Ella Enchanged and Cinderella

Postmodernism refuses to be pinned down and defined by a set of definitive characteristics or parameters. Its fluid definition begs to be poked and prodded, unwilling to offer a solid answer of what constitutes a Postmodern text. Similarly, the construct of adolescent identity ebbs and flows, now influenced by the advent of social media and its new genre of storytelling. Postmodernism and adolescence together form an interesting perspective that has been catalyzed by Young Adult Literature. The disregard for Young Adult Literature as a substantive genre worthy of critical study mirrors the cultural disregard for adolescence as a valid human experience, a tension that can be alleviated by a Postmodern reading of YA texts.

Psychologists usually agree that the teenage years are among the most difficult periods in one’s life. Most teens are trying to figure out who they are, what they believe, and how they fit into the world around them. Beginning in the late 1970’s, a whole genre of fiction, referred to as coming-of-age literature, emerged and serves, at least for many teens, as believable presentations of young people learning to navigate the difficulties of their lives, often fraught with feelings of rejection, seemingly unresolvable personal turmoil, social problems, school and family issues, etc. Indeed one value of reading is to see and better understand some aspect of ourselves through studying others. The reading of SPEAK, a somewhat controversial book

When adolescences experiences life changing moments it is difficult to cope with because they are still going through a process of self-discovery. Teenagers tend to think the situations they experience could negatively impact them for the rest of their lives so any guidance they receiver will comfort them. The literature young adults are exposed to impacts their thoughts while emotionally resonating with them. Young adult novels have the power to inspire teens to become better citizens or they can serve as a piece of hope when they are feeling at their lowest. Suggesting novels to young adults that discuss topics such as mental health, specifically suicide and the effects it has on the family and friends of the people who committed

Try to imagine a young adult fiction novel of today that will still be read by youth readers in fifty years. Some popular names might come to mind, such as the coveted The Hunger Games, The Fault in Our Stars, or Divergent. Though these may be widespread in the hands of young adult readers today, they probably will not stand the test of time in the way that The Outsiders, written by S. E. Hinton in 1967, has. Although they are enjoyable(passive voice), they do not possess many realistic qualities. For example, society does not live in a world that watches children fight to the death as a main source of entertainment, like the world is described in The Hunger Games. The Outsiders, which was produced by and intended for teenagers, instead is

My research for this essay will focus on uncovering how teenaged girls have been portrayed in the film industry, particularly with regards to decades since the 1980s. I hope to discover and learn from multiple literary opinions about the patterns as well as the thematic differences between the struggles of teen girls in films throughout the last 30 years. While mainly focusing on Mean Girls (2004), Clueless (1995), and The Breakfast Club (1985), I plan to direct my research towards how these specific decades portrayed in each film are the source of the aforementioned thematic differences. For example, I might try to find research explaining the cultural aspects behind Claire from The Breakfast Club’s struggle with finding her true identity in a culturally segregated high school in the 1980s.

“It makes no small difference, then, whether we form habits of one kind or of another from our very youth; it makes a very great difference, or rather all the difference” wrote Aristotle in Nicomachean Ethics: Book II (Aristotle). Essentially, he tells us that adolescence is the defining period of any person’s life. The Young Adult literature genre is distinguished for this reason, focusing on the multitude of changes that teenagers experience. Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson, The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, and A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness, are commonly read classic novels. Though morals, although not so much towards the ideals of raising a child, seem to be universal, these three books show inherent differences in the set of values on

The impact these media representations can have on the overall teen audiences is monumental. The portrayal of adults in teen films creates a negative representation for teens that may watch them. The portrayal of adults in films not only provides teens a vague sense of what their lifestyle should be like, but also gives them a substandard reputation in the eyes of adults. This can have an effect on the teen’s psychosocial, emotions, and mental

When children are first learning to read, teachers and parents supply them with straight-forward, amusing books with a clear and understandable moral. Books by the most famous children authors, such as Dr. Seuss, teach their young readers basic messages about life. Many of the most renowned children books deliver a strong message of the importance of family, friendship, equality, and acceptance. As the children get older, the morals of their books become less obvious and more complex, and when they are nearing adulthood the moral may be taken out completely. However, most of these books, especially ones that are considered works of literary fiction, replace the moral with something that is often similar- the theme. Theme, the central idea where the author attempts to demonstrate a generalization of human behavior or society, often gives the reader insight into how others’ perceive the world. Although the reader may not fully accept the theme, one should always reflect upon what the author presents in his or her story. In commercial fiction, the theme of the story often aligns with the readers’ views. However, the theme of literary fiction tends to challenge the reader’s views and beliefs. The reason why “The Lottery”, “The Necklace”, and “The Sniper” are all celebrated as some of the most powerful short stories is because of the insightful themes that they present to the reader.

Growing up will always be a greatly discussed topic for writers, regardless of genre, time period or their own personal experiences. Stories about growing up have been a part of fiction throughout history, with great authors such as J.M Barrie, CS Lewis and even Stephen King adding their own contributions. The pieces discussed in this essay have very different views on growing up and are told from very different perspectives. One from an elderly man wishing his granddaughter would stay young forever and one from a young boy trying to be much older then his respective years.

It’s undeniable that Young Adult (YA) fiction is one of the biggest, and best selling genres in literature right now. Over 10,000 YA books came out in 2012 alone. The genre’s popularity most likely comes from a very wide variety of audience members. Many people would define YA as books for people from 15 to 18 years old, but the fact is, far more than just those in this age range read these books. Readers of all ages have fallen in love with YA fiction and it has a huge following of teens and adults that has led to its exponential growth.

Adolescence is one of the most important and influential times of one’s life. During this time, a child formulates what kind of person they will be as an adult in society. Often times, events can change a personality and thought process completely. These event can be extremely good and affect the child positively or terribly bad, changing them negatively. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is an example of a young adult novel because it includes the growth and evolution of a character’s psyche, demonstrates universal challenges facing typical adolescents, and contains a wide variety viewpoints on different

Imagine traveling down the street during the Victorian Era, strolling by horse drawn carriages and over the rough marbled stone pathways. Now imagine walking down the street during the 21st Century, parading by high tech automobiles and over the smooth concrete sidewalks. Although both seem very different there is actually quite a bit that can be connected between the two eras. In fact, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens helps demonstrate several typical struggles from the Victorian Era that adolescents of the 21st Century face today. Developing teenagers in both eras went through similar struggles such as, deciding what to do with their life and trusting the right people.

Thirdly, writers like to write Teen Fiction above other genres because it restates the changes that occur in our youth that shape us into who we are today. “Not every book has a Happily Ever After. For example, S.E. Hinton’s YA classics, which deal with drugs, drinking, and gang violence, don’t offer easy answers to the questions they raise in the end. Today, they’re still taught in schools. But there's almost always an underlying optimism in YA, an identifiable maturation or development that Reiss calls ‘the kernel of hope.’” (Feeney 39). That “kernel of hope” is what teenagers are fueled by; what they blindly work for the future, even though they don’t know what it holds for them, but they only hope that it’s good. Ordinarily, the transaction of making life choices, taking different roads is what is shaping them into who they are and what they will

As well as other arts, literature is often told to be timeless. A classic, timeless piece of literature consists of whose themes and lessons will always remain as a standing struggle throughout human existence. Several enduring classics tend to have motifs that revolve around universal struggles such as sexuality, social acceptance, and greed. The reason these topics are so widespread is due to the fact that there will never be a human being who will never experience or see any of these things. As a matter of fact, these themes are also universal to any age because young adults can love and understand the piece of art as much as many elders. In the same way, those same motifs don’t discriminate against

Societal norms expect and uphold women to childbearing and to be nurturing. If a woman deviates from this she will be considered as ‘unprincipled.’ This is evident within the film Cinderella when the prince’s father refers to the eligible maids at the ball as ‘suitable mothers.’ The Duke exclaims “Sir!” And the king utterly replies “I meant wife.” It is evident that the king’s priority in hosting this ball is not entirely about his son getting married; rather his son giving him grandchildren. Upon arrival at the ball, it is apparent how ‘beautiful’ Cinderella is— she turns the front gate guard’s heads and catches the attention of the prince while he is currently meeting her stepsisters (image #3 on page 9). The prince instantly goes up to