sf_startpt=(new Date).getTime_uacct = "UA-286897-1"; UrchinTracker;_qacct="p-6fyjhx6gpjuDg";quantserve; Var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-286897-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function { Var Ga = Document.createElement('script'); Ga.type = 'text/javascript'; Ga.async = True; Ga.src = ('https:' == Document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; Var S = Document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; S.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, S); });." //PopMatters//. Web. 19 May 2011. .