In this thesis I have argued that Collins' The Hunger Games trilogy forms a sandbox for Young Adults to consider and play around issues of social justice. I have linked the events in the books to...Show moreIn this thesis I have argued that Collins' The Hunger Games trilogy forms a sandbox for Young Adults to consider and play around issues of social justice. I have linked the events in the books to events in historical or contemporary societies and have done so by making use of Foucault's political theory of a control and disciplinary society.Show less
This thesis analyzes the social and academic value of fanfiction concerned with LGBTQ+ representation in Young Adult Literature. Since the heteronormative discourse looks upon LGBTQ+ as a...Show moreThis thesis analyzes the social and academic value of fanfiction concerned with LGBTQ+ representation in Young Adult Literature. Since the heteronormative discourse looks upon LGBTQ+ as a controversial theme, LGBTQ+ identities and storylines in media such as literature are often stereotyped and negative. Young Adult Literature finds itself in a position where it can provide positive LGBTQ+ representation because of its tendency towards realism. However, existing power structures still prevent this genre from fully reaching its potential. This potential can be realized through fanfiction, an open discourse available on the internet. On fanfiction platforms, people with LGBTQ+ identities write the narratives they need based on official media stories, such as literature and movies. This thesis offers two comparative analyses. First, I will compare the non-LGBTQ+ Young Adult novels The Hunger games: Catching Fire and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, with a selection of corresponding LGBTQ+ fanfiction. In the second part, I present a comparison between the LGBTQ+ Young Adult novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and a selection of corresponding LGBTQ+ fanfiction. Both of these analyses research the interpretations by fanfiction writers of the Young Adult novels on which they are grafted, highlighting their specific needs with regard to LGBTQ+ representation.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Film- en literatuurwetenschap (BA)
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Contemporary works of young adult literature (YAL) often contain characters with disabilities. This thesis analyses disability in YAL and focuses on the themes 'dementia' and 'autism'. The first...Show moreContemporary works of young adult literature (YAL) often contain characters with disabilities. This thesis analyses disability in YAL and focuses on the themes 'dementia' and 'autism'. The first chapter examines the representation of dementia in YAL by comparing Lisa Genova's Still Alice, a work of adult fiction, to Lara Avery's The Memory Book, a work of YAL. The second chapter analyses the representation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in YAL and compares Graeme Simsion's The Rosie Project, a work of adult fiction, to Francisco Stork's Marcelo in the Real World, a work of YAL.Show less
