Entry #10 - Who Am I? A Question Answered in YAL

 People read for a variety of reasons – for entertainment, to escape the real world, to make personal connections, to identify with a character or even, figure out who they, the reader, are and how they fit into the world. In Katy Waldman's article, “Everyone Knows Where They Belong,” she argues that readers respond to young adult literature, in particular, because it helps us figure out who we are and how we fit into our world. Waldman says that high school never really leaves us and that there is even evidence that the labels we identify ourselves with in high school cling to us for the rest of our lives. She goes on to say that high school is where we do “a lot of our self-creation” and that this simplistic way of categorizing ourselves and looking at the world is why many people, even into adulthood are drawn to young adult literature. Waldman uses the popular Harry Potter, Divergent, and Hungry Games series as examples of such books that appeal to people of all ages and argues that this is partially due to the way the books break down society into “groups” and the characters are categorized as fitting into one of those groups. She also claims that within these societies our heroes often are those that don't fit in perfectly and are unique. Readers want to fit in, yet they also want to stand out as a unique individual. Add this idea of uniquely fitting in to the belief that who we decide we are in high school stays with us and we have a better understanding of why many young adult titles are so appealing to people of all ages.

Many young adult titles deal with this idea behind uniquely fitting into the world. In Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden thinks of everyone as “phony” and yet, he also has this innate desire to connect with someone. On page 24 Holden says he isn't too crazy about Ackley, but then on page 53 he goes to Ackley's room looking for companionship after his fight with his roommate, Stradlater. Holden isn't too fond of anyone in particular except maybe his little sister, but yet he still has this desire to be around people and to be part of something. In Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell, Eleanor and Park do not fit it. Eleanor is an overweight, red-head that dresses like a boy, while Park is an Asian boy with a small build. Despite not fitting the mold, they love each other and truth be told, it's each of their unique qualities that appeals the most to the other. Park talks about loving Eleanor's hair and knowing when he was in love with her when he says, “Eleanor's hair caught fire at dawn. Her eyes were dark and shining...The first time he'd touched her hand, he'd known” (Rowell 301). Eleanor's nickname is “Big Red” at school because she's larger than the average girl and has bright red hair, yet her hair is one of the things that Park loves about her. Along the same lines, Park is insecure about being small and not looking like the other students. Eleanor describes Park as “beautiful” numerous times in the book and she even says “There's no shame with Park. Nothing is dirty. Because Park is the sun...” (302). Both characters stand out and yet, love each other in all their unique beauty.

Accompanying the idea of uniquely fitting in, Waldman argues that the heroes in our stories are those that are courageous enough to stand out. In The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Alexie Sherman, Junior is stuck between his two lives of living on the reservation and attending the all-white school off of the reservation. Junior tries to fit in at his new school, but the social rules are very different. Then, he makes the basketball team and starts to really develop some friendships at school. Back at the rez, he is an outcast because he left. Throughout the entire book, Junior is struggling to be somebody, while also trying to find himself. Yet, a few people in his life see him as a hero for being different and trying to break the cycle of a resveration kid. Eugene, who is Junior's dad's best friend, even says, “It's pretty cool, you doing this...I could never do it. I'm a wuss” (Sherman 71). This links back to what Waldman is trying to say when she says, “self creation may require....an act of courage.” Junior wants to fit in, but he also is courageous because as he is trying to “find” himself, he isolates himself to a point where he doesn't exactly fit in either at home on the reservation or in school.

All three books show how readers can still identify with the characters of young adult literature even as adults because in high school we decide who we are and that sticks with us into adulthood. At the same time readers want to fit in while they also want to stand out as unique individuals. Holden is so afraid of becoming just another phony, yet he's equally afraid of not fitting in at all. Eleanor and Park stand out for the physical differences and yet, this is what draws them together. Junior is stuck between two worlds and learning to blend his identification to be both an Indian and a kid that attends the “white-kid-school.” He wants to be somebody and in doing so, he stands out. They all want to fit in while remaining unique. Junior, specifically is even portrayed as a hero for his desire to break the mold and all the courage that it takes to do so. This is something we can all relate to, even as adults and why young adult literature is so popular.

Works Cited

Rowell, Rainbow. Eleanor and Park. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2013. Electronic.

Salinger, J.D. Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown & Company, 1951. Print

Sherman, Alexie. The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York: Little Brown and Company, 2007. Electronic.

Waldman, Katy. “Everyone Knows Where They Belong.” Slate. 21 March 2014. Web.