The following article provides an analysis of how various literary techniques employed by authors in young adult literature can help cultivate empathy, relational thinking, and critical reflection regarding difference among readers. Narrative structure is an essential element of storytelling that helps writers convey their messages effectively to readers. Writers often employ different techniques such as characterization, dialogue, setting, conflict, resolution, symbolism, and foreshadowing to create engaging stories that evoke emotions from readers and make them reflect on various themes. One of these important themes is the exploration of differences within society. Through narratives, authors can explore themes of racism, gender inequality, classism, disability, homophobia, transphobia, religious persecution, etc., and examine the ways in which they affect individuals and societies. The representation of these themes through different types of characters, settings, conflicts, and resolutions creates a space for readers to critically think about them and develop empathy towards those who are different from themselves.
This paper will discuss how three different narrative structures used by YA literature authors promote empathy, relational thinking, and critical reflection regarding difference. The first one is linear or chronological narration, which involves telling a story in a straightforward manner from start to finish. It can be seen as a simple narrative structure wherein events are presented in chronological order without any flashbacks or flashforwards. This type of structure allows readers to follow the plot easily, but it doesn't always provide enough room for reflection or complexity. In this type of narrative, characters are usually depicted as static and one-dimensional, making it difficult for readers to relate with them fully.
Some authors use this structure to create compelling stories that encourage readers to reflect on their assumptions about certain groups of people.
In "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas, the protagonist Starr witnesses her best friend being shot and killed by a police officer, which leads her to question her privilege as a black teenager living in a predominantly white neighborhood. Throughout the book, she confronts racism head-on, leading to a powerful conclusion where she stands up against injustice.
The second narrative structure is nonlinear, which involves telling a story out of order or jumping between time periods. Nonlinear narratives allow writers to explore complex emotions and ideas more deeply than linear ones, as they create space for reader reflection through jumps in time. They can also add suspense and mystery to stories, creating tension around what will happen next. One popular subtype of nonlinear narrative is flashbacks, where authors show events from different points in the past to explain how they impact present situations. In John Green's "Looking for Alaska," the main character Miles remembers his high school days while trying to understand why his best friend Alaska died suddenly. The novel uses multiple flashbacks throughout its chapters, allowing readers to understand Alaska's character better and develop empathy towards him/her despite their death.
Circular narration refers to when an author tells a story from beginning to end again but with new information added each time. This technique allows writers to explore themes from multiple angles, creating a richer experience for readers who may have already read other books on similar topics. Circular narratives often involve multiple plotlines that intersect at various points, making it difficult to predict what will happen next.
Rainbow Rowell's "Eleanor & Park" employs this type of narrative structure by following two teenagers from different backgrounds falling in love amidst family troubles. Throughout the book, we see how Eleanor changes over time as she starts dating Park and discovers her true self. By exploring these characters' journeys repeatedly, readers gain insight into their experiences and learn how differences between people don't necessarily have to be barriers.
Narrative structures used in young adult literature allow authors to explore complex themes related to difference through various techniques such as linear, nonlinear, or circular narration. These types of stories help cultivate empathy, relational thinking, and critical reflection among readers by providing space for reader reflection through jumps in time or repeated perspectives. By reading YA literature, readers can engage with these ideas more deeply than they would otherwise, leading to greater understanding and compassion towards those who are different from themselves.
How do narrative structures in youth literature cultivate empathy, relational thinking, and critical reflection about difference?
Narrative structures in youth literature can foster empathy by allowing readers to identify with characters from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. This encourages them to consider alternative viewpoints and develop an appreciation for differences between people. Relational thinking is also promoted through storylines that explore interpersonal relationships and conflicts while offering examples of healthy communication skills and conflict resolution techniques.