EL 111 MIDTERMS  Accessibility: Popular literature

often uses simple

INTRODUCTION TO POPULAR language and straightforward narratives,
LITERATURE making it easy
for readers of all backgrounds and
Popular literature contains writings that reading levels to
is understand and enjoy.
intended for the masses and those that
find favour  Entertainment: A primary function
with large audiences. of popular literature is
to entertain. It offers readers an escape
NATURE OF POPULAR LITERATURE from the
Mass Appeal: The primary characteristic stresses of daily life, transporting them
is being to different worlds
accessible and designed to be read by a and immersing them in captivating
large audience. stories.

Entertainment Focus: Popular literature

prioritizes  Relatability: Popular literature
engaging storylines and characters over often deals with themes
complex literary and issues that are relevant to the
themes. everyday experiences
Genre Diversity: Popular literature of ordinary people.
spans various genres
including romance, fantasy, mystery,  Emotional Engagement: Popular
science fiction, literature often evokes
westerns, and thrillers. strong emotions in readers. Whether
it’s the joy of
Commercial Success: Often, popular budding romance, the suspense of
literature translates thrilling chase, or the
to high sales and widespread sadness of a tragic loss, these stories
recognition. can make readers
feel deeply.
APPEAL OF POPULAR LITERATURE
 Reflection of Society: Popular
 Refers to the qualities that make a literature can reflect the
piece of writing values, norms, and challenges of a
widely accessible and engaging to a particular society or
large audience, time period.
typically focusing on entertainment
value, relatable  Genre Variety: Popular literature
themes, simple language, and plot- encompasses a wide
driven narrative that range of genres, including romance,
keeps readers hooked, rather than deep mystery, thriller,
literary analysis science fiction, fantasy, and historical
or complex character development. fiction.
 Cultural Significance: Popular
literature can play a YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE:
significant role in shaping popular ROMANCE
culture and influencing
social trends.
WHAT IS YOUNG ADULT
LITERATURE ROMANCE?
SOCIAL FUNCTION OF POPULAR Young Adult Romance (YAL)
LITERATURE is a subgenre of Young Adult
Literature (YAL) that explores
romantic relationships, self-discovery,
and identity through teenage
characters. It offers relatable
perspectives on love, challenges,
and complex themes like consent,
communication, and mental health.

DEVELOPMENT OF YAL

A. PRE-TWENTIETH CENTURY
Pre-twentieth Century love
stories in children's and young adult
literature featured archetypal
characters and tropes, such as star-
crossed lovers and fairy tale
romances. Early examples of
romance and love stories exist, often
with tragic endings, serving as
cautionary tales for young readers.

B. TWENTIETH CENTURY

1.1980s-1990s
YAL romance authors like
Judy Blume and Lurlene McDaniel
explored realistic teenage
relationships, addressing themes of
sexuality, illness, and death, and
presenting relationships as both joy
and pain.
2. 2000s
YAL romance expanded with
diverse authors, exploring themes of
survival, trauma, and self-discovery,
and incorporating genre elements
like dystopian and science fiction,
with vampire and supernatural-
themed novels becoming prominent.
3. 2010s
 YAL romance has evolved, upheaval and post-apocalyptic
incorporating diverse themes like environments.
identity, sexuality, mental health,
intersectionality, and marginalized
groups. Authors explore complex 4. REALISTIC
relationships, blur genre lines, and is a subgenre of young adult
experiment with hybrid forms like literature that focuses on real-world
magical realism and speculative romance stories without fantastical
fiction. elements. It explores themes like
first love, identity, friendship, family
dynamics, self-discovery, and
TYPES OF YAL personal growth. These stories are
grounded in real-world settings and
1. Evangelical address common challenges faced
is a subgenre that integrates by young people, such as school,
evangelical Christianity into romantic peer pressure, and social dynamics.
narratives, exploring themes of faith,
religious values, and spirituality. It
often features characters grappling BACKGROUND OF THE AUTHOR
with moral dilemmas, personal
growth, and spiritual connection, Jandy Nelson is an American
though its appeal may vary. y author. Prior to her career as an
associated with romantic author, Nelson worked for 13 years
relationships and can involve as a literary agent at Manus &
physical and emotional intimacy. Associates Literary Agency. She
holds a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell
University as well as several Master
2. LGBTQ of Fine Arts degrees. She later
is a subgenre of YAL romance that attended Vermont College of Fine
focuses on romantic relationships Arts.
and experiences involving LGBTQ+ Born: November 25, 1965 (age 59
characters. It explores themes of years), New York, New York, United
love, identity, acceptance, and States.
societal challenges faced by
LGBTQ+ individuals. These stories, I'll Give You the Sun, was
often involving LGBTQ+ teenagers published in 2014; it is about close
or young adults, provide but highly competitive twins Noah
representation, empathy, and and Jude. A series of family
inclusivity, addressing unique tragedies, cruelties and
experiences and challenges within misunderstandings creates a rift
the LGBTQ+ community. between the two; only after they
come back together do they begin to
understand themselves and set their
3. DYSTOPIAN PARANORMAL
world right again. I'll Give You the
is a young adult fiction genre that
Sun won the Printz Award.
blends dystopian, paranormal, and
romance themes. Set in a dystopian
society, it features a romantic
relationship and supernatural
elements, offering a captivating
reading experience amidst societal
CHARACTERS both Noah’s and Jude’s at different
times in the twins’ lives.
NOAH SWEETWINE
Sensitive, introverted, and BRIAN CONNELLY/THE BOY
closeted, Noah is thirteen years old FROM THE ROOFTOP
at the start of the novel. A high school boy who comes
to Lost Cove for the summer the
JUDE SWEETWINE year that Noah and Jude are thirteen
Jude is Noah’s twin sister. At the years old.
start of the novel, she is a reckless
social butterfly who throws herself ZEPHYR
into securing the attention of the A high school boy who often
other girls—and especially boys— bullies Noah despite his friendship
her age. with—and attraction to—Noah’s twin
sister, Jude
DIANNA SWEETWINE
Jude and Noah believe that
their art-professor mother, Dianna, is
a “blow-in” from another realm or
even another planet. She is so LITERARY ELEMENTS
ethereally beautiful to them, so
unlike their rational scientist father. GENRE: Novel

BENJAMIN SWEETWINE NARRATOR AND POV: Third-

Benjamin, is a scientist who Person Point of View
studies parasites. A deeply rational
man, Benjamin seems intimidated by THEMES: Betrayal, Guilt and
and contemptuous of his wife and Shame, Love, Sex and Fear, Self-
children’s beliefs in the supernatural Expression
and the mystic, and has a hard time
SYMBOLS: The Invisible Museum,
relating to all three of them.
Noah Sweetwine’s “invisible
GRANDMA SWEETWINE museum” represents his desire to
Benjamin’s eccentric mother, make sense of the world around him.
is already dead at the start of the Grandma Sweetwine’s Bible and
novel. Aphorisms, just as Noah has the
invisible museum, Jude Sweetwine,
GUILLERMO GARCIA too, has a coping mechanism which
The “rock star” of the allows her to see the world on her
sculpture world, Colombian sculptor own terms: her deceased
Guillermo Garcia is a bear of a man grandmother’s “bible” of superstition,
whose recent heartbreak has caused lore, and wisdom.
him to retreat into his studio and The rock-paper-scissors game,
refuse much contact with the outside The game, then, functions as a
world. mirror of Noah and Jude’s symbiotic
relationship. The game of rock-
OSCAR RALPH/THE ENGLISH paper-scissors is a kind of litmus
GUY
Guillermo’s assistant, Oscar,
is a university student and former
wild child whose path crosses with
SCIENCE FICTION rescue plan.
 Ares 3 Crew – The astronauts
Science fiction, often abbreviated as who left Watney
sci-fi, is a behind, including Rick Martinez,
genre of speculative fiction primarily Beth Johanssen,
concerned with imaginative and Chris Beck, and Alex Vogel.
futuristic
concepts, such as advanced science SETTING
and  Primary Setting: Mars – The
technology, space exploration, time harsh and
travel, desolate Red Planet, where Watney
parallel universes, and is
extraterrestrial life. It stranded.
explores the impact of these  Secondary Setting: NASA
concepts on Headquarters
society and individuals, often (Earth), Hermes spacecraft
extrapolating (returning to
from current scientific trends or Earth).
theories.
CONFLICT
Andrew Taylor Weir was born on
June 16, 1972 in Davis, California,  Man vs. Nature: Watney battles
United States - an American novelist. Mars’ harsh
His 2011 novel The Martian was environment to stay alive.
adapted into the 2015 film of the  Man vs. Isolation: He struggles
same with
name directed by Ridley Scott. He loneliness and psychological
received the John W. Campbell challenges.
Award for Best New Writer in 2016  Man vs. Technology: He
and his 2021 novel Project Hail Mary overcomes
was a finalist for the 2022 Hugo equipment failures and limited
Award resources.
for Best Novel.
THEMES
THE MARTIAN  Survival and Human Ingenuity –
 Mark Watney – The protagonist, Watney’s
a botanist and resourcefulness demonstrates the
mechanical engineer stranded on power of
Mars. science and problem-solving.
 Commander Melissa Lewis –  Teamwork and Sacrifice – NASA,
The leader of the Ares Watney’s
3 mission. crew, and scientists work together to
 Venkat Kapoor – NASA's save
Director of Mars him.
Operations.  Resilience and Optimism –
 Mindy Park – A satellite Despite
communications engineer overwhelming odds, Watney’s humor
who first discovers Watney is alive. and
 Rich Purnell – An determination keep him going.
astrodynamicist who devises a