Characteristics of young adult literature: A quick overview

While fairly new in terms of history, young adult (YA) literature occupies quite a number of shelves in bookstores and libraries and is gaining traction in the publishing industry.  In fact a number of YA novels have been adapted in the big screen, earning commercial success and even critical acclaim.  Here’s a quick look at this book category.

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There have always been books written with a teenage audience in mind.  Acclaimed works like Catcher in the Rye and Lord of the Flies, too, have teen protagonists.  It’s only quite recently, however, that the industry named this category YA and published books specifically for it.  In general, it’s a piece written for a teen audience, featuring a teen main character, and grapples with teen issues and concerns.

Common qualities of YA literature include featuring coming-of-age narratives, where a young adult is introduced into adulthood through a ritual-like experience or entering a new environment or life context.  This category also commonly deals with sexuality and its development, as well as common issues around race, class, and religion.

YA literature often gets rid of adult figures, and young adults instead shine in the spotlight and go through their struggles and epiphanies on their own.  Adults are relegated to a minor position, or are eliminated entirely.  It also deals with raw emotions – and understandably so, as it’s a time of raging hormones, the struggle for emotional maturity, and the blossoming of emotional independence and new personal ideologies. 

Jeff Mohlman is a college student at the University of Ohio who is currently enjoying his art, communications, and English courses. He unwinds by sharing his thoughts on movies and art online. Learn more on this page.