Writing for Young Adults – The Bildungsroman Thread

“Bildungsroman, the term applied to novels of ‘education’ (in the widest sense), of which many of the best examples are German. Wieland’s Agathon (1765-6) is usually thought the first of the genre but the beta and most imitated was Goethe’s Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre (Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship) … Wilhelm provides the model of the innocent, inexperienced, well-meaning but often foolish and erring, young man who sets out in life with either no aim in life or the wrong one. By a series of false starts and mistakes and with help from well-disposed friends he makes in the course of his experiences, he finally reaches maturity and finds his true profession.”

The big conclusion of the research I conducted for my PhD was that the young adult novel is always a Bildungsroman of sorts. More often than not it is to do with identity though it may be one particular aspect of identity that the young person uncovers.

Bildungsroman” literally means “novel of education”

Wilhelm Meister sets out, not knowing what he is doing, making many mistakes, and finally reaching maturity and finding his proper profession. 

The central character in most young adult novels sets out clumsily at first, making many mistakes, and finally succeeds in at least a small way, finding the right path through.

Many young people go through rites of passage at this time.

The story of adolescence traced though story theory:

•      Ordinary World  (Christopher Vogler) Childhood

•      Call to Adventure (Vladimir Propp)  Invitation to become adult through the onset of puberty

•      Refusal of the Call (P) The adolescent sometimes wishes to continue to behave like a child and wants the comforts of childhood.

•      Meeting with the Mentor (V) Supernatural Aid (Joseph Campbell Young people trust other authorities from the ones they knew in childhood i.e. parents and school. The trappings of teenage life – clothes, make-up, music, and possibly also drugs and alcohol give supernatural help.

•      Crossing the First Threshold (P) The young person goes through puberty.

•      The Belly of the Whale (C) Trials, Allies, Enemies (V) The Road of Trials (C) These are the ups and downs of becoming an adult, the changes in the brain and hormones going mad. Could the belly of the whale also be the teenager’s bedroom?

•      The Meeting with the Goddess (C) This may by sexual seduction or a tendency to put role models put upon a pedestal – e.g.  footballers and pop stars.

•      Woman as Temptress (C) Does this personify sexual experimentation?

•      Approach to the Inmost Cave (V) Young adults go into a quiet space to find their true identity.

•      Ordeal (V) Young adults face a final struggle to find their own truth.

•      Atonement with the Father (C) The young adult is reconciled with the old way of life and the essence of the personality. What happened during childhood still counts.

•      Apotheosis (C) A beautiful new adult emerges.

•      The Ultimate Boon (C) Reward (V) The young person finds a role in life.

•      Refusal of the Return (C) Despite recognizing the value of what has gone before the young person does not want to return to the beginning. This may be because they do not like the old way of life or it may be because they do not want to lose the idealized image they have of it.  

•      The Magic Flight (C) Go back they must. Young people reach out to those roots with their new adult knowledge. This is often symbolized by an actual journey.

•      Rescue from without (C) Adolescents cannot just stay in their inner cave. They must face the realities of the world.

•      The Road Back (V) This represents a reconciliation between the new and old orders. Parents who had seemed incredibly stupid when one was fourteen, now that one is eighteen, seem not too bad after all. 

•      Master of Two Worlds (C) Resurrection (V) The new adult takes up the new position in the world but still appreciates what has come before.

•      Freedom to Live (C) Return with the Elixir (V) Self-esteem is improved so the young person is free to live. The elixir is self-knowledge.

 

Seeing this in a book you might read

•         Look at the first scene and the last.

•         Has the character grown?

•         How have they changed?

•         Note that many actors look at the first and the last scene of the script before they decide whether to take on a part. They want to know that the character has grown.

How does this happen in YA books you have read?

Writing task

Write a scene near the beginning of your novel and another towards the end to show how your main character has changed.

   

Writing for Young Adults – Finding a story arc

Some people plan in detail. Others prefer to just start writing.  Below are common patterns of story. You may wish to use this to plan a story or to see if a finished story is working.

 

Basic four character theory

There are four basic characters: the hero, the friend, the enemy, and the mentor

The hero is usually human

The friend, enemy or the mentor may not be human

Story comes from the interaction and tension between them

The mentor usually disappears, leaving the hero to have the adventure on their own.       

Campbell, Propp, Vogler theory

Joseph Campbell surveyed lots of fairy stories and modern stories. Propp looked primarily at folk stories. Vogler adapted Campbell’s theory for the film industry. Vogler claims that his theory actually works slightly better of it is a little skewed.

According to these three the heroes go through the following hoops:

• The Ordinary World (V) Hero leaves society (P) 
• Call to adventure (V)
• Refusal of the Call (C,V)
• Meeting with the Mentor (V) Supernatural Aid (C) Meets a stranger (P)
• Crossing the First Threshold (V)
• The Belly of the Whale (V), Trials, Allies, Enemies (V), The Road of Trials, Arduous Journey (P) Capture by Strange Warriors (P)
• The Meeting with the Goddess (C) Protection by ugly girl (P)
• Woman as temptress (C) Appearance of the Queen, the beloved one (P)
• The Approach to the Innermost Cave (V) Lovemaking (P)
• Ordeal (V) 
• Atonement with the Father ( C )
• Apotheosis ( C )
• The Ultimate Boon ( C ), Reward (V),  Resolution (P)
• Refusal of the Return (C)
• The Magical Flight (V)
• Rescue from without ( C )
• The Road Back (V)
• Master of Two Worlds (C) Resurrection (V)
• Freedom to Live (C) Return with the Elixir (V)

Booker’s seven basic plots

Christopher Booker recognises seven basic plots;

1. Overcoming the Monster

Rags to Riches

2. The Quest
3. Voyage and Return
4. Comedy
5. Tragedy
6. Rebirth

He gives us more detail:  

Overcoming the monster

The call

Initial success

Confrontation

Final Ordeal

Miraculous escape   

Rags to Riches

Initial wretchedness at home (call)

Out in the world – initial success

Central crisis

Independence and the final ordeal

Final union, completion and fulfilment

Quest- Odyssey

Problems encountered:

Monsters

Temptations

Deadly opposites

Journey to the underworld

Voyage and return

Call

Journey

Arrival and frustration

Final ordeals

Goal

Voyage and return

Anticipation

Dream stage

Frustrations stage

Nightmare stage

Thrilling escape and return

Comedy

Often contains:

• Characters dressing up in disguise or swapping clothes 
• Men dressing up as women  or vice versa
• Secret assignations when the wrong person turns up
• Characters hastily concealed in cupboards etc. 

Types of comedy:

• Burlesque
• Dark figure is hero themself
• No dark figures

Tragedy   

Act One - anticipation

Act Two – dream stage

Act Three – frustration stage

Act Four – nightmare stage  

Act Five – destruction stage 

Booker also recognises an overall story form:

Initial phase

Opening out

Severe – constriction

Dark power dominant

Reversal and liberation

McKee’s theory

Robert McKee’s Story was also written for the film industry but is no longer so popular there now.

It seems like a simplified version of the Campbell / Propp / Vogler theory and is in fact similar to Booker’s overarching template:

.

Inciting incident / hook 

Growing complexities (The longer the novel, the more there are. Usually there are at least three.)

Crisis

Climax

Resolution  

If you want to study McKee’s book, I recommend reading the whole book, then reread Chapter 14.

 

Plots and sub-plots

Both I and Andrew Melrose’s present theories about the relationship between plot and sub plot.

Melrose: sub-plots are proportional to each other and to the main plot. These proportions form a pyramid.

Is there something of the Golden Segment in this?

My theory embraces Melrose’s but adds that each sub-plot is part of the main plot and the next biggest sub-plot.

We both say that the smallest sub-plot contains the “aha” moment. There is often some sort of epiphany for the hero.

In addition I say that this smallest sub-plot forms a bridge to the main plot.

See below how this pans out in Cinderella.

Main plot: Cinder’s life is transformed.

Sub-plot 1: she has a battle with the ugly step-sisters and her step-mother

Sub-plot 2: she wants to go to the ball but is prevented and then overcomes that prohibition.

Sub-plot 3: the fairy godmother helps her to get to the ball but imposes restrictions  

Sub-plot 4: she overcomes these restrictions to have a relationship with the prince

Sub-plot 5: the slipper is all important – it must fit Cinders’ foot (and note the obstacles that stand in the way of that! Even a sub-plot has a whole story arc)

Working with Archetypes

You can also put together characters based on the archetypes. See what happens:

•         Good old man

•         Innocent young girl

•         Rival or “shadow”

•         Temptress

•         Father

•         Mother

•         Rivals

•         Other self 

Have a go

1. Even if you don’t normally plan your stories in detail, have a go at planning one of the stories according to one of the templates provided above.
2. Test out another of the theories in something you’re reading.
3. Do you have a story that is not quite working? Test against a third theory. 

Some recommended reading 

 

Writing for Young Adults – creating the young adult protagonist

General definition of a young adult

•         They tend to be post- puberty

•         They may or may not be sexually active but are capable of producing a viable child

•         They are often referred to as “adolescent” but in fact this term covers puberty and post-puberty.

•         However the young adult still has other changes going on.

•         Changes happen at different times for individuals. 

•         Males become more sporty, females become distracted    

Changes in the brain

There are lots of changes going on:

•      Neurons and synapses grow rapidly and cut back rapidly also.  

•      The frontal cortex is the last to finish this process. Is this where “common sense” resides and therefore there is no common sense?

•      These young people tend to reason with amygdale, the seat of raw emotions.  

•      These processes are usually complete by 17 at the latest. As puberty is normally complete by 14, we define young adult as 14-17.

•      Several confusions in thinking processes arise because of these changes.

•         This all leads to chaotic, despairing and impulsive behaviour.

Recommended reading: Blame My Brain by Nicola Morgan, 2007 Walker Books. Nicola Morgan has consulted the scientific research and presented this in a book that is easy to read.  
    

Effects of dopamine

•         In addition higher levels of dopamine exist in the adolescent brain. Dopamine triggers the desire for pleasure and can increase related risk-taking. Food, sex, alcohol and drugs further increase dopamine levels.

•          This can lead to such extreme activities as joy-riding and drug-taking. 

The young adult and sleep

•         All the extra activity means they need more sleep – as much as a toddler, in fact.

•         Melatonin, the sleep-inducing chemical, arrives later in the adolescent brain than in the adult brain. In adults it starts about 9.00 p.m. and in young adults 11.00 p.m. or later.

•         Often therefore young adults do not get enough rapid-eye-movement sleep – they do not dream. This can often lead to mental health problems.

•         This one trait often lasts until early 20s. There are implications here for higher education.  

•         Many High School in US therefore do not start until 10.00 a.m.    

Examples of young adults staying up late in literature

You find this in the works of:

of Judy Blume, Ann Brashares, Kate Cann, Douglas Coupland, Hazel Edwards, Monika Feth, Catherine Forde, Cathy Hopkins, Christine Nöstlinger, Tabitha Suzuma and Judy Waite.

In summary, general characteristics

•      They have to take charge of the world but are not so sure of themselves as younger teens – they see the shades of grey

•      They often become head boy or head girl at this time.

•      They may become interested in religion.

•      They begin to hypothesise and can think abstractly. They can and tend to use and understand symbols. They are capable of theorizing

•      They have a distorted image of themselves.

•      They are hypersensitive and suffer from mood swings.

•      They don’t recognise facial expressions and often misinterpret them.  

•      They tend to reason with the emotions rather than logic.

•      They need a lot of sleep but probably don’t get it. They stay up late and get up at the normal time when they actually need at least 9.25 hours sleep a night.

•      They need bigger thrills to obtain gratification. They are big risk-takers. 

•      They are prone to the onset of mental illnesses.

•      They are socially and emotionally clumsy.

•      They are disappointed with what adults have done with the world though are afraid of taking responsibility for it. They know they have to reorder their world.

•      They feel peer pressure.

•      They are beginning to make choices that may determine the rest of their lives.

•      They are at best curious about drugs and at worst become addicted.      

Creative writing exercise

Young Adult Character Questionnaire

The young adult faces a lot of pressure:

1. Physical – hormones, sexual development, brain, growth spurt
2. Mental – thinks with emotions, not logic, pressure to do well at school, has to make decisions
3. Emotional – relationships, peer pressure, loss of parents, need for other mentor
4. Main motivation – need to create their own world.     

Answer the following questions for two friends in a story you might create:

1. What do they look like?
2. How sexually active are they?
3. How used are they to their own height and strength?
4. How are they doing at school? What are they good at, what are they bad at?
5. What sort of thing might they want to do later?
6. What do they worry about most?
7. Who are they getting on well with?
8. From whom do they feel peer pressure?
9. Who has replaced their parents?
10. What are they most concerned about in this scene? 

Now write a short scene between two of you characters.  

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