Fanny Fern: Did you know there's a book about her?

     Fanny Fern also known as Sarah Willis began her career as a newspaper journalist in the mid-1850s. Traditionally, journalism, especially, during the 1800s, was an industry dominated specifically by men. Therefore, the pen name "Fanny Fern" was greatly so she could be successful because it helped to protect her from any readers that would be less than enamored with her writing or gender.

First, though, we need to go over some background information on this remarkable woman. Born in 1811, Sarah Willis grew up in Maine and went to a private school in New Hampshire when she was 16. Her mother's love of poetry probably influenced Sarah's own love of writing as well. Sarah Willis was married twice; her first husband died from typhoid fever and her second husband ended because of a divorce, chosen by Fanny, by the way. Sarah Willis began writing for various New England newspapers to help support her and her children (her family disapproved of her divorcing her abusive husband). She wrote her first book Fern Leaves and adopted the pen name Fanny Fern to protect her identity. Her second book placed her in the running as one of the top female writers of her time with her unconventional style.

Fanny Fern influenced the 1920s suffragist movement.

The interesting thing about Willis, though, is how observant she was. After her first husband passed away and her second husband divorced her, Willis learned to make her own way. More importantly, she had to raise her children in an acceptable, profitable way. She wrote about topics that interested her, and, consequently, noticed that most of the readers of periodicals (the old school word for magazines) were, in fact women. Willis and her self-reliant endeavors understood better than most how hard it was for a women to live in a man's world. The short story we read in class entitled "Male Criticism on Ladies' Books" is a key example of that. Her topics became the basis for some feminist thoughts and, later, some very feminist actions that would lead to some changes of great magnitude in the United States political system. In fact, infobarrel.com noted Fanny Fern as one of the top three founders of the feminist movement because of her emphasis on the natural abilities women possessed in a business world. Later, that emphasis on equality between men and women would be seen in the women's suffragist movement in the 1920s. To read the article, click here.

Debra Benegan is the author of the Fanny Fern novel.

You know what really got me though? Fanny Fern was less popular than Harriet Beecher Stowe even though she sold more books and appealed to a broader audience base. Most people who know about the author named Fanny Fern only know her because of college classes. Honestly, Stowe's popularity more than likely balances out because of the importance of the Civil War. The point is this though: there's a book. No, not a textbook; I mean a real, live, actual  book about Fanny Fern. The book is entitled Shame the Devil by Debra Benegan
and it made an appearance on the New York Times listing. The link to the article is here.

Fanny Fern had an interesting life that allowed for many women to connect with her. They saw her determination and strength as an inspiration for themselves, and they strove to emulate her mannerisms and outspoken opinions. Fanny Fern was more than just a female writer, she was a role model for the young, the old, the employed and the jobless.