Teen suicide and other destructive behaviors in contemporary young adult literature: The subjects, the literature, and what it means for educators
Abstract
Teen suicide and related destructive behaviors, such as self harming and substance abuse, are often glossed over or avoided altogether in the secondary classroom; however, using contemporary Young Adult Literature, the secondary literature classroom is the very place these topics should be discussed. In order to do so, educators must understand the subject, as well as be able to select effective novels to move discussion forward in the classroom environment. The purpose of this thesis is trifold: 1) analyze what adolescent psychology tells us about substance abuse, self-harming, and most specifically, suicide; 2) understand teen suicide as it is portrayed in Young Adult literature; and 3) discuss the literature in terms of our understanding of adolescent psychology, and attempt to discern what are the possible implications for adolescent readers and teachers. At the conclusion, I provide recommendations for novel selection and classroom use.
Degree
M.S.Ed.
Advisors
Alsup, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Literature|Secondary education
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