YA Lit: A Modern Equation Gone Wrong

When it comes to literature, I have no patience for those who intentionally promote an idea or argue possibilities as mere options. Overwritten and predictable stories, no matter how many pages they contain, are a big pet peeve of mine. From misspelled words in college textbooks to misspellings or poor punctuation in stories, I find it quite frustrating.

The Decline of Folklore in YA Novels

The problem with a lot of Young Adult (YA) novels is that they've taken over from folklore but are not as engaging or interesting. Though we often see kids with superpowers, mean girls, broken marriages, and weird demons in these stories, you can find all that in tales that are over a thousand years old. Classic stories such as Italian Folktales by Italo Calvino or the early books of Irish poet W.B. Yeats, who was a folklorist and paranormal investigator before becoming a renowned poet, offer a wealth of wisdom and interest. These stories don't have the overwrought descriptions of characters typically found in modern YA novels.

When we compare the old tales to newer ones, we can see a stark difference in the level of interest and engagement: the old stories are more dynamic and unpredictable, offering deeper insight into the human condition without relying on modern tropes and clichés.

The Uniqueness of Traditional Folktales

In these classic stories, you will rarely find overwritten descriptions of characters. Overwrought potboilers, as they are known, just lead to more pages without adding much value. Saturating our culture with such texts, whether in books or movies, is said to be boring our children to tears.

But where have these modern authors taken the rich tapestry of folktales that are demonstrably better or more relevant than the old folktales? These stories were free, told around a peat fire in a mud hut, and yet contemporary authors seem to have missed their mark.

When I worked in publishing, I felt like defenestration was about to occur if I had the chance. The manuscripts and authors would be out the window, as so many of them are formulaic and unoriginal. The essays I graded for 8th-grade standardized writing tests were a perfect example of this, with many students rehashing the same stock YA characters, like George Washington cryogenically frozen below the Washington Monument after yet another post-apocalyptic zombie attack.

The Problem with Physical Appearance Equated to Character

Another major peeve of mine is the predictability of heroes and heroines, and the equation of physical appearance with character. In many stories, a girl with a cool name like Chloe is almost always described as "fierce" because she has nice hair, chestnut in color, piercing eyes, beautiful skin, and an aquiline nose. This is more of a classical Western definition of beauty, and while Michelangelo might create such a character, it is not contemporary and lacks depth.

The message that "my face my character" is phrenology and eugenics at worst and simply dumb at best. As someone who is not an SJW or a snowflake, and who leans slightly conservative, I agree that YA books are often blandly and predictably politically correct. However, if you want politically and socially relevant stories, kids would be better off reading the old folktales. These stories are a cheap knock-off of the real thing. The physical appearance or surface beauty is not the character. Folktales have been warning us about this for 2000 years.

The Success of Tolkien's Fiction

Ernestine Tolkien, a folklore and linguistics scholar and a conservative Catholic, introduced folk mythic and religious themes into a great novel. His The Lord of the Rings is a Christian tale written with different characters, and this narrative has resonated with many people for decades. The novel speaks to a need in modern storytelling that is not met by many contemporary authors.

There has been a revival of interest in traditional folktales, and it is remarkable that more teachers and authors are not integrating them into the classroom. Teens would certainly enjoy these stories, and they offer a political dimension that is often overlooked in modern storytelling.

Conclusion

While contemporary YA literature has its merits, it often falls short in terms of originality and relevance. Returning to the rich and varied world of folktales can offer a fresh perspective and deeper meaning. The old stories and their lessons continue to speak to us, offering something that modern narratives often cannot. So, the next time you read a YA novel, consider whether it offers the depth and substance of the classic tales that have guided and inspired us for centuries.