Who Am I? A Literary Analysis of Identity in Young Adult Literature

At some point in their life, nearly everyone struggles with their identity, whether it be their sexuality, race, religious beliefs, physical body image, or self-confidence. Adolescents often form their identity through their inheritance of the past and the choices they make in the present. The struggle to find out who you are and how you fit into society is a common theme among literature, especially young adult fiction. This theme is prevalent through the works Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, Life of Pi by Yann Martel, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, and Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. This project will analyze each work and the common theme among them as well as what we, as readers, can take away from each of these very different characters and their struggles.