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Somewhere Between: The Shifting Trends in the Narrative Strategies and Preoccupations of the Young Adult Realistic Fiction Genre in Australia Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy College of Arts Victoria University Erin Farrow 2017 Abstract. ‘Young adult realistic fiction’ is a classification used by contemporary publishers such as Random House, McGraw Hill Education and Scholastic, who define it as ‘stories with characters, settings, and events that could plausibly happen in true life’ (Scholastic 2014). From the first Australian young adult imprint in 1986 it has become possible to trace substantial shifts in the trends of genre. This thesis explores some of the ways that the narrative structures and preoccupations of contemporary Australian young adult realistic fiction novels have shifted, particularly in regards to the portrayal of the main protagonist’s self-awareness, the complexity of the subject matter being discussed and the unresolved nature of the novels’ endings. The significance of these shifting trends within the genre is explored by means of a creative component and an accompanying exegesis. Through my novel, Somewhere between, I aim to consider and build on the changing narrative structures and preoccupations of Australian novels of the young adult realistic fiction genre. The exegesis uses the examination of representative Australian YA novels published between 1986 and 2013 to demonstrate the shifting trends in these three main narrative structures and preoccupations. The gradual, steady, shift in the narrative structures and preoccupations of the genre away from stability and assurance gives evidence of shifting notions of childhood and adolescent subjectivity within contemporary Australian society. ii Doctor of Philosophy Declaration “I, Erin Farrow, declare that the PhD thesis entitled Somewhere Between: The Shifting Trends in the Narrative Strategies and Preoccupations of the Young Adult Realistic Fiction Genre in Australia is no more than 100,000 words in length including quotes and exclusive of tables, figures, appendices, bibliography, references and footnotes. This thesis contains no material that has been submitted previously, in whole or in part, for the award of any other academic degree or diploma. Except where otherwise indicated, this thesis is my own work”. Signature: Date: iii Dedication To Mum, Dad, Brenton and Mark, because of you I have always known exactly where I belong. iv Acknowledgements I would like to extend my sincere thankyou to the many people, over the past four years, who have so generously helped, supported and guided me through the writing of this thesis. Firstly, I would like to thank my supervisors, Dr. Jennifer Lee and Associate Professor Barbara Brook. Without their extensive knowledge, invaluable advice and ongoing support this PhD would not have been achievable. Their continued encouragement, approachability and guidance have made this experience such a positive one. I would also like to thank Dr. Rose Lucas, who was a member of my supervisory team early in my PhD, and played a vital role in not only helping me refine my research topic, but also in reaching candidature. I gratefully acknowledge the funding received towards my PhD from Victoria University, without which its undertaking would not have been possible. I am also grateful to a number of staff at Victoria University, including Associate Professor Tom Clark and Dr. Michael Hyde for their mentorship, career advice and for so generously allowing me to teach others about the subject matter I am so passionate about. To all those at the Graduate Research Centre, especially Professor Helen Borland, Professor Ron Adams, Dr. Lesley Birch and Grace Schirripa who were always so willing to give me their time and offer their assistance whenever it was needed. To Professor Phillip Deery, for allowing me to present my research through his support of my conference attendances. And to those who formed the Confirmation of Candidature Panel, Professor Anthony Love, Dr. Elizabeth Braithwaite and Dr. Jane Landman, I appreciate your early feedback. I am incredibly appreciative of all my family and friends who have listened to, encouraged and supported me throughout the writing of my thesis. To Cassie Carroll, Dr. Rebecca Ciezarek and Michaelie Clark, the earliest readers of my novel, thank you for your honest feedback and your questions. It was challenging to finally let someone other than myself and my supervisors read the work in its entirety, but each of you made the process so much easier with your kindness and encouragement. And to Michaelie, again, for proofreading the final draft, I knew it was in good hands. To my Mum and Dad, for always believing in me and encouraging me. But most importantly for making me love books and reading. Had I not grown up in a house full of books, with parents who loved and encouraged reading, this would never have been my dream, or my reality. To Brenton, you joke about not understanding what my work is about, but the interest you show and knowing that I am making my big brother proud has been a tremendous motivator. I hope I can continue to do so. To Mark, for always encouraging my writing. For understanding my need to get work done whenever and wherever I could fit it in, whether that be weeknights, weekends, on holiday, at the football, before a movie, camping or in the middle of the night. And most importantly for reminding me of our plan, the possibilities and what I’m capable of whenever I lost sight of it. I’m looking forward to the day when we have both finished studying and to seeing what we will do with all that extra time. And finally, to anyone I have missed. To anyone who has shown interest in and listened to me talk about my work. To anyone who made me realise just how important and substantial undertaking a PhD is, right when I was overwhelmed or disheartened. You have all contributed in your own way and its completion is because of you. I will be forever grateful. v Table of Contents Title Page i Abstract ii Student Declaration iii Dedication iv Acknowledgements v Table of Contents vi Novel: Somewhere Between 1 Exegesis Chapters: Introduction 131 Main body Chapter One: The shifting self-awareness of characters 145 Chapter Two: The increasing complexity of themes 164 Chapter Three: The shifting resolutions of young adult realistic fiction 182 Conclusion 202 Reference List 207 Appendix A 216 vi PROLOGUE From my balcony on a muggy, February evening, I watch the sun set over the Shrine of Remembrance. From here, I look towards the CBD, not as far as the clocks of Flinders Street Station, the spire of Saint Paul’s Cathedral or the misplaced architecture of Federation Square, but along St. Kilda Road, where I can see the hard, black lines of The Melburnian, the apartment complex that stands on the former site of Prince Henry’s Hospital. Where she spent forty hours a week the years after she finished high school. Where she learnt about vital signs, blood pressure, medications and patient care. But also where she met my dad and where she found out she was pregnant with me. If I look back towards South Melbourne, to Kings Way and the Arts Precinct, I can see the apartment building where the nurses used to live during their training. I can trace the path she would have taken from the front door to the entrance of Prince Henry’s. The same streets and footpaths I take when I walk to the train, to work, to the supermarket or The Tan. When I stop at traffic lights, waiting for the okay from the little green man, I look across to the other side of the road, imagine her standing at the same intersection just twenty years before me. In a few years’ time, I’ll have lived longer than her. My room is full of all my belongings and memories. Books stacked on my shelves and overflowing onto the floor, my photo board covered in photos from home, of high school and the beach and Jem and me, the snow globe Grandma and Pa brought me the last time they visited from England. I try to imagine what her room at the nurses’ residency would have looked like. Did it look like a typical girls’ room? Like my room? I try to remember the stories I’ve been told about her, any piece of information that might help me form an image of her standing in her room. But all I know is trivial. Her date of birth, the name of the town she grew up in, where she studied and the date she and Dad got married. They’re the details you might read in the obituary of a complete stranger. They’re not the only details a girl should know about her mother. I want to know whether she had a sweet-tooth like me, I want to know what her favourite subjects were at school, who her friends were when she was young, what music she used to listen to, what books she read, what her laugh sounded like, but most of all how she felt about me. We only had two days together, but still she is responsible for half of me and as I stand here, so close to where she spent her last years, I already feel like I know her better. And maybe I know myself a little better too. 1 CHAPTER ONE This is the second time in a month that a piece of paper has had the power to change my life. The same tree that turns into a shopping list, scrap paper or a take away menu could also make the piece of paper that not only decides where I’ll spend the next four years of my life, but also what I’ll spend the majority of my days doing.