Of Kisses and Teenagers

In the world of literature we can find hundreds of genres, and obviously, a genre addressed to young adults could not be absent. Logically, someone called this genre Young Adult Literature (YAL). Most of the famous novels and stories within this category are considered ‘trash literature’ (at least for the intellectual circles). However, we should leave aside that prejudice since we can find many YAL characteristics in stories from other genres. The short story I Kiss a Door is a clear example of this. This story, from the book No One Belongs Here More Than You written by Miranda July, revolves around the feelings and thoughts of a girl who discovers that her friend is living with her father as a couple. While it’s true that we won’t find the book in the YAL section in a bookshop, it is also true that I Kiss a Door in particular can be considered YAL.

Now the thing is, how can we know whether a story is attractive to young adults or not? Authors Sarah K. Herz and Donald R. Gallo mention the importance of including appealing themes and topics for adolescents in YAL stories. In I Kiss a Door we will find several controversial topics: sexuality, since there is an explicit sex scene; insecurity, considering that the narrator is jealous of her friend’s beauty, popularity and family; identity, since the protagonist doubts about her child's father's identity; survival, if we take into account that there is a girl who has to live with her dad as man and wife; love, as we can see a father who is in love with her own daughter; and friendship, since we have two friends who break up because of a man.  

Author Robert C. Small highlights the importance of having a teenager as the main character in YAL stories. In I Kiss a Door, the narrator and protagonist of the story is not biologically a teenager since she may be in her twenties. Still, she could be considered as a teenager because of her personality and because of the way she acts. Our protagonist is a never-think-before, sexually adventurous, fragile, insecure and jealous girl who flirts with her friend’s father and who also cheats on her friend by having sex with her boyfriend.  And as if that were not enough, she also ends up having an unplanned pregnancy without even being sure of the father’s identity. Would you consider her as a teenager? Most probably your answer is “yes!” The thing is that this girl is not a teen but she acts like one.

Beyond a doubt, many of the books in the YAL section in a bookshop are usually really dull with very simple plots and common writing styles. But just like I Kiss a Door, there are thousands of high-quality stories out there that, without being “officially” considered YAL, may be very appealing for young adults.

Literary Essay

“The Emissary” of YAL 

‘The Emissary’, written by Ray Bradbury, is a short creepy story which may correspond to YAL. Now, what does the acronym YAL stand for? It stands for Young Adult Literature, that is to say, pieces of writings which include certain characteristics that are supposed to be appealing to teenagers. In general, educators and/or parents, tend to believe that all the classics such as Shakespeare, are a MUST for adolescents but they fail to see things from their (the adolescents’) perspective. Many people do not even know that YAL exists. There are several approaches about what is considered YAL and what is not that would be very helpful at the time of choosing a book to deal/work with. In this case I will take Robert C. Small’s approach as an example to analyze if “The emissary” corresponds to YAL.  

The main character in the story is Martin, a ten year old boy who is confined to bed due to his illness. His only connection with the outside world is his pet, called ‘Dog’. Dog is Martin's emissary, reporting the changes in the weather and the seasons by the way his fur feels and smells. Dog not only faithfully fetches news from outside, but he brings visitors to Martin's bedside. Martin snaps a tin note to the dog's collar: “MY OWNER IS MARTIN SMITH…TEN YEARS OLD…SICK IN BED…VISITORS WELCOME”.  Martin's favorite visitor is his teacher, Miss Haight. She is his friend and gives him books and cupcakes. She visits him for the last time on Sunday and the following day she has a car accident and dies. When Martin learns of Miss Haight's death, he begins a thoughtful consideration of death. He concludes that being dead must be quite dull since all that dead people do is lie around. In the last days of October, Dog begins to act strangely and, on Halloween, disappears. However, Dog does return, bringing with him the rancid smelling soil of the cemetery. As usual, Dog has also brought Martin a visitor.  

Small points out some characteristics that are unique to YAL, some of them are that the main character is a teenager, the centre of the plot, and events and problems in the plot are related to teenagers too. Even though the main character of “The emissary” Martin is only ten years old his attitudes perfectly reflect teens’ ones. He seems to be independent from his parents, he adapts to his condition of being confined to bed without complaining, he is in a stage of moving away from his parents to search for relationships outside the family, reasons why he may be considered teenager. The plot revolves around Martin, and his pet Dog plays a secondary role. After Mrs. Haight’s death in an accident, Martin begins a thoughtful consideration of death, life after death, and God’s decisions, topics which are usually of common interest among adolescents as their level of thinking slowly becomes more abstract rather than concrete.  

Another characteristic mentioned by Small is that the point of view presents an adolescent’s interpretation of events and people. Most teens go through a stage in which they reject their parents because they do not feel understood, that is the reason why Martin looks at his mother as if she were a stranger when she complains about Dog digging in the neighbors’ garden.  

According to Small, the teenage main character is usually perceptive, sensitive, intelligent, mature and independent. It is interesting how Martin manages his illness so brave without feeling sorry for himself and how he gets to learn about many things that happen outside the house such as the weather and different odors. The boy is definitely sensitive since he falls in a kind of depression when he knows about Mrs. Haight’s death. He proves to be independent staying alone in the house and asserts on his perception about Dog’s change of attitude. 

Small also claims that the actions and decisions of the main characters are the major factors in the outcome of the conflict.  Martin snaps a tin note to the dog's collar: “MY OWNER IS MARTIN SMITH…TEN YEARS OLD…SICK IN BED…VISITORS WELCOME”. Although it is implied, this action led Dog bringing Mrs. Haight back from death at the end of the story.  

It is not an easy task to know what is appealing to adolescents. However, if we just try to open our minds and look through their eyes it will surely be easier. I always start asking myself: Is a teenager the main character and the centre of the plot? Are the events, problems and the plot related to teenagers? Is the main character perceptive, sensitive, intelligent, mature and independent? Are the actions and decisions of the main characters the major factors in the outcome of the conflict? 

Taking into account Small’s concept on YAL, we can get to the conclusion that “The Emissary” is a good example of YAL.