No One Belongs Here More Than YAL

Not everything is said in Young Adult Literature. Books exclusively intended for young adult readers have increased a 35% since 2008. However, YAL’s scope is not finite, for it also embraces books aimed to more “mature” audiences.  YAL is open to innovations and risks that are not only acceptable but necessary.

When it comes to risks and innovations, author Miranda July is first in line. Even though she wouldn’t categorize herself as a YAL author, her stories are unique experiments of the ingredients that are appealing to YA readers. This Person, a two-page short story from her book No One Belongs Here More Than You, is no exception. In this story, a nameless girl (continually referred to as “this person”) wakes up to find that her life till that moment was just a test, and she has passed it. Every difficulty or abandonment was just a trial to prove her strength. A better life is waiting for her now. So everyone she has ever known gathers in a park to congratulate her.  But she feels overwhelmed by the sudden revelations and affection, and she bails out, seeking for loneliness.

Miranda July’s story is the perfect example of the substantial territory YAL has been gaining throughout the years. This story doesn’t play safe and arises many possible discussions. This person by Miranda July is YAL at its finest.   

“Squeaky clean” is not a characteristic that fits this story. In words of authors Herz and Gallo, “YAL deals with many universal themes, including the eternal question who I am?” In This Person, universal themes such as disillusion and isolation are present. At the beginning of the story, the nameless girl is excitedly waiting for the gathering in the park. When she arrives, everyone she knows congratulates her for passing “the” test. People who have made her life a misery apologize to her and confess that whatever they had done was just part of “the” test. However, these revelations don’t bring her happiness, but the awful memories that caused her so many afflictions.“This person is almost mad (…) This person is so disappointed.” In this extract, the character’s disillusion is palpable, for she realizes that everything she believes in is not true. What she has hoped and dreamed suddenly vanishes in the air. If everything that she has experienced was just a test, then what is real in her life? Such a deep and crucial question is not answered in the story. One reason may be that there is not just one answer, but more likely that readers are allowed to draw their own conclusions. The lack of answer is not a flaw of the story. It is a manifestation of its “YALness".

Even though she is mad and disillusioned, she still regrets leaving the park. “This person mourns the fact that she has ruined her one chance to be loved by anyone…” She wants to take that only chance of being loved and connect with people.  She wants to be part, to belong, but she doesn’t know how since the revelations have crushed her and now she needs to protect herself. Her struggle is clear in the following extract: “This person realizes that staying home means blowing off everyone this person has ever known. But the desire to stay in is very strong.” This need to be alone can be considered as a defence mechanism known as isolation. The main character isolates herself from everyone she knows; she decides to cut every interaction or relation with people and take refuge in solitude. Avoiding contact with people seems to be the solution this person finds to deal with the disillusion the latest events brought to her life. Isolation is a complex topic that is studied in different fields, such as psychology and sociology. So its presence in a YAL story is not random. It is a bold selection that YA readers will find interesting to discuss.

Along with universal themes, there are other characteristics in July’s story that are appealing to young adult readers. Author Robert C. Small proposes three characteristics that are unique to YAL: the novel (story) is short; the main character is the center of the plot; and the actions and decisions of the main character are major factors in the outcome of the story. This Person is a two-page s  tory, told in the third person omniscient narrator. An omniscient narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of every character, still, as the plot of the story centers on the main character, the narrator focuses exclusively on the girl: “this person suddenly feels the need to…, “this person wonders…”, “this person mourns the fact that…”, “this person wants to run a bath…”  July’s story has other characters, such as the math and PE teachers, the jerks, idiots and assholes, the girl from the bus stop. Yet, they have neither voice nor power over the development of the events, for only the main character’s decisions drive the story.  All these characteristics don’t make This Person a shallow or superficial story. The short length and the “egocentric” plot are innovations used to make readers genuinely connect with Julies' work.

For stories like This Person, YAL won’t know dry spells. It is continually growing and expanding. There are still many Mirandas Julies to come and keep things active in the YAL section. Young adult readers: BEWARE!