What is adolescent literature?

Understanding the growth and representation of youth depicted in literature can explain the answer to the question: ‘what is adolescence?’

In the beginning of the semester, we read a chapter from Roberta S. Trites’ book Disturbing the Universe: Power and Repression in Adolescent Literature. It was after reading this text that we were introduced to the concepts Entwicklungsromane and Bildungsroman -- two terms that helped us define adolescence in literature and beyond.

Bildungsroman

“the protagonist’s growth is neither accidental...nor simply a matter of normal developmental growth...rather, the hero self-consciously sets out on a quest to achieve independence… The Bildungsroman [has an]... optimistic ending that affirms the protagonist’s entry into adulthood” (11-12).

In other words, the Bildungsroman is about growth where the protagonist comes of age as an adult. They face an error and come out on the other side having found truth. The adolescent protagonist’s confusion ends in clarity.

Entwicklungsromane

“the novel of mere growth, mere physical passage from one age to the other without psychological development” (12).

This protagonist on the other hand, rarely appears as an adult by the end of the novel. Instead, readers see the protagonists develop, yet do not see them reach adulthood. All in all, an Entwicklungsromane story is one of character development.

These terms aid readers’ understanding of texts in which an adolescent is the protagonist, putting this growth and development into perspective as something that can be observed, not claimed by anyone.

But...

What is the difference between adolescent literature and writings by adolescents?

Generally, literature written about adolescents come from an outsider's perspective. In other words, the text develops the plot, character personalities, surroundings and setting -- literature that uses an adolescent as their protagonist does not necessarily provide readers into direct thoughts, emotions and insights like text written by an adolescent may provide. Diary writings by adolescents are raw and uncensored, especially since their purpose is unapologetically selfish. Adolescents are able to claim the diary space as their own. Readers get a glimpse into unplanned thoughts, instead of staged scenes. Outsiders reading text written by adolescents are able to see the world through an adolescents' eyes.

This is the ultimate difference.