Representation of Adolescence Through Fiction

Representations of Adolescence through Fiction According to Kate Legged, an Australian Journalist, adolescent adult novels atomic number 18 too dark and pessimistic, as she states in the following ingeminate Father bashes mother, mother abandons children Violence, drugs, suicides. The novels of some top writes of young peoples fiction have never been bleaker or more explicit (Kate Legged The Australian Magazine 1998) Tomorrow, When the state of war Began by John Married and Ugly by Constance Brioche both involve issues which could be considered bleak and disturbing.They tell stories of violence, one in a war stance while the other in the form of child abuse. However, young adults are represented in an optimistic light in both novels, becoming creditworthy and able to persist and establish resilience through the circumstances they are faced with, making them able to over summate these challenges. These books promote the awareness and understanding of issues, and show that hope i s what the characters cling to in their time of need. The main characters in both books are adolescents who develop and become stronger in their difficult situations.Constance (Clare), in Ugly, writes an autobiography of her liveliness of eating and neglect by her mother. Elli, the main character in Tomorrow, When the struggle Began, writes a diary about guerilla warfare in an invasion whither her parents are prisoners of war. Therefore, both are put in a position of responsibility whereby they must look after themselves without parents being there for protection. They are represented in a positive light which contrasts with their negative surroundings. Ugly presents violence which is directed at Clare in the home environment.Clare suffers physical abuse (even leading to hospitalizing) and sexual worrying which re consequential of adults in the book, in particular her mother Carmen. Her treatment of my sisters was certainly very different from her treatment of me. They did not ge t the unkind linguistic process I got, or have their nipples pinched, and they were not beaten or punched. (Clare Ugly p. 8 -9) Although Clare is unaware why she is victimized by her mother, it is possibly because she is darker skinned than the live of the family.Carmen abuses her daughter through verbal abuse, neglect and physical harm. Her self-esteem is lowered through name calling such as the following Lord, sweet Lord, how come she so ugly? Ugly. Ugly. If I hadnt abandoned birth to her, sweet Lord, I would have sworn she was a fraud. Heavenly Jesus, sweet and kind, why have you given me a swine? (Carmen Ugly p. 52) Child abuse is intolerable in our society. As the reader sees the pain and suffering that Clare experiences, they respond to the torment by feeling apprehension towards Clare and disgust towards Carmen.So readers are positioned to admire Clare for her courageousness in persevering with life, fending for herself, her determination to become a barrister and her con tinual study and work ethic to achieve this goal. At the end of the book a spirited Clare visits her mother and lets her know what she thinks You made me (Clare) hate you (Carmen), and I do. You know what? I dont think that you should ever have had children. And not that bad after all. (Clare Ugly p. 08) When Clare finally confronts Carmen, readers feel relief and thrilled for Clare because she has moved on from her mothers cruelty, to lead a better life and become a successful proud woman, unlike Carmen. From a horrible background, this young adult is able to achieve her lifetime goal. Unlike Ugly, where personal violence is the main issue, Tomorrow, When the War Began conveys violence which is directed at the whole country in a war scenario. Elli, the protagonist, records the story of fighting the enemy for her country and family.The characters in Tomorrow, When the War Began in any case grow throughout the novel and become fighters for others lives, rather than always putting th emselves first. While Ugly has one main character, Tomorrow, When the War Began features a group of sevener friends, who are able to support one another throughout the war which the group discovers has broken out while they are on a camp out trip. From innocence, the group is suddenly faced with a massive change in their lives We believed we were safe. That was the big fantasy.Now we know were not, and like you said, well never feel safe again, and so its adios innocence. (Elli Tomorrow, When the War Began p. 107) Readers can associate with these characters as they are typical Australian teenagers, which is seen through their behavior and country t profess in which they live. Although they are from a mannequin of different backgrounds, they show true Australian qualities, making them likeable to the reader as they hold the name values. The characters become more cautious and realize how principal(prenominal) friends and family are.War has meant they are no longer innocent and m ust grow up and fend for themselves, becoming more responsible and independent with every minute, which is illustrated in this quote Weve got to stick together, thats all I know. We all drive each other crazy at times, but I dont want to end up here alone (Elli Tomorrow, When the War Began p. 284) These young adults (Elli, Homer, Lee, Carrie, Kevin, Robin and F) find the strength to live on while their country has been invaded ND their families captured.As with Clare, the reader is positioned to admire these characters because they show traits that near readers would can relate to and respect such as courage, commitment, independence, responsibility and family values as seen in the following quote. Its our own families, said Carrie. Thats what everyones worried about, isnt it? I stake Id fight for my country but Im going mad wondering whats happened to my family. (Carrie Tomorrow, When the War Began p. 172) One goal remains throughout which is to fight for their families and coun try ND their own survival.Through the representations of personal and social issues which are explored in the two books, readers are positioned to view the world as bleak and disturbing, which supports the view of young adult novels presented in Ledges quote. However, the representations of young adults in the novels suggest that they are very capable of dealing with immense problems and overcoming them. Young adults in the novels are able to move past these issues because of their resilience and a small ray of hope in their lives, so they can continue to work towards a better life.