Seeking recognition : subjectivity and the construction of identity in Melvin Burgess’s Junk, Doing It and Nicholas Dane

Abstract

This dissertation looks at young adult protagonists on their journey to self-discovery in Melvin Burgess’s novels Junk (1996), Doing It (2004) and Nicholas Dane (2009). It analyses the influence that people (such as family members and friends) and experiences (such as education) have on the construction of the teenagers’ identities. As the title suggests, the analysis of identity-building in teenagers is discussed through the power struggle that exists between teenagers and adults. This is analysed in view of Burgess’s style of writing, and the influence that his stories have on the young adult who reads his novels. Chapter 1 provides an overview of young adult realist fiction, discussing Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann’s notion of realism, with particular reference to the portrayal of social issues. It then looks at the position that Burgess’s writing occupies within this notion. This is analysed in view of teenagers’ and adults’ attitudes towards the social issues explored in his novels, such as those towards sex. Chapter 2 focuses on the theme of sexuality and attitudes towards it, analysing the influence that these attitudes have on the literature written within this genre. It also analyses relationships in Burgess’s novels, and the influence that such attitudes have on them. Chapter 3 analyses the influence that family has on the young adult and the way that it affects the individual’s growth. Chapter 4 looks at the role of the institution of education and the effect that the misuse of authority has on the protagonists. It also looks at the effect that embracing and rejecting different institutions has on the characters. Finally, the conclusion outlines the way in which Burgess’s writing portrays a movement towards freedom and the empowerment of the young adult.