14.6.10

young adult fiction, i love you

Usually, when someone mentions young adult fiction, visions of trashy Gossip Girl books and "vampire romance" delusions come to mind. It seems like the common consensus is that young adult fiction cannot be classified as legitimate literature. I took a class on the topic last semester, and although some of the book choices (like Forever--shudder) did nothing to end the stereotype, other novels I've found recently, like Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins have not only been page-turners, but also contained aspects that warranted actual literary merit.

[does anyone else see the resemblance of this cover to Ann Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged? Anyone?]
these novels hold classical archetypes--the hero archetype, the epic conventions, the theme of good versus evil, with good triumphant. The Hunger Games and the Percy Jackson and the Olympian series embody age-old themes and motifs--almost as a modernized and more relatable Iliad or Odyssey. Besides exposing teenagers to Classical ideas, they put them in an interesting format. To sum it up, I feel that the young adult fiction world is taking a turn for the better, and giving young adults more credit--why fill their heads with catty girls spreading rumors or forbidden love with werewolves when they can learn about Greek gods and 1984-esque distopias?
[disclaimer-i realize that this blog exposes me for the English major nerd I am. But ever since the 12 year old I babysit recommended these books I've had this running through my head!]
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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 20, 2010 at 4:42 PM

    I think you're missing the point of the trashy gossip girl novels and the stupid teen bit-lit genres: young adult literature functions as a learning mechanism for young adults. It's a way for the adult society to put restraints on individualism and ideas to go against the grain. It's propaganda and a vehicle for influence. Ergo, the worst of the YA genre hold the best example of "ideal society" and of dominant ideologies than any other material (aside from film).

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  2. Allegra LouiseJune 21, 2010 at 7:48 AM

    kandice, i'm not disagreeing with you, i think we're talking about different things. i'm discussing that certain YA novels by Collins and Riordan are giving teenagers a little more credit and are instilling classical archetypes and ethics, instead of the "ideal society" that you mentioned. and really, any "ideal society" that involves drug use, anonymous gossipers, and vampires in a pseudo-Victorian sexual repression manner IS propaganda, but i don't think that it should earn any literary merit. its just my opinion, i'm not a fan of YA-lit that only reflects the shallowness of teenagers today, its just a personal preference
    >_<

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