Identity, Addiction, and Harassment in YA Literature

The Importance of the Teen Book Fest

I can’t help putting in one last word for the Ontario Teen Book Fest. It’s full of great positive energy for readers and writers, and that’s one reason I’ve always enjoyed it, have reserved the school van to chauffeur teens in my book club, and when I was a representative for the region in the California School Library Association, organized OTBF field trips for members. However, another reason I like it is because it embraces the darker side of life as a teen–and thus, the literature about that dark side–while reminding anyone who is immersed in the darkness that good books engage the topics they are struggling with and offer solace.

This year, both the keynote addresses and the breakout sessions tackled issues of harassment, drug abuse, suicide and more.

#Timesup and the Harassment of Girls

The first keynote speaker, Josephine Angelini, spoke about the  #timesup movement in terms of understanding that words–all words–matter. Her own experience with harassment as a young woman made her stop keeping a journal. Audience members had a chance to pause and consider the many things that girls will try in order to stop being harassed. At one point, Angelini shaved her head to stop strange men from catcalling at her on the street. As she points out, it didn’t work.

Identity

Jeff Garvin, also one of the featured speakers, presented on identity,

particularly on the aspects of it that individuals can’t choose. Identity is a construct that impacts the way you experience your life. Garvin discussed how his environment and his peers pushed him to construct a negative identity for himself. As a preteen, he thought of himself as a misfit with uncool clothes when other boys made fun of his brands. He was humiliated and beat up in high school. In response, he identified as a victim and decided to attend a new arts high school. However, only a year later, he decided to return to his home school. As an adult, he learned that the guy who beat him had been beaten by his own dad as a teen.

In coming to understand that everyone has a backstory, Garvin also came to understand that by judging people based on their school clubs or activities, and writing off popular or good looking peers, he’d missed opportunities to make connections.

Garvin went on to draw a line from today’s political environment, when the country is crying out for change, to the need for teens to have an alternative version of themselves. He noted research on challenging beliefs, which shows just how difficult it is for people to change their core beliefs, even in the face of facts which contradict them. In other words, people don’t change their minds about subjects that challenge their identities. He inspired the audience to be open minded and push the envelope of identity.

Ellen Hopkins and Addiction

Ellen Hopkins, the book fest’s main keynote speaker, discussed her background as a freelance journalist, a career that gave her many opportunities for adventure including swimming with orcas and parachuting with military air squads. However, she stopped working in nonfiction and came to write YA novels when her daughter became a meth addict. Hopkins’ ex-husband was an addict, and her daughter became one during a court-ordered visitation when she was sixteen years old. Hopkins says that she discusses her private life because she wants people to know that her novels are based on facts, and that life can change more quickly than one could ever imagine. She implores teens to consider their choices very carefully.

Balancing Darkness with Light and Hope

Although the authors for the breakout session “IRL: Navigating Darkness” have written about some of life’s worst moments and tragedies, they reminded the audience that all discussion of darkness–including YA novels–must be balanced with light and with hope. The particular difficulty for teens in hanging on to hope is that they have a large responsibility load, but minimum freedoms. Family problems, depression, and anxiety can seem uncontrollable, nevermind the problems of the larger world. However, the authors reminded us that teens do have the power to make change, as we see now with students pushing against the NRA and Congress for gun control legislation.

Though it is a cliche to say that things gets better, it is also true, and that’s important to remember. Some of the panelists could think back to teachers who exemplify Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)” with their ‘dark sarcasm.’ But they also remembered those adults, including teachers, who ventured in and helped pull them out of the sadness. They gave a nod to what Mr. Rogers told us long ago: Look for the helpers.

Much of what I heard at the book fest was a call for a dual activism: Fight for yourself and your identity. Then take the fight outside and help others.

That’s a hopeful message in the darkness, and that’s the message of good YA books.

Note: For my review of Jeff Garvin’s Symptoms of Being Human, click here.