Course meta link (Creative Attention: Seeing, Doing and Being - CRW020C104H)
What is young adult fiction? Is it a description of a type of story, or is it a genre in itself? What distinguishes it from fiction for children and fiction for adults? And why do we need it?
In The Invention of YA we’ll explore the development of the ‘young adult’ genre by reading widely and internationally. We’ll think about YA tropes and how they’re subverted in the best YA fiction. We’ll remember all those characters in children’s literature we wanted more from, and imagine their after- lives. We’ll explore the history of YA literature in myth and wonder tale, and look at how these stories invite us to cross borders and inhabit liminal spaces. We’ll join gold-blooded warriors in a fictionalised West Africa, return to Narnia with innocence lost, and visit chilling dystopias on the brink of revolution. We’ll ride a magical train across the galaxy. We’ll listen to The Smiths with a 90s high school freshman.
In the
module summary,
the set
text for
the week
is in
bold—that’s our
compulsory reading.
There’s also a companion piece,
which I strongly encourage you to look at as well.
I’ve tried to make these
fun and interesting — films, songs, short
stories, or shorter novels you’re likely to know something about
already.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me at joanna.gilar@roehampton.ac.uk
