Teenage literature and the issues surrounding it

How have all the above developed your understanding of children’s literature and the issues surrounding it?

Teenage fiction is certainly an area which I’d never even considered as being so full of controversy - and yet it’s so obvious given the turbulent emotions and developments which occur during adolescence.

I have now gained an appreciation for teen fiction and understand the importance of such literature for today’s young adults. However, I still have ambivalent feelings towards whether children should be exposed to such gritty reading.

I agree with Burgess, there are very few books which can be categorised as ‘teenage’ fiction. Looking back at my own reading history I certainly didn’t read books like Junk. I think this was when I started reading more adult books, literary novels and teen magazines. There does appear to be a big gap in the market for such books especially given the range of media readily available to teenagers. The popularity of Junk on a global scale suggests that it is an area this has demand and certainly an area which should expand to accommodate for a market which, for the most part has been overlooked.
Reading Junk has given me an insight into a world that I have no experience of. Even as an adult (who has led a relatively sheltered life) the book has had an impact on me. It was very uncomfortable reading and gave me an insight into the lives of children who become homeless and the problems they encounter. I have been affected by the book and it leaves it very unclear in my mind whether I would recommend the book to teenagers.

A clear distinction between children’s reading and more teenage reading is that the endings aren’t ‘happy ever after’ or concluded, but are open ended giving the reader the opportunity to question how things work out. As stated by the boy interviewed by Appleyard “A story that doesn’t give you the answers is better than a story that gives you a solution.” This is an important skill for young adults to develop, as it makes them think beyond the pages of a book and develops their abstract thinking ability. Junk certainly ends on an uncertain note especially as the reader doesn’t find out what happens to Rob and Lilly. Do they manage to kick the habit and re-build their lives? Tar is portrayed as slowly getting better but even his life is uncertain as he admits he has slipped up several times and “once an addict, always an addict” is the cliché which resonates through the end of the book. It is not the fairy tale ending which typifies children’s literature.

Junk also appeals to teenagers as it does fit into the three responses Appleyard distinguishes as typical adolescent responses. It is argued however that many of these traits are typical for any enthusiastic reader. For the book to have an impact it must involve the reader so that they can identify in some way with the character. The element of realism allows them to identify with the narrative and again it should allow them to think about the story independently. Junk does certainly does tick all these responses but I cannot help but feel that it is this realism that makes me cautious of the book.

On the podcast Sir mentions he would give a handout with the book to aid their learning. At a time when adolescents are so led and influenced by peer pressure, surely it is our responsibility as adults to guide their learning but also to trust them with their own decisions and this therefore seems a very sensible approach. However, as reminded by Burgess, a lot of the hard issues dealt with in the books are issues which teenagers have already been exposed to by films such as Trainspotting and the internet. It is a sad fact of society today that children do grow up much faster and loose that ‘innocence’ which also makes me think we should, as Burgess does, trust the teenage reader to make their own decisions. I think that the appeal of Junk lies it the way Burgess writes from a multiple viewpoint. This allows the reader to delve into the psychology of the characters and really get a feel for the way the heroin begins to effect their personalities as they become addicts and it takes over their lives. This approach will lead readers to identify with several traits found in all the characters and I do believe that there is a very strong connection especially as teenagers start to think more deeply about what direction they want their life to take.

Both the podcast and Appleyard make an important distinction between the self of a 7-12 year old who view the world from their viewpoint and whose viewpoint of the world is influenced by subjective thoughts and feelings. As an adolescent, there is clear distinction made between the inner self and the outer social self or “an appearance put on for others” (Broughton 1978, 83-89). This journey is often fraught with conflicting often ambivalent emotions which can lead to a sense of isolation and loneliness often echoed by the typical teenage phrase “you don’t understand me.” This sense of “nobody understands me” is very apparent in Junk, most obviously by the character Gemma, in her idolisation of Lilly and her disregard for her parents, punishing them by leaving home.

It is the realism aspect of books like Junk that causes a lot of the controversy and yet where the appeal of the book for young adults lies. The image of Lilly riddled with holes in her veins still leaves me feeling quite ill and yet this is perhaps the shocking reality of an addict. Whitehead et al (1977) (cited in Appleyard) argue that teenagers “demand stories that...reflect realistically the darker parts of life” and therefore such stories need to be told to reflect this aspect of society today. It is hard to separate the adult in me that wants to protect children from such images whilst trying to educate them about drugs and the effects they cause.

Adolescence is a most precarious time and as the podcast touches on those few years between childhood and adulthood involve far bigger bridges to cross. It also made me understand the importance of reading during that time and also how many teens choose not to read during this tumultuous period. In trying to understand teenage fiction one of the most important points (as emphasised by Sir) is that responses are so far widespread. Those teenage years are so significant in defining character that books can be highly influential and potentially change their outlook on life. As mentioned on the podcast, teenagers are neither adults nor children but caught in the middle, and there is that precarious battle between wanting to be an adult but not wanting the responsibility that goes with it.

Like most aspects of adolescence, teenage fiction is certainly fraught with questions and controversy. Teenage fiction such as ‘Junk’ address issues in a way which teenagers can relate to and deal without being too childish or too didactic. The research into the issues surrounding children’s literature have highlighted the difficulty of those teenage years and the need to strike a balance between guiding their morality as adults and allowing them the freedom to make up their own minds.