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After All This Time: A Study of the Appeal of Young Adult Fiction After All This Time: A Study of the Appeal of Young Adult Fiction
Series Among Young Readers Series Among Young Readers
Sarah Jessica Martin
University of South Carolina - Columbia
Second Reader:Second Reader: Sara Schwebel
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Young Readers" (2016).
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Table of Contents
● Introduction and Purpose of Research
● Comparative Publication and Cinematic Successes of Each Series
● Research Methodology
○ Choice of Survey and Distributor
○ Selection of Survey Participants
● Breakdown of Survey Results by Series
○ Initial Observations
○ Observation Analysis
● Commonalities and Linkages Among Series
○ Fandoms
○ Values and Lessons
○ Motivations for Reading
○ Relatability
● Study Evaluation
● Conclusions
● Appendix
○ Full Survey Results
○ Plot Summaries
● Bibliography
3
Introduction and Purpose of Research
What is it about young adult fiction that is so addictive? Why do teenagers return
to the same characters and situations over and over again in series fiction? This study
explores the significance of young adult fiction series with a scientific approach, through
the surveying of teenagers on the aspects of those series that are so meaningful to them.
Through this study, a greater understanding of the way readers interact with literature is
achieved.
The research portion of this study is largely inspired by Reading the Romance by
Janice Radway
1
, an investigation that explores the attraction of romance novels to
women and the style and content of those novels. In that study, Radway focuses on
repetitive and similar themes within the romance genre, and constructs an argument as
to what may be the driving force behind that genre’s popularity. Furthermore, she
suggests analyzing the action of reading through multiple lenses that each focus on a
different aspect in order to understand the complexity of the experience, such as
defiance, complicity, and escapism.
2
This study is constructed with a similar analysis, with a shifted focus to the
following four young adult fiction series: Harry Potter, Divergent, The Hunger Games,
and Twilight. Through this research, a better understanding of what makes popular
literature popular is achieved, as there are compelling reasons why a young adult would
turn to a book over other forms of entertainment. Lastly, the strands of commonality
that weave through these series and prove attractive to a majority of young readers are
also identified.
General plot summaries of each series can be found in the Appendix.
1
Radway, Janice A. Reading the Romance: Women, Patriarchy, and Popular
Literature. Chapel Hill: U of North Carolina, 1984. Print.
2
O'Brien, Amy A. Negotiating the Interconnections of Sociality, Identity, Fan Activism
and Connectivity within the Twilight Community. Diss. U of South Carolina, 2015.
Print.
4
Comparative Publication and Cinematic
Successes of Each Series
Before reviewing survey data and hypotheses, it is important to introduce and
note the relative popularity of each series. It is crucial to understand which young adult
fiction series are financially and numerically the most popular, as that understanding
provides initial clues as to what young readers enjoy and what they don’t. Then, this
study will look more deeply into the characteristics of each series and attempt to find the
markers of what constitutes a good young adult book.
The Harry Potter Series
The Harry Potter franchise is a behemoth, encompassing books, films, clothing,
video games, worldwide Quidditch tournaments and associations
3
, and an entire theme
park called The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a part of Universal Orlando Resort. In
London, fans can head to Kings Cross Station and pose with half of a shopping cart at
Platform 9 ¾, or journey to the Harry Potter studio in Leavesden and take a tour for
£44.95 which often needs to be booked weeks or months in advance for availability.
4
Fans of the series no longer have to look to the books for the Harry Potter experience;
rather, that world can now be found in real life.
The estimated worth of the Harry Potter franchise, reported by CNBC in 2014, is
about $24 billion.
5
That number is expected to rise with the upcoming release of movies
based on Rowling’s Potter-related book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, with
the first slated for cinematic release in November of 2016.
6
The creator of the franchise,
author J.K. Rowling, is worth more than $1 billion.
The franchise began with a single book- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s
Stone, published in 1997 and later retitled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone upon
release in the United States in 1998. That book, the thinnest of the series at about 300
pages, hit the top of the New York Times best-selling fiction list in 1999, where it
remained for a year.
Following Sorcerer’s Stone was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,
released in the U.S. a year later in 1999, and the remaining five books of the septet. The
following chart illustrates the publication dates, length, and estimated financial success
of each individual novel of the series. It should be noted that the sales of each book are
3
"The International Governing Body for the Sport of Quidditch." About the Sport.
International Quidditch Association. Web. 16 Jan. 2016.
4
"Ticket Information For The Warner Bros. Studio Tour London."Warner Bros Studio
Tour London. Warner Bros Studios. Web. 16 Jan. 2016.
5
Giuliano, Karissa. "The World's First Billionaire Author Is Cashing in." CNBC.
NBCUniversal, 31 July 2015. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
6
"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." IMDb. IMDb.com, 19 Dec. 2015. Web. 4
Feb. 2016.
5
largely guesswork, as the downloaded e-books are exclusively sold through Pottermore, a
website launched by Rowling in July of 2011.
7
Table 1.1: The Harry Potter Series Book Publication Sales
U.S. Release date
Pages (in
U.S. edition)
Estimated worldwide
sales
8
Sorcerer’s Stone
September 1, 1998
309
107 million
Chamber of Secrets
June 2, 1999
341
77 million
Prisoner of Azkaban
September 8, 1999
435
Unknown
9
Goblet of Fire
July 8, 2000
734
66 million
Order of the Phoenix
June 21, 2003
870
55 million
Half-Blood Prince
July 16, 2005
652
65 million
Deathly Hallows
July 21, 2007
759
44 million
Each book release has been increasingly met with fan fervor and devotion, with
midnight book releases and bookstore parties common. When Goblet of Fire was
released in 2000, it was reported that FedEx trucks were deployed strictly to carry the
thousands of copies of the book. Preselling was also very common, and in 2000, Amazon
and Barnes & Noble together saw presales of over 700,000 copies.
10
Furthermore, each
book release broke the previous record of fastest selling novel of all time, as Deathly
Hallows sold 15 million copies in its first 24 hours, beating Half-Blood Prince’s record of
11 million copies and Order of the Phoenix’s five million.
11
Furthermore, after author J.K. Rowling announced on February 10, 2016 that she
was going to release for sale the script for the stage play The Cursed Child, commonly
referred to as the eighth addition to the Harry Potter literary franchise, bookstores such
as Books-a-Million have already begun planning midnight release parties.
12
The corresponding movie franchises of each book, distributed by Warner Bros.
Pictures, have also enjoyed incredible success in the United States and around the world,
7
Aquino, Judith. "The Brilliant Methods That Made Harry Potter A $15 Billion Brand."
Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 2011. Web. 12 Jan. 2016.
8
Sims, Andrew. "Harry Potter – History of the Books." Hypable Fandoms. Hypable, 5
Apr. 2012. Web. 16 Jan. 2016.
9
Exact data unknown as e-book sales through Pottermore are not reported publicly.
10
Fierman, Daniel. "The ''Harry Potter'' Craze." EW.com. Entertainment Weekly, 21 July
2000. Web. 15 Jan. 2016.
11
"The Celebrity 100: #9 J.K. Rowling." Forbes.com. Forbes, 6 Nov. 2008. Web. 16 Jan.
2016.
12
Sims, Andrew. "Booksellers Already Planning ‘Cursed Child’ Midnight Release Parties
Because They Know You Need Them." Hypable Fandoms. Hypable, 12 Feb. 2016. Web.
14 Feb. 2016.
6
and those figures can be found in the table below. Overall, with a $1.5 billion total budget
for the eight movies- Deathly Hallows was split into two parts- the combined worldwide
gross equaled about $7.7 billion.
13
Table 1.2: The Harry Potter Series Domestic Box Office Sales
U.S. Release date
Sorcerer’s Stone
November 16, 2001
Chamber of Secrets
November 14, 2002
Prisoner of Azkaban
May 31, 2004
Goblet of Fire
November 18, 2005
Order of the Phoenix
July 11, 2007
Half-Blood Prince
July 15, 2009
Deathly Hallows Part 1
November 19, 2010
Deathly Hallows Part 2
July 15, 2011
The Twilight Saga
Although the Twilight franchise has weathered its fair share of criticism for plot
and character development in both its books and films, it has still succeeded financially.
It has inspired clothing, school supplies, posters, body pillows, lingerie, and even divisive
teams of fans- Team Edward vs. Team Jacob, with, of course, corresponding team
merchandise. With a devoted fan base, the franchise is one of the most successful among
young adult fiction series.
Twilight, the first novel of the series authored by Stephenie Meyer, was published
in 2005 and followed by three others within three years- New Moon, Eclipse, and
Breaking Dawn. The novel publication dates, lengths, and estimated book sales can be
found in the table below.
To celebrate the publication release of Eclipse, at which point a significant fan
base had been established, parties took place at more than 1,500 bookstores in 2007 and
Meyer was joined by 2,000 fans at a sold-out event at the Nokia Theatre in New York.
While at that event, Twilight fans were able to get signed autographs and participate in a
Q&A with Meyer; 250,000 other fans watched the event via online streaming on
Entertainment Weekly’s website.
15
Additionally, Meyer hosted an “Eclipse Prom” at
13
TIME Staff. "Because It’s His Birthday: Harry Potter, By the Numbers."Time. Time
Inc., 31 July 2013. Web. 15 Jan. 2016.
14
"All Time Domestic Box Office Results." All Time Domestic Box Office Results. Box
Office Mojo. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
15
Memmott, Carol. "Record-breaking Sales for 'Breaking Dawn'" USATODAY.com.
USAToday, 4 Aug. 2008. Web. 4 Dec. 2015.
7
Arizona State University. When tickets for the prom sold out in seven hours, Meyer
agreed to hold a second prom that same day. Those tickets sold out within four hours.
16
Table 2.1: The Twilight Saga Book Publication Sales
U.S. Publication date
Pages (in U.S.
edition)
Estimated worldwide
book sales
17
Twilight
October 5, 2005
544
$370 million
New Moon
September 6, 2006
563
$322.5 million
Eclipse
August 7, 2007
629
$262.5 million
Breaking Dawn
August 2, 2008
756
$705.5 million
Three years after the series’ literary debut, the first of four films was released and
quickly earned almost $200 million in North American ticket sales, contributing to a net
profit of over $1 billion. The Twilight film franchise also enjoyed success overseas,
achieving a global box office gross of $2.5 billion.
18
The individual movie release dates
and North American ticket sales can be found in a table below.
Table 2.2: The Twilight Saga Domestic Box Office Sales
U.S. Release date
Twilight
November 21, 2008
New Moon
November 20, 2009
Eclipse
June 30, 2010
Breaking Dawn Part 1
November 18, 2011
Breaking Dawn Part 2
November 16, 2012
Financial success notwithstanding, the films were also met with quite a bit of
criticism. New Moon was hit with a 28% rating on popular film analysis website Rotten
Tomatoes, with the Critic Consensus noting, “The Twilight Saga's second installment
may satisfy hardcore fans of the series, but outsiders are likely to be turned off by its slow
pace, relentlessly downcast tone, and excessive length.”
20
In comparison, the lowest
16
Irwin, Megan. "Charmed." Phoenix New Times. Phoenix New Times, 12 July 2007.
Web. 16 Dec. 2015.
17
"Total Twilight Franchise Sales / Revenue." Statistic Brain. Statistic Brain Research
Institute, 12 July 2015. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.
18
Pomerantz, Dorothy. "Looking At 'Twilight' By The Numbers." Forbes. Forbes
Magazine, 16 Nov. 2012. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.
19
"All Time Domestic Box Office Results." All Time Domestic Box Office Results. Box
Office Mojo. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
20
"The Twilight Saga: New Moon." Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster, Inc. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.
8
rated Harry Potter film on the same website, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Part 1, earned a 78% rating. Furthermore, Breaking Dawn Part 1 was nominated for 8
Razzies, awarded to the worst films every year.
21
The Hunger Games Series
Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist of the Hunger Games trilogy, is known in the
books as “the girl on fire.” The frenzy surrounding the trilogy- encompassing books,
major motion picture films, jewelry, clothing, tote bags, home furnishings, and even shot
glasses
22
- is also on fire, and reportedly worth over $4 billion.
23
Suzanne Collins’ trilogy consists of The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and
Mockingjay. In August of 2017, Amazon announced that the trilogy had officially
surpassed the Harry Potter series as a top seller and had sold over 65 million copies.
Sara Nelson, editorial director of books at Amazon, noted, “Interestingly, this series is
only three books versus Harry Potter’s seven, and to achieve this result in just four years
is a great testament to both the popularity of the work, and, we think, the growth in
reading digitally during that time.”
24
The individual publication dates and estimated
book sales can be found in a table below.
The publications of the Hunger Games books were also celebrated through
midnight release parties at bookstores around the country. At the official “Mockingjay
Midnight Madness event” in New York City in 2010, fans enjoyed a tarot card reader,
magician, and face painting. Minutes before midnight, Collins read a passage from the
novel and gave our signed copies of the book.
25
Table 3.1: The Hunger Games Series Book Publication Sales
U.S. Publication date
Pages (in
U.S. edition)
Estimated book
sales
26
The Hunger Games
September 14, 2008
374
28 million copies /
$169 million
Catching Fire
September 1, 2009
391
19 million copies /
$99 million
21
Pomerantz, Dorothy. "Looking At 'Twilight' By The Numbers." Forbes. Forbes
Magazine, 16 Nov. 2012. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.
22
"The World of the Hunger Games Gifts." CafePress. CafePress Inc. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.
23
"Hunger Games Total Franchise Revenue." Statistic Brain. Statistic Brain Research
Institute, 1 September 2015. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.
24
Bosman, Julie. "Amazon Crowns 'Hunger Games' as Its Top Seller, Surpassing Harry
Potter Series." Media Decoder Blog. The New York Times, 17 Aug. 2012. Web. 10 Feb.
2016.
25
Wilkinson, Amy. "'Mockingjay' Official Midnight Release Party: We Were There!" MTV
Books. MTV, 24 Aug. 2010. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
26
"Hunger Games Total Franchise Revenue." Statistic Brain. Statistic Brain Research
Institute, 1 September 2015. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.
9
Mockingjay
August 24, 2010
390
18 million copies /
$89 million
Lions Gate Entertainment recognized the potential success of bringing the books
to film, and signed on to produce the film adaptation of The Hunger Games in March
2009, before the second installment of the book series was even published. Author
Suzanne Collins decided to adapt the novel herself, and the movie was released in March
of 2012. In its opening weekend, it earned more than $152 million.
27
The movie was then
followed by three others, as Mockingjay was split into two separate films. Release dates
and estimated sales can be found in a table below.
Table 3.2: The Hunger Games Series Domestic Box Office Sales
U.S. Release date
Domestic box office sales
28
The Hunger Games
March 23, 2012
$408 million
Catching Fire
November 22, 2013
$424.6 million
Mockingjay Part 1
November 21, 2014
$337.1 million
Mockingjay Part 2
November 20, 2015
$281.7 million
The Divergent Trilogy
Divergent, the newest young adult fiction series of the four included in this study,
was written by Veronica Roth and published in April of 2011. That same year, Summit
Entertainment, the film production company that released Twilight, purchased the
media rights for the book.
29
The film adaptation was released in March of 2014 and
generated over $288 million worldwide at the box office.
The novel series is made up of three books- Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant,
and has inspired fan websites, clothing, faction-inspired jewelry, interactive quizzes to
determine which faction fans would join, and even tattoos “that would make Tris Prior
[the protagonist of the Divergent series] proud.”
30
The individual novel publication dates
27
"Lionsgate Picks up Hunger Games." Reuters. Ed. Sheri Linden. Thomson Reuters, 17
Mar. 2009. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
28
"All Time Domestic Box Office Results." All Time Domestic Box Office Results. Box
Office Mojo. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
29
Brissey, Breia. "Summit Entertainment's Post-'Twilight' Plans Are 'Divergent'" MTV
News. MTV, 18 Mar. 2011. Web. 2 Feb. 2016.
30
Murphy, Shaunna. "18 'Divergent' Fan Tattoos That Would Make Tris Prior Proud."
MTV News. MTV, 11 Mar. 2015. Web. 9 Feb. 2016.
10
and lengths can be found in a table below. Overall, the trilogy was estimated to have sold
6.7 million copies in 2013, the year the last novel was released.
31
Table 4.1: The Divergent Trilogy Book Publication Information
U.S. Publication date
Pages (in U.S. edition)
Divergent
April 25, 2011
487
Insurgent
May 1, 2012
525
Allegiant
October 22, 2013
526
On its opening weekend in 2014, the first film adaptation of the trilogy earned
$4.9 million, a number that soon swelled to $150 million in North America ticket sales.
32
A year later, the second film, Insurgent, was cinematically released but earned $20
million less. Individual film release dates (and anticipated release dates) and box office
sales can be found in a table below. It should be noted that the third novel of the trilogy,
Allegiant, is set to be split into two films- Allegiant and Ascendant.
33
Table 4.2: The Divergent Trilogy Domestic Box Office Sales
U.S. Release date
Domestic box office sales
34
Divergent
March 21, 2014
$150.9 million
Insurgent
March 20, 2015
$130.2 million
Allegiant
March 18, 2016
N/A
Ascendant
March 24, 2017
N/A
One reason for the decline in ticket sales may be due to the criticisms that
followed Divergent in 2014. Andrew Barker, a critic for Variety, noted, “Unlike the
‘Harry Potter’ series’ tangible, fully dimensional Hogwarts or ‘The Hunger Games’’
colorfully variegated districts, ‘Divergent’s vision of new Chicago doesn’t have much to
31
Roback, Diane. "Facts & Figures 2013: For Children's Books, Divergent Led the
Pack."PublishersWeekly.com. Publishers Weekly, 14 Mar. 2014. Web. 9 Feb. 2016.
32
Lang, Brent. "‘Divergent’ Debuts to $4.9 Million, Lionsgate Greenlights ‘Insurgent’."
The Wrap Movies. The Wrap, 21 Mar. 2014. Web. 9 Feb. 2016.
33
Galuppo, Mia. "Final Two 'Divergent' Films Get New Titles, Logos."Heat Vision. The
Hollywood Reporter, 10 Sept. 2015. Web. 9 Feb. 2016.
34
"All Time Domestic Box Office Results." All Time Domestic Box Office Results. Box
Office Mojo. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
11
distinguish it from a standard-issue post-apocalyptic pic.”
35
Peter Travers of Rolling
Stone wrote,
At the risk of alienating young-adult hearts, the faithful but dramatically
flat film version of Divergent, from Veronica Roth's 2011 bestseller,
couldn't stir palpitations in shut-ins. It's that bland and lifeless… At least
The Hunger Games spawned two terrific movies and a breakthrough star
in Jennifer Lawrence. Onscreen, Divergent ignites only indifference.
36
However, the success of the two remaining trilogy films remains to be seen, as the
established fan base may well push North America ticket sales above $100 million for
each- certainly not a sum of money to scoff at.
Conclusions
Below is a graph illustrating the difference in the greatest domestic box office
sales for each series, which may indicate a contrast in the size of each fan base. As
estimated book sales are guesses at best, a comparison of the success of each film series
may provide a slightly more accurate picture of the differing popularities of each work
among all age groups.
Graph 1.1: Comparison of Each Series’ Best Domestic Box Office Performances
From the data illustration above, it is clear that the Hunger Games franchise may
be the most popular among fans of young adult fiction series, followed by Harry Potter
35
Barker, Andrew. "Film Review: 'Divergent'" Variety Film. Variety, 16 Mar. 2014. Web.
19 Jan. 2016.
36
Travers, Peter. "Divergent." Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2014. Web. 9 Feb.
2016.
12
and Twilight. The least financially successful film franchise is Divergent, and although it
has another two films yet to be released, it is improbable that those would earn more
than the more successful series of this study. This information supports the idea that
young readers may enjoy fiction series that have accompanying films, an idea that is
supported by the majority of survey participants who said they have seen the movies
inspired by the four series included in this study. It also begs the question of how many
young adults are inspired to read a written series after viewing the accompanying films,
which future research should attempt to examine.
Research Methodology
To best gauge the interests and motivations of young adults in reading young
adult fiction series, a survey of about 20 questions was created. Those questions covered
some background information in reading interests, such as at what age participants
began reading fiction series and how often they currently read them, and some questions
about what they look for in compelling stories and protagonists. A copy of the online
survey can be found in the Appendix.
Choice of Survey and Distributor
A survey was chosen as the research method to most efficiently obtain a large
amount of participant data. Furthermore, surveys are easy to edit, distribute, and control
with question randomization. Participants, who come from schools noted below, were
not financially incentivized to fill out the surveys, but rather chose to take them at any
point within the designated time frame. It took about six minutes to complete.
The online survey producer and distributor chosen for this study was Survey
Monkey, which freely allows users to create and edit surveys, customize question layouts
and randomization, test surveys with a preview link, email the final survey to
participants, and analyze collected data. The collected data can be viewed en masse or
users can select individual participants to view their answers.
Selection of Survey Participants
To most accurately obtain a picture of young adult reading interests, differently
aged participants were surveyed. As the study seeks to understand young adults,
participants ranged in age from 12-18, which covers both middle and high schoolers.
Surveys were distributed online to students at Ocean Bay Middle School and the
Academy of Arts, Science and Technology (AAST), both of which belong to Horry County
Schools in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Both schools provided diversity in student
13
ages, gender, and reading level. Other identifying information of the students, including
name or address, were not provided to protect student privacy and anonymity. Students
at Ocean Bay were invited to participate via email by Taylor Wims and Marion Touzel,
who teach language arts to 7th and 8th graders, respectively. Students at AAST were
invited to participate via an online announcement on their media center website. All
students were eligible to take the survey.
In total, 319 students participated in the research in February. While the Ocean
Bay Middle School students live in Myrtle Beach, AAST students come from anywhere in
Horry County, which encompasses Myrtle Beach, Conway, Loris, North Myrtle Beach,
Surfside Beach, and Aynor. That school was selected for this research due to that
geographic diversity, as it provides a more broad sense of young adult interest beyond
one city.
The spread of participant ages is as follows-
● 12 year-olds: 47
● 13 year-olds: 79
● 14 year-olds: 61
● 15 year-olds: 26
● 16 year-olds: 41
● 17 year-olds: 46
● 18 year-olds: 19
All collected student data has been used for analysis in this study.
14
Breakdown of Survey Results by Series
Full survey data can be found in the Appendix.
Harry Potter
How many participants have…
Read the series: 36% (115)
Read fanfiction based on the series: 17.6% (73)
Seen movies based on the series: 58.5% (186)
Participants ranked the series…
First (their favorite): 29.4% (93)
Second: 12% (38)
Third: 11.1% (35)
Fourth: 10.1% (32)
Hunger Games
How many participants have…
Read the series: 55.5% (177)
Read fanfiction based on the series: 23.4% (73)
Seen movies based on the series: 82.1% (261)
Participants ranked the series…
First (their favorite): 34.2% (108)
Second: 30.4% (96)
Third: 8.2% (26)
Fourth: 3.5% (11)
Twilight
How many participants have…
Read the series: 22.9% (73)
Read fanfiction based on the series: 10.9% (34)
Seen movies based on the series: 50% (159)
Participants ranked the series…
First (their favorite): 9.5% (30)
Second: 9.5% (30)
15
Third: 15.8% (50)
Fourth: 18.7% (59)
Divergent
How many participants have…
Read the series: 31.7% (101)
Read fanfiction based on the series: 13.1% (41)
Seen movies based on the series: 53.8% (171)
Participants ranked the series…
First (their favorite): 9.2% (29)
Second: 21.2% (67)
Third: 20.9% (66)
Fourth: 7% (22)
Initial Observations
Initial observations from the survey data include the following:
Reading habits
● Most participants said they began reading fiction series when they were five to 11
years-old.
● On average, most participants of the study read up to four books a month.
● About 66% of participants rarely or never talk about reading books with other
people. 10% of participants said they do so often.
● Most participants said they find new books to read by visiting a bookstore or
library. Once they pick up a book, most participants say they read only when
they’re in the mood.
● When it comes to rereading fiction series, participants are split. About 30% of
them never, rarely, or sometimes reread series, and 14% do so often.
● When finished with a novel, most participants say they put it on their bookshelf
to possibly reread it someday.
Preferences of texts
● The most popular book genres among the surveyed group include mysteries,
horror stories, science fiction, and romances. Other reported answers included
sports and manga.
● About 88% of participants think a boring main character should never be
included in a fiction series. About 60% think a weak hero should also be avoided.
16
● In contrast, most participants think a main character who learns how to be
independent and strong should always be included in a good work. The next
popular choice was friends that help and support the main character.
● What should a female main character be like? Most participants said smart,
brave, and independent. For male characters, the most popular answers were
strong, brave, and protective.
Thoughts on young adult fiction series
● Overwhelmingly, most participants believe that main characters of fiction series
are somewhat similar.
● Most participants believe the events that occur in fiction series are somewhat
different., but about a third said a lot of the same things happen.
● About 55% of participants think the main characters change a lot by the end of
the story, and about 14% believe the characters become entirely different people.
● Most participants say they read fiction series to explore other worlds and
adventures. Other popular answers included that they’re fun and easy to read,
and that they provide an escape to real-life problems.
● About 78% of participants said people they know are at least somewhat similar to
the main characters of the young adult fiction series. About 77% said they
themselves are at least somewhat similar.
Preferences of specific young adult fiction series
● On average, about 72% of participants have read at least one of the four young
adult fiction series. Only 28% of participants said they have not read any of them.
● 119 participants (about 37%) have read fanfiction based on one of the series. The
most popular among the series is fanfiction inspired by The Hunger Games,
followed by Harry Potter.
● About 92% of participants have seen a movie based on one of the series. The most
viewed was The Hunger Games, followed by Harry Potter and Divergent.
● The Hunger Games was ranked the most popular series on average, closely
followed by Harry Potter. Divergent ranked third on average, and Twilight was
the least popular series.
17
Observation Analysis
Speaking very generally, it appears that most young adults read only a few books
a month after finding them at a bookstore or library, and are most attracted to mysteries
and science fiction. Once they pick a book, they read whenever they find time and don’t
usually talk about it with their friends. But if there is a movie inspired by one of the
books, they almost always see it.
Their favorite books have strong and independent main characters who are
surrounded by supportive friends. Those characters change a lot by the end of the story,
and go on many adventures and travel to new places. The young adults also see a lot of
themselves and their friends in the main characters.
The favorite books are easy to read, and a lot of the same things tend to happen in
all of them. They help readers escape from real-life stresses and problems. After finishing
a book, young adults will put it on their bookshelf, to possibly be reread someday.
18
Commonalities and Linkages Among
Series
What encourages a young reader to read a fiction series? Why read about Harry
or Katniss when you could watch one of the movies or hang out with friends? Perhaps
because the characters of the series soon become like friends to the reader, and the story
contains such adventure and fantasy that the power of the book outweighs the siren call
of the television. After reviewing the data collected by the survey, hypotheses can be
made as to why some series are evidently more popular than others among the surveyed
young readers, and what makes a good book good.
Context
A series is successful when a young reader can connect to it. Therefore, a series
must fall in line with current atmospheres regarding world events, politics, and popular
culture in order to successfully hold the attention of young adults and represent their
thoughts and feelings, or else readers will turn away from the work.
The Harry Potter series begs the question of cultural relatability, as it is the
oldest series in this study but still the second most popular among those surveyed. That
continued popularity may in part be due to the overwhelming incorporation of the
characters and themes into popular culture, suggesting a young adult must be familiar
with the work to understand many references to it that pop up in their lives. The
merchandise and theme parks highlighted above certainly suggest that requirement of
familiarity. But moreover, Harry Potter also contains enough progressive and
overarching themes to remain relevant almost 20 years later, including a feminist idol in
Hermione and a fear of political organizations devoted to disrupting peace.
The Divergent and Hunger Games series also tap into prevalent fears, anxieties,
and longings that exist at the time of their publication. A tyrannical government that
manipulates and controls advanced technologies to spy on or brainwash citizens can be
found in both series, reflective of the growing technologies in the late 2000s and the
fears associated with their potential utilizations. Hunger Games also represents an
increasing focus on socioeconomic divides and class warfare, evident in the growth of
movements like Occupy Wall Street that seek to decrease economic inequalities among
citizens.
Fandoms
As noted above, a series is successful when a young reader can truly connect to it.
But when that series can come alive outside of the pages of the book, and inspire a
community of young readers to share their thoughts and create new works, that is
19
something special. As one survey participant wrote, “I love when [t]here is a huge fan
base for a series and there is a community formed. I love the merchandise and the
bonding between fans.” One of the greatest examples of that community building is the
formation of fandoms, or groups of fans of a work, that then encourage even greater
connections to the stories.
From the survey data, it is clear that some participants have enjoyed the fiction
series so much that they have taken the time to read fanfiction, often shared among
fandoms. The most popular fanfiction among those surveyed was inspired by The
Hunger Games, followed by Harry Potter, which also happen to be the two most
popular series overall. That connection suggests that some young readers are so
enthralled by the fiction series that they have carried that enjoyment beyond the author’s
words, and by doing so have found an even larger community of other fans.
Furthermore, some fandom members have even written their own fanfiction as an
expression of their love for different works. As Cath, a fictional main character of Fangirl
by Rainbow Rowell, notes about writing fanfiction, “I’d rather pour myself into a world I
love and understand than try to make something up out of nothing.”
37
But not all fandoms agree on everything. Some are split among teams, such as the
Team Edward vs. Team Jacob split among Twilight fans. Those divides, however, offer
fans a further concentrated community of those who think similarly to them, and provide
a place for expression that proves a series’ popularity.
Furthermore, some fandoms go so far as to inspire or create spin-off movies
based on the series. For example, beyond the immense success of the official Harry
Potter film franchise, fan frenzy led to the creation of a viral video sensation of a musical
in the spring of 2009. With accompanying lyrics and music, A Very Potter Musical
sought to fondly parody Harry Potter. With songs such as “Granger Danger” and
“Voldemort is Goin’ Down,” A Very Potter Musical, developed and performed by
students at the University of Michigan, was uploaded to Youtube, where its scenes have
been viewed over 12 million times.
38
That year, Entertainment Weekly named the
musical one of the Top Ten Best Viral Videos of 2009
39
, initially calling it “totally
spellbinding” and thanking the student production team for “bringing this kind of joy
into the world.”
40
Surely, such dedication and passion in producing work inspired by a
series demonstrates a massive love for a young adult fiction series.
Conversely, the four series also garner critical communities, especially coming
from “anti-fans.” As Matt Hills writes in “‘Twilight’ Fans Represented in Commercial
Paratexts and Inter-Fandoms: Resisting and Repurposing Negative Fan Stereotypes,”
41
“The Twilight phenomenon evidently has no shortage of anti-fans… as well as displaying
37
Rowell, Rainbow. Fangirl. St. Martin's, 2013. Print.
38
Team StarKid. "A Very Potter Musical Act 1 Part 1." YouTube. YouTube, 5 July 2009.
Web. 23 Feb. 2016.
39
Lyons, Margaret. "The 10 Best Viral Videos of 2009." EW.com. Entertainment Weekly,
29 Dec. 2009. Web. 16 Jan. 2016.
40
Lyons, Margaret. "Fan-made 'Harry Potter' Musical Is Totally Spell-binding." EW.com.
Entertainment Weekly, 23 June 2009. Web. 16 Jan. 2016.
41
Morey, Anne, ed. Genre, Reception, and Adaptation in the Twilight Series. Aldershot,
England: Ashgate, 2012. 2012. Web. 5 Jan. 2016.
20
tensions within its own fan ranks. For example, some teens describe Twilight Moms (an
older generation of fans) as ‘creepy.’” Twilight, which was ranked on average as the least
favorite fiction series among participants surveyed, also inspired a full-length theatrical
spoof called Vampires Suck, released in August of 2010. Distributed by 20th Century Fox
and grossing over $80 million, the film parodies the original’s plot, cinematography, and
main stars’ acting. Some of Vampires Suck’s more memorable moments include main
character Becca believing Edward is a Jonas Brother rather than vampire, and a breaking
of the fourth wall when Becca is caught between two sides of a battle between Edward
and Jacob fangirls. Although the film managed to capture many of the sillier points of
Twilight, it was widely criticized, with Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers summing up his
review in four words: “This movie sucks more.”
42
While fandoms suggest a love for a work, the widespread presence of anti-fans
may suggest general disdain for a work. Although Twilight had, and still has, a devoted
community of those who can’t get enough of Bella and Edward, it also is known for the
vitriol from anti-fans, arguing that some of the work’s more ridiculous or unrelatable
plot points may represent what young readers don’t like in a book. For instance, Sarah
Wagensellar Goletz writes in “The Giddyshame Paradox: Why ‘Twilight’s’ Anti-Fans
Cannot Stop Reading a Series They (Love to) Hate,”
43
Anti-fans have made their reasons for reviling the series abundantly clear.
From the sheer number and manic energy of the cheeky parodies of the
books, the most prominent reason appears to be Meyer’s amateurish
writing style… anti-fans complain about purple prose, poor plotting, and
underdeveloped characters… (they) seem particularly concerned about
the “Twilight” saga’s central relationship. Their objections are typical of
complaints leveled against romances; the text reinforces the ideas that
women are incomplete until romantically paired and that “true love” is
unbalanced, codependent, and violent… Some attack the series’ relentless
heteronormativity… Meyer’s use of the Quileute tribe is seen as
problematic on many levels, from the casting of non-Natives in the movies
to (their) role as subservient animals…
Goletz’s listed criticisms of Twilight may point to reasons for its relative
unpopularity. Perhaps young readers are distracted by poor writing, or maybe current
political atmospheres have taught younger generations to be more averse to traditional
gender roles in relationships and racial stereotypes (as seen in the depiction of the
Quileute tribe)- aspects of the work not largely found in the other, more universally loved
fiction series, such as Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. Regardless, characteristics
of Twilight may prove to be a lesson in what to avoid in future young adult fiction series.
42
Travers, Peter. "Vampires Suck." Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2010. Web. 19
Dec. 2015.
43
Morey, Anne, ed. Genre, Reception, and Adaptation in the Twilight Series. Aldershot,
England: Ashgate, 2012. 2012. Web. 5 Jan. 2016.
21
Values and Lessons
Another common thread linking the four fiction series is the presence of lesson
learning on behalf of the protagonists and the promotion of specific values. Harry and
Katniss learn to depend on themselves and inspire others, Tris learns the importance of
courage and independence, and Bella learns how to protect her family and friends. The
importance of learned lessons was suggested through the open-ended survey responses,
as the study participants noted what they love most about fiction series:
● “You get to [learn] stuff throughout the book.”
● I enjoy reading certain works… that have a sort of underlying political or social
message that impacts society in such a way as to relate the suffering and pains of
certain people to us in an easily accessible way, that way being reading.”
● “[I like] developing my thoughts by exploring foreign ideas and worlds.”
● “They have role model characters.”
The more popular series (Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Divergent)
generally contain more character lessons and morals than the other (Twilight),
suggesting the importance of those lessons. While Harry and Katniss are facing life-and-
death obstacles and representing the good in a battle against corruption and evil, and
Tris is attempting to bring together warring communities and save the lives of others,
Bella’s main worry is remaining in a romantic relationship with a vampire. To be fair,
Bella also attempts to resolve fights among friends and protect the life of her unborn
child, but the overarching morals in Twilight don’t quite match those of the other three
fiction series.
For example, some of the more compelling lessons for young adults include the following
advice from Albus Dumbledore, Katniss’s father, and Four, respectively:
● “It is our choices, Harry, that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities”
(Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
44
).
● “As long as you find yourself, you’ll never starve” (The Hunger Games
45
).
● “Becoming fearless isn’t the point. That’s impossible. It’s learning how to control
your fear, and how to be free from it” (Divergent
46
).
As it is clear that the surveyed young readers enjoy solid role models, the absence
of one, which may be the case with Bella in Twilight, could be a turn-off for young
readers at large. After all, why emulate a character who falls apart without her boyfriend,
when you could idolize someone who saves all of humanity?
44
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. New York: Scholastic, 2000.
Print.
45
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. London: Scholastic, 2009. Print.
46
Roth, Veronica. Divergent. Katherine Tegen, 2011. Print.
22
Motivations for Reading
After reviewing the open-ended survey questions, some similar motivations for
reading fiction series among young adults became apparent, providing more clues to
what makes a series considered good. Among those motivations were the exploration of
new worlds and adventures; the ease of reading and entertainment value of the works;
and the ability of a work to provide an escape from daily stresses and boredoms.
The exploration of new worlds and adventures
● “They are a great way to escape your comfort zone and explore things beyond
your perspective of the world.”
● “It is always entertaining when you open a new book or new movie to see what
the author came up with with the names of the characters and the places you go
and the people they meet.”
● “The journey you get with a character. It may leave you happy, laughing, or
crying. But the best journeys are made by these.”
● “If you're looking for adventure, open a book.”
Entertainment value / ease of reading
● “I can always relax and read, it helps me feel calm and enjoy another world.”
● “My favorite thing about fiction series is the imagination and how the story
continues. I love being able to finish a book and then knowing right away what
book I’m going to read next.”
● “My favorite thing is the excitement coming from the characters and the actions
they make to solve the difficulties in the situation.”
● “They are fun to read and are a great way to spend free time. I get absorbed into
the story and cannot put it down until I finish.”
Escapism
● “They make you feel better about your life and they help you escape from
anything and could be a good friend.”
● “Being able to forget about my problems & stress while doing something I enjoy. I
like being able to forget about everything around me and focus what's going on
with the characters.”
● “I love being able to escape from the real world and delve into a unique universe
where I can forget my responsibilities. Reading fiction definitely provides that.”
● “Anything can happen and I can escape whatever problems I have in real life.”
● “Fiction series give me the chance to escape from the reality of life and slip into
another world. It gives me a solace that I can't always find in everyday life. When
I read them, I often find myself longing to live a life like the main character's.”
● “It gives me an escape from reality. It's an outlet in life that keeps me sane.”
Escapism is important to note for its dual-sided nature, as not only do young
readers hope to leave their current lives for a mental or emotional respite, but they also
23
wish to specifically jump into the world of the character they are reading about. As one
young adult expressed above, a real longing to be living the life of the protagonist can
provide an especially compelling motivation to read a series and perhaps return to it in
the future, as they view the literary world as superior to their own. Whether the main
character is surrounded by a more supportive group of friends, has a romantic partner,
or is being hailed as the hero of an entire civilization, it is clear that young adults may
wish to actually put themselves in the shoes of their favorite character through reading,
and look for works that allow them to do that.
Therefore, it is clear that the above motivations for reading among participants
constitute the recipe for a good young adult fiction series. Future works should attempt
to emulate what the four series of this study have done- be easy to read, be entertaining,
bring the readers to new worlds and on adventures, and paint enough of a vivid and
compelling picture so they can slip into the pages of the book and forget their real life
stresses.
Relatability
The more relatable a work to young adult readers, the more loved that work then
becomes. After all, why would a teenager want to read something that they cannot
connect to or enjoy, when they could easily find those connections elsewhere? The most
popular series, then, reflect what young adults are experiencing in their own lives,
including a loss of innocence, a desire for importance and responsibility, a struggle with
romance, and a dependence on supportive friendships. As one study participant noted,
My favorite thing about a fiction series is getting to see how the characters
grow and are relatable or not to me in how they think as they experience
the events of their story. It makes me feel a connection with them, almost
like I'm making new friends. It's a way of helping me shape myself too, as
seeing how they can grow I can say, ‘That's how I want to be,’ or ‘That's
definitely not something I want to be.’
Furthermore, survey data also supports the importance of relatability within the
genre. Of the 319 young adults surveyed, about 78% of participants said people they
know are at least somewhat similar to the main characters. About 77% said they
themselves are at least somewhat similar, and about 19% said they were very similar or
almost identical to the main characters.
Realistic themes and conflicts
All of the main characters of the studied fiction series have something in
common: they forge their own paths and go on an adventure. They are not afraid to
break societal norms in order to act as they believe they should. They follow their
intuition, even if that means leaving family, home or safety. Surely, many young adults
can relate to that.
24
All of the characters also struggle with romantic relationships. Harry is nervous
to approach Cho Chang, and isn’t sure what to make of his feelings for Ginny Weasley.
Katniss finds herself in a love triangle between Gale and Peeta. Tris hesitates in entering
a relationship with Four, and decides she is not ready to have sex with him. And Bella’s
entire journey surrounds the difficulties that face her in having a relationship with
Edward. Young adults are not only trying to find their own identities, but they’re
grasping at the mechanics of negotiating romantic relationships, as well; as one survey
participant wrote, “I will pretend to be the lucky man or young boy in the novel or story
so that I feel loved or liked by someone.”
When a fiction series provides a means of navigating relationships, young adults
feel a connection to the work. Thus, although Twilight is the least popular of the fiction
series of this study, it has still been read by almost a quarter of the survey participants,
suggesting it may be very relatable in this regard. As Catherine Driscoll in “Girl Culture
and the ‘Twilight’ Franchise” writes, “Twilight assembles adolescent rites of passage
(prom, graduation) and experiences central to stories about adolescence (first love, loss
of virginity, risky behavior), and it foregrounds questions concerning maturity…”
47
Additionally, Edward rejects many of Bella’s sexual advances and insists on marriage
first, which may represent Meyer’s own religious conservatism and that of some young
readers. Jackie C. Horne of “Fantasy, Subjectivity, and Desire in Twilight and Its
Sequels” highlights Edward’s resistance as especially relatable to some young adults,
noting, “...for many readers, particularly younger readers just beginning to recognize and
explore their own sexual feelings, [that] may feel like a relief. No longer having to worry
that her sexuality may take her to a dangerous place, the young reader, by projecting
herself into Bella, can express her sexual feelings without reserve…”
48
Furthermore, all of the main characters of the series experience a coming of age
and loss of innocence. As Karley Adney in “The Influence of Gender on Harry Potter’s
Heroic (Trans)Formation” writes, “...in this fifth novel of the series, Harry battles teen
angst while in the throes of puberty and growing into an adult wizard.”
49
And as for the
other main characters, Katniss learns that although her world is corrupt, there is
something effective she can do about it. Tris realizes that some of her world’s factions are
entirely self-serving and aggressive, but she overcomes her fears to make a difference.
And through a romantic relationship that tests her insecurities and friendships, Bella
learns to have confidence in herself.
Tris’s decision to leave her home district (Abnegation) and join a new community
of people (Dauntless) may be very resonant to some young readers also facing that
decision. She agonizes over whether or not to leave her family and home behind in order
to find people who are more like her; similarly, many young adults agonize over the
decision of whether or not to leave home and go to a distant college or trade school. In
Allegiant, Tris thinks, “Maybe we're strangers no matter where we go. Or maybe we'll
47
Morey, Anne, ed. Genre, Reception, and Adaptation in the Twilight Series. Aldershot,
England: Ashgate, 2012. 2012. Web. 5 Jan. 2016.
48
Morey, Anne, ed. Genre, Reception, and Adaptation in the Twilight Series. Aldershot,
England: Ashgate, 2012. 2012. Web. 5 Jan. 2016.
49
Steveker, Lena. Heroism in the Harry Potter Series. Ed. Katrin Berndt. Farnham:
Ashgate, 2011. Print.
25
make a home somewhere inside ourselves, to carry with us wherever we go,”
50
potentially
providing inspiration to young adults who are expanding their comfort zones upon
maturation.
The Hunger Games, the most loved fiction series among survey participants,
perhaps most strongly expresses for young readers the journey and difficulties of coming
of age and the trials of middle and high school. As Mary F. Pharr in “From the Boy Who
Lived to the Girl Who Learned” writes,
War can be necessary, and sometimes good does win, but it’s never a
clean win. Achilles comes to accept this grim truth in the Iliad, and Harry
gropes toward it in his struggles, but Katniss learns it fully and has to act
upon the knowledge- as though Collins had combined Harry Potter and
Severus Snape. With her knowledge of ambiguity, Katniss will never be
loved as the boy who lived, but as the girl who learns, she is even more
consequential for the adolescents becoming adults in an uncertain
world.
51
It should be noted that the second most popular fiction series, Harry Potter, also
contains unique aspects of coming of age that may resonate well with readers struggling
with maturation. Hermione, a young female wizard who consistently supports main
protagonist Harry, remarkably never loses her sense of confidence. As Katrin Berndt in
“Hermione Granger, or, A Vindication of the Rights of Girl” notes,
Her coming-of-age conspicuously lacks what developmental psychology
has termed the ‘confidence gap’, a phenomenon during which young girls
lose their ability both to express their feelings and to voice their
(potentially conflicting) points of view in a self-confident way due to
cultural norms that expect them to be kind rather than demanding, and
disinterested rather than engaged in achieving their tasks. Hermione
appears to make the transition from childhood through adolescence to
maturity without losing confidence in herself; she in fact gains further
belief in her own abilities.
52
Harry also provides a stunningly authentic portrayal of the difficulties connected
with maturation for those of the same socioeconomic and racial background. As
Kathleen McEvoy in “Heroism at the Margins” points out, the character of Harry is
effective because he is imperfect, and rather ordinary. He is familiar to readers because
although he has flaws, he still behaves heroically. McEvoy continues, insisting,
Even after everything he has learned, Harry cannot let go of the anger
inside him. This seems entirely understandable, especially for an
emotional teenager. But rage, aggression and a thirst for vengeance hardly
seem suitable character traits for the hero of a series aimed at adolescents.
His flaws do make him seem real, though, and perhaps that is more
50
Roth, Veronica. Allegiant. Katherine Tegen, 2013. Print.
51
Pharr, Mary, and Leisa A. Clark. Of Bread, Blood, and the Hunger Games: Critical
Essays on the Suzanne Collins Trilogy. Jefferson, NC: McFarland &, 2012. Print.
52
Steveker, Lena. Heroism in the Harry Potter Series. Ed. Katrin Berndt. Farnham:
Ashgate, 2011. Print.
26
important. … Rowling does not give her readers a model of perfection,
impossible to emulate in real life. Instead, she crafts a hero who is like her
readers, a warts-and-all kid who still manages to do the right thing, who
acknowledges his mistakes, learns from them and moves on to the next
trial.
53
Thus, young adults, and especially young women, may be inspired by Harry and
Hermione and feel a stronger connection to the series, even if their lives are quite
different from the magical adventures at Hogwarts. After all, as one study participant
said, “My favorite thing about fiction series is the sense of hope you gain when you can
relate to a character.”
Personalities and emotions
Young adults experience a dizzying array of emotions in their everyday lives:
anger, joy, confusion, love, excitement, boredom. So when they read about a character
who is also feeling all those things, and learning how to manage those emotions well,
they can relate. As one young adult wrote, “I like that when you read them, if there is
enough detail, you can almost put yourself in each character's shoes and feel what they
feel.”
The two most popular fiction series among those surveyed, The Hunger Games
and Harry Potter, hold within their pages a full range of emotion. As Mary Pharr in “A
Paradox: The Harry Potter Series as Both Epic and Postmodern” notes,
Not quite feeling like the legal adult he now is, Harry believes that he
knows what he must do (the prophecy seems to require that either he or
Voldemort must die); but as a fallible human being, Harry is still unsure
of his actions, of how to set up and win a final confrontation. In this
respect, he typifies the uncertainty felt in crisis by most adults, again
enhancing the empathetic quality within the core of the character.
54
Katniss also experiences a lot of the same emotions as the readers learning about
her. She understands her worth and purpose in intervening in governmental corruption,
but she doesn’t have to like it, similar to young adults who are torn between their
responsibilities and enjoyments. As Pharr in “From the Boy Who Lived to the Girl Who
Learned,” points out, “Like every epic hero, she is in the balance in the struggle of right
against wrong… she accepts that destiny and confirms her heroism; but she does so with
no heartfelt passion.”
55
Another common theme among main characters of fiction series is rebellion and
independence. At times, Harry rebels against the inevitable duties placed upon him as an
53
Steveker, Lena. Heroism in the Harry Potter Series. Ed. Katrin Berndt. Farnham:
Ashgate, 2011. Print.
54
Steveker, Lena. Heroism in the Harry Potter Series. Ed. Katrin Berndt. Farnham:
Ashgate, 2011. Print.
55
Pharr, Mary, and Leisa A. Clark. Of Bread, Blood, and the Hunger Games: Critical
Essays on the Suzanne Collins Trilogy. Jefferson, NC: McFarland &, 2012. Print.
27
infant. Katniss rebels against the societal norms and laws placed upon her by the
government, inspired by Gale when he says, “We could do it, you know… Leave the
district. Run off. Live in the woods. You and I, we could make it.”
56
Tris rebels against
her own initial image of herself and her abilities, thinking, “But I will find new habits,
new thoughts, new rules. I will becoming something else.”
57
And Bella rebels against
what her friends think about dating a vampire, thinking, “I’m just going to do what I
want now, and let the chips fall where they may.”
58
That tendency of rebellion also fuels a desire for independence, something vitally
important for all young adults to feel in order to establish themselves as adults upon
maturation. As Susan Dominus for the New York Times writes about Divergent, “[the
series] also movingly explores a more common adolescent anxiety — the painful
realization that coming into one’s own sometimes means leaving family behind, both
ideologically and physically.”
59
That point is especially important as the survey data
indicates young readers relate better to female main characters that are smart, brave,
and independent, more so than those that are beautiful or funny. After leaving her family
and faction behind, Tris even thinks, “Who cares about pretty? I’m going for
noticeable.”
60
Young adults also want to feel important, even to the extent that they fantasize
about being one of the most important people in the world. All of the main characters of
the fiction series are given a task, whether it be to overthrow a government or fight an
evil supernatural power, and they feel responsible for completing that task and becoming
a savior or hero to those in need. Similarly, young adults may also desire a feeling of
importance and purpose as they navigate what job they should pursue in the future or
what they should choose as a major in college. By reading about Harry or Katniss, young
readers may feel a connection to the characters’ feelings of responsibility and purpose.
Also, survey participants stressed the importance of male main characters exhibiting
traits of strength, bravery, and protectiveness, further highlighting a desire for a bold
and meaningful purpose.
Participants also indicated that they enjoy reading about characters who also
experience personal growth by confronting fears, and greatly believe that main
characters of fiction series change dramatically. About 55% of participants think the
main characters change a lot by the end of the story, and about 14% believe the
characters become entirely different people. As one student noted, “My favorite thing
about fiction series books is how greatly the main character changes from beginning to
end.” That observation is especially astute, as the fiction series are essentially stories of
change, whether entire governmental systems are overthrown, the characters join
entirely new communities, or someone physically transforms from a human to vampire
or werewolf. The protagonists remain true to their belief systems and moral codes, but
they also mature emotionally and learn more about their own inner abilities and
56
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. London: Scholastic, 2009. Print.
57
Roth, Veronica. Divergent. Katherine Tegen, 2011. Print.
58
Meyer, Stephenie. Twilight. Little Brown, 2005. Print.
59
Dominus, Susan. "In This Dystopia, Teens Must Choose Wisely." NYTimes.com. The
New York Times, 12 May 2011. Web. 14 Nov. 2015.
60
Roth, Veronica. Divergent. Katherine Tegen, 2011. Print.
28
strengths. By representing personal growth and the triumph over fears of the unknown
or change, the main characters are thus directly relating to their young readers and
providing a means of internal expression. Divergent may take the crown in this regard,
as it is entirely based on overcoming fear and encouraging positive change, with Tris
remarking, “Though I have stood still while knives spun toward my face and jumped off a
roof, I never thought I would need bravery in the small moments of my life. I do.”
61
Dependence on personal relationships
Lastly, within almost every young adult fiction series is a main character
depending on supportive friends; as Pharr writes, “All epic heroes have companions and
mentors.”
62
That feeling of community unites the pages of the book and the reader, as
young adults surely relate to the desire of needing solid friendships when dealing with
life’s struggles. In fact, when asked what should always be included in a good series,
about 47% of participants chose “friends that help and support the main character,”
beating other choices that included “a happy ending” or “lots of detail about faraway
places.”
The prevailing importance of friend groups may be a reason why some fiction
series are more popular than others. For example, Harry Potter was the second most
popular fiction series among survey participants, and Harry’s success as a wizard is due
in large part to the support of his best friends, Ron and Hermione, and other characters
such as Dumbledore, Sirius, and Lupin. As Lena Steveker in “The Heroic Self in J.K.
Rowling’s Harry Potter Series,” writes, “Since Harry is repeatedly presented as relying on
his friends and family in his fight against Voldemort, his identity as hero clearly depends
on the personal relationships he sets up with the people surrounding him.”
63
In essence,
he gets by with a lot of help from his friends, and even chastises Voldemort for spurning
them, remarking, “You’re the one who is weak. You will never know love or friendship.
And I feel sorry for you.”
64
In contrast, the least popular series, Twilight, greatly lacks a tight-knit friend
group. Bella initially makes friends at school upon moving to Forks, Washington, but
cannot be bothered maintaining those friendships after falling in love with Edward. Once
Edward leaves her in New Moon, Bella abandons everyone other than Jacob, to the
extent that her father tries to bribe her to hang out with anyone else. Evidence of her
disdain for friendships can be found in Eclipse, when rather than be excited to tell her
friends about her potential engagement to Edward, she moans, “Can you imagine what
61
Roth, Veronica. Divergent. Katherine Tegen, 2011. Print.
62
Pharr, Mary, and Leisa A. Clark. Of Bread, Blood, and the Hunger Games: Critical
Essays on the Suzanne Collins Trilogy. Jefferson, NC: McFarland &, 2012. Print.
63
Steveker, Lena. Heroism in the Harry Potter Series. Ed. Katrin Berndt. Farnham:
Ashgate, 2011. Print.
64
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. New York: Scholastic, 2004.
Print.
29
Angela will think? Or Jessica? Ugh. I can hear the gossip now.”
65
Therefore, it can be
argued that young adults enjoy reading about main characters who welcome and
encourage the help from understanding friends, as they too enjoy having supportive
friendships in real life.
65
Meyer, Stephenie. Eclipse. New York: Little, Brown, 2007. Print.
30
Study Evaluation
This study accomplished what it set out to do- find indicators of what makes a
young adult fiction series “good,” in the eyes of surveyed young adult readers. By
sampling 319 young adults and asking them what they look for in a good book, and
which popular books they actually like, a better understanding of that initial question
was found.
However, some improvements could have been made to the research
methodology, mainly concerning the size of the reader sample. In future studies, a
greater, more diverse sample size should be acquired, with greater diversity in terms of
geographic area, educational background and socioeconomic status; for example, all of
the participating schools are a part of the Horry County school district, which only sees a
35% minority enrollment.
66
As potential bias can be incurred when a sample is
concentrated too heavily in one geographic region or economic stratification, any later
attempt to continue this research should avoid bias at all costs and look to study more
participants. Moreover, when analyzing the relative financial successes of each series, a
way to separate adult readers from young adult readers would be helpful.
More questions can also be asked following this common vein of literary
research. Participants could be asked more specific questions about particular series or
about what exactly they look for in good books. Investigations on more current young
adult fiction series could be beneficial. And research could also be undertaken using
different methods, perhaps through personal interviews that may prove to be more open
or honest.
Lastly, future research should examine how often young adults view films based
on young adult fiction series, and then are inspired to read the series afterwards. That
link may provide insight into the appeal of the films themselves and offer a greater
perspective of what attracts young adults to the genre itself, regardless of the medium it
is delivered through.
66
"Horry 01 School District." South Carolina. Public School Review. Web. 05 Apr. 2016.
31
Conclusions
The young adults I surveyed like reading about other young adults in fiction
series, as that act of reading offers them a connection to another being who acts and feels
the same way they do. It is entertaining, it is easy, and if lucky enough, major motion
pictures inspired by the series may be produced, allowing them to see what they
imagined presented on the big screen or inspiring them to read the books afterwards.
Young adults are trying to figure themselves out. They’re confused, rebellious,
independent, and still trying to navigate the process of asking someone out on a date.
They will soon be confronted with major life decisions, like picking a college and
potentially moving far from home and family, but they look forward to finding their
purpose in life and possibly making a difference in someone’s life. They value supportive
friendships and love solving problems with the help of people who care about them.
The main characters of young adult fiction series do all of the same things, just in
different, more adventurous or fantastical settings. They save entire communities, battle
evil enemies, become masters of magic, fall in love with supernatural beings, and yet,
they’re still imperfect teenagers. They are nervous, hesitant, and awkward around other
people, and they make mistakes. But at the end of the day, they’re heroes, and they give
hope to the awkward, pimpled teenagers who are looking to them as sources of
inspiration.
The 319 participants of this research provided many clues as to the major
attractions of young adult fiction series. They like books that they can enjoy with others,
possibly through the reading or sharing of fanfiction and movies. They started reading
fiction series at a young age, so it feels natural to them. They don’t read many books a
month, but when they do, they like stories with some mystery or supernatural elements
that offer them an escape from daily stresses. They believe the main characters are
relatable and can teach them moral lessons. They’re likely to reread books if they are
entertaining, and hate a boring main character above anything else. Rather, they enjoy
characters who learn how to be independent, smart, and brave and who surround
themselves with good friends to stand up to the evil guy. And lastly, they like stories that
bring them on an adventure and allow them to imagine new worlds and places they’ve
never thought of before. After all, who wouldn’t?
Although the four fiction series of this study are arguably dated, especially with
regards to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, which was published in 1997, it is
perhaps most remarkable that these stories are still consistently read and loved by young
audiences. Certainly, the ability of young readers to connect with these texts remains
consistently strong, as proven by the significant amount of young adults who have still
read, and reread, them. In fact, that staying power is reminiscent of a promise in Harry
Potter and the Deathly Hallows
67
, following a revelation that Snape is still in love with
Harry’s mom, Lily.
67
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York, NY: Arthur A.
Levine, 2007. Print.
32
“Dumbledore watched her fly away, and as her silvery glow faded he turned back
to Snape, and his eyes were full of tears.
‘After all this time?’
‘Always,’ said Snape.”
33
Appendix
Plot Summaries
The Harry Potter Series
Harry Potter is the most miserable, lonely boy you can imagine. He’s forced to
live in the cupboard under the stairs, forced to wear his cousin Dudley’s hand-me-down
clothes, and forced to go to his neighbour’s house when the rest of the family is doing
something fun.
But Harry’s world gets turned upside down on his 11th birthday. A giant, Hagrid,
informs Harry that he’s really a wizard, and will soon be attending Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry also learns that, in the wizarding world, he’s a hero.
When he was an infant, the evil Lord Voldemort killed his parents and then tried to kill
Harry too. What’s so amazing to everyone is that Harry survived, and allegedly destroyed
Voldemort in the process.
Everything Hagrid tells him turns out to be true, and Harry starts learning how to
use magic. He quickly becomes best friends with a boy named Ron Weasley and fellow
student Hermione Granger. He is constantly busy trying to stay on top of the mounds of
homework for Charms and Potions classes, as well as becoming a star Quidditch player.
Over the next seven years, Harry is forced to do battles with the wizard that tried
to kill him so many years before, Lord Voldemort. He’s able to overcome Voldemort each
time with the help of his friends and mentors, including school headmaster,
Dumbledore.
68
The Hunger Games Series
The Hunger Games takes place in a nation known as Panem, established in North
America after the destruction of the continent's civilization by an unknown apocalyptic
event. The nation consists of the wealthy Capitol and twelve surrounding, poorer
districts united under the Capitol's control. District 12, where the book begins, is located
in the coal-rich region that was formerly known as Appalachia.
As punishment for a past rebellion against the Capitol, in which a 13th district
was destroyed, one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district are
selected by an annual lottery to participate in the Hunger Games, an event in which the
participants, the "tributes", must fight to the death in an outdoor arena controlled by the
Capitol, until only one individual remains.
16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, a girl from District 12, and Peeta Mellark are
chosen. They are mentored by District 12's only living victor, Haymitch Abernathy, who
won the Games 24 years earlier.
Peeta confesses his love for Katniss in a television interview prior to the Games,
leading the Capitol to portray Katniss and Peeta as "star-crossed lovers." This revelation
surprises Katniss, who harbors feelings for Gale Hawthorne, her friend and hunting
partner. Haymitch advises Katniss to play along and feign feelings for Peeta, in order to
68
"Harry Potter." Summary at WikiSummaries. WikiSummaries. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
34
gain wealthy sponsors who can gift them supplies during the Games.
In the arena, the remaining tributes are alerted to a rule change that allows both
tributes from the same district to be declared victors if they are the final two standing.
After learning of the change, Katniss and Peeta begin to work as a team. When all of the
other tributes are dead and they appear to win the Games together, the rule change is
revoked. Katniss leads Peeta in a double suicide attempt to eat poisonous berries known
as nightlock, hoping that the change will be reinstated and that they will both be
victorious. Their ruse is successful, and both tributes return home victorious.
However, in the next following months Katniss learns that another Hunger
Games, known as the Quarter Quell, will bring her and Peeta back into the arena. By
forming alliances with other victors, she effectively escapes the arena, much to the
dismay of the Capitol. Then, after teaming up with survivors of another district, she and
Peeta are able to overtake the Capitol and establish peace within the districts.
The Twilight Saga
Isabella "Bella" Marie Swan moves from sunny Phoenix, Arizona to rainy Forks,
Washington to live with her father, Charlie. Even though Bella never had many friends in
Phoenix, she quickly attracts attention at her new school in Forks, and is quickly
befriended by several students.
But when Bella sits next to Edward Cullen in biology class on her first day of
school, Edward seems utterly repulsed. Edward is stunningly attractive, and inhumanly
beautiful, yet he is an outsider too. When he saves her from a car accident in the school
parking lot, she is confused by his superhuman speed and strength.
During a trip to La Push, Bella tricks a family friend, Jacob Black of the Quileute
tribe, into telling her the local tribal legends and she finds out why, although the Cullens
have lived in Forks for two years, they have never really been accepted by the townsfolk.
Jacob mentions the Cullens, and says that most of the reservation believes that they are
vampires, though he doesn't think so. During a trip to Port Angeles, Edward rescues her
again, this time from a band of serial rapists and killers. Bella asks him if what Jacob
said about his family is true. Edward admits that he and his family are vampires, but says
that he and his family only drink animal blood to keep themselves from turning into the
monsters unlike other vampires.
Edward and Bella's relationship grows over time and they fall passionately in
love. Their foremost problem is that to Edward, Bella's scent is a hundred times more
potent than any other human's, making Edward struggle to resist his desire to kill her.
Eventually, he decides that it is too risky to keep up a relationship with her, and breaks
up with her, leaving her devastated and depressed.
69
Edward mistakenly believes
that Bella was killed, and decides to commit suicide in Italy. However, Bella makes it just
in time to save him, attracting the attention of the vampire Volturi clan, who insist she
must be turned into a vampire.
Edward refuses to turn Bella into a vampire until she marries him, which she
eventually agrees to. During their honeymoon and while she is still human, they decide
to have sex, and Bella soon finds out she is pregnant.
70
Desperate to save her baby, she
remains human until giving birth, at which point Edward turns her to save her life. After
defending her daughter Renesmee from the Volturi, she and Edward live happily ever
69
"New Moon." Saga Wiki. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.
70
"Eclipse." Saga Wiki. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.
35
after.
71
The Divergent Series
In a post-apocalyptic Chicago, survivors were divided into five factions based on
their dispositions: Abnegation, for the selfless; Amity, for the peaceful; Candor, for the
honest; Dauntless, for the brave; and Erudite, for the intellectual. Each year, all sixteen-
year-olds take an aptitude test that describes the faction for which they are best suited.
After receiving the results, test takers choose a faction, no matter what their results were.
Those who do not complete initiation into their new faction become "factionless" and are
forced to live in poverty on the streets of the city.
Sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior is born into an Abnegation family. She doesn't
feel she belongs in Abnegation, because she doesn't see herself as naturally selfless. Her
aptitude test results are inconclusive and indicate aptitude for three factions –
Abnegation, Erudite, and Dauntless. The test proctor warns her never to tell anyone that
her results were inconclusive because that makes her a "Divergent." On Choosing Day
Beatrice decides to leave Abnegation and join Dauntless.
During her initiation, Beatrice renames herself Tris and befriends transfer
initiates Christina, Al, and Will, but comes into conflict with fellow initiates Peter, Drew,
and Molly. Initiation into Dauntless is composed of three stages. The first involves
learning how to handle guns and knives and hand-to-hand combat with other initiates.
Tris lacks the physical strength of most of her fellow initiates, but finishes in sixth place
by beating the higher-ranked Molly.
Erudite stirs dissent against Abnegation leadership in the city's government and
accuses Marcus, the Abnegation leader, of abusing his son.
The initiates enter Stage 2 of their training, which involves simulations similar to
the aptitude tests. Initiates are forced to face scenarios based upon their deepest fears.
Tris' Divergent abilities enable her to remember that she's under a simulation. She uses
this advantage and wins top rank in the class.
The final stage of Dauntless initiation gathers all their fears in a single simulation
landscape. All the initiates, including the Divergents, are aware they are under a
simulation and must use the skills they've learned in the previous stages to overcome
each obstacle. Tris's relationship with Four continues to grow as she prepares for this
stage of testing, and he lets her into his own fear landscape. Four shares information he
discovered about Erudite's plans to use Dauntless to stage an attack on Abnegation with
Tris.
The night after the initiation ceremony, a serum induces a simulation and all the
Dauntless become sleepwalking soldiers under orders to attack the Abnegation
compound. The serum doesn't work on Tris or Tobias (Four) because they are Divergent.
After fighting their way into the headquarters, the group boards a train to the Amity
sector to find the rest of the Abnegation survivors.
72
Following brutal attacks, Tris and her group confront the remaining Erudite, but
in the room an old video featuring a woman named Amanda Ritter begins to play.
Amanda vaguely explains that the world had become corrupt, so the city was sealed away
from the rest of the world to allow the Divergent numbers to increase. Amity would open
71
"Breaking Dawn." Saga Wiki. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.
72
"Divergent (novel)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.
36
the fence forever and the population could re-enter the world.
Tris Prior is shocked by the video and is kidnapped by the Allegiant, a rebel group
determined to reinstate their old way of life. The Allegiant invite her to a meeting the
following night, sharing that they plan to send a group outside the city to find the truth.
Driving through the unknown, they meet Zoe and Amar, who take the group to the
Bureau of Genetic Welfare, where they learn the truth about their society.
Many years ago, the government believed that society's problems were caused by
"bad" genes. In an attempt to create a better society, they began to modify people's'
genes, with disastrous results. The government set up "experiments" in an attempt to
repair this mistake, establishing isolated cities across the remains of the United States.
The hope was to raise enough genetically pure Divergent individuals to fix the "genetic
damage" left in the wake of the Purity War.
Tris is then offered a position on the Bureau's council and is told of events taking
place within the city, but learns the Bureau created the serums that led to the destruction
of Abnegation and the enslavement of Dauntless. Repulsed by the Bureau's actions, Tris
reconciles with Four and she begins to create a plan to save her city. The group decides to
break into the Weapons Lab and use the memory serum to wipe the Bureau's memories.
During their break in, Tris is killed after sacrificing herself to save her brother.
Four spreads Tris' ashes while ziplining from the Hancock Building, in memory of her.
He accepts all that he has endured and reflects on his belief that while life damages
everyone, people can always heal over time.
73
73
"Allegiant (novel)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.
37
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