The Young Warriors by V.S Reid.

Adolescence is the most crucial life stage of an individual that evokes inquisitiveness, rebellion, self fulfillment and concept. Adolescent Literature is essential in the lives of human beings in whatever form as it allows emotional and social aspects of a person’s being to develop. Literature serves as a medium through which writers and playwrights express their chain of thought, ideas, and experiences in the form of art. This art allows them to express themselves without limits and serves as a piece of work that impacts those who come in contact with it. Literature to adolescents serves many purposes that transparently influence them without their knowledge. Literature influences critical thinking exposes them to new cultures, traditions, and cults, also allow its readers to live vicariously through characters and models the appropriate use of language and builds vocabulary.

 Literature books are incorporated in the syllabuses of high school, primary and the basic level in order to enhance a child academically, emotionally and psychologically. Rhone’s play, ‘Old Story Time’, 1987, was introduced in the first two years of high school as a mandatory text and also as an option at the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) level.

This play highlighted issues of racism, poverty, parental expectations, and bullying- issues that are typical within most societies. The play presented a single mother who in her own narrow-minded and crude way, wanted better for her son. Her son later became a victim of the branches that grew from his mother’s expectations and ran away after he was bullied by some boys. The son later un-wittingly rebelled and stood distant from his mother. These issues are however familiar to many teens and this novel later provided a form of a cathartic solution and helped the audience to understand the extremes of his mothers expectations, just like Len, many teens see their parents as a nuisance that is insensitive to their ‘needs’. Len also fought against his odds and became successful in his studies which makes him an inspiration to those who come in contact with the drama. This drama serves as a form of encouragement that clearly and effortlessly explored many social ills in society that may serve as a deterrent to youths. In order to disclose the prompts for Miss Aggy’s behavior one must have a critical eye, especially as an adolescent who is narrow-minded to the cliché that their parents are against them, they have to critically analyze the situations presented and how each situation influenced and affected each character. A critical approach is important in the study of literature as it enables readers and audiences to examine literary pieces without limitations, students are able to analyze one piece in several ways to get the initial idea of the writer or playwright. In instances were critiques/ students examine pieces and put forward strong ideas supported by evidence the writers then are also able to see how much their work can be way more meaningful, diverse, eye-opening and influential to whoever comes in contact with it. The main reason why students are exposed to these pieces are actually to critique them as it helps students to show acuity exercise our thoughts and our ability to think above the literal stages of literature and life situations. There is no limitation while thinking, students are implored to express their wildest adventurous mind congruently with a technical outlook on things in order to develop the ability to un-puzzle things without hesitation; and literature welcomes that in the form of critical approaches as long as there is evidence found in the work that can support our claims.

 ‘An echo in the bone’, 1986, by Dennis Scott is a play that examined the Jamaican culture as a native of the African Heritage. This play examined the death of the main character, Crew, in his attempt of saving his people or standing up to the ‘white man’ who has oppressed them for years. The play was presented in different time periods during slavery (sub-setting) in the main setting of a ‘nine night’ (which was sphere-headed by his wife Rachel). This form of Literature exposes adolescents to new cultures and traditions as Jamaica’s history and more extensively, the Caribbean’s unfortunate tale of history was re-told in the form of a drama. This piece also had Creole and Standard English co-existing. These two languages lend to the intimacy between the writer and the reader, allowing for a more contemplating and evaluative feel when exploring such theoretic information that may have come off ‘boring’ to students when taught to students in a more uniformed way. The play allowed for students to explore the different aspects of the African culture that influence some traditions of Caribbean people. In reading texts that re-emphasizes history, it repeats the knowledge they would find useful in their literature, history classes, and daily lives. Texts like these allow for adolescents to appreciate their roots and uncover some ‘heart bleeding’ facts that completed the whole reason for who and what they are. Literature allows students to also live vicariously through novels, more specifically characters when exposed to such texts that tell tales of history. Students usually become so intimate and sympathetic with the characters presented, they get a great sense of emotion and then further express their thoughts about how they feel, this is a medium that influences them to express their thought and views and in some instances positively influence them to become more patriotic and to accept their selves as a native people, further diminishing the possibility of cultural erasure.

Set during the time of World War II, ‘The Silver Sword’ 1956, tells the story of a family that was affected by the previously mentioned war.

The plot starts when the father of the family turned the picture of Adolf Hitler to the wall while hiss students were praying in a school in Poland. This novella delves into the scenes of the Second World War and gives its readers a vicarious experience as to what life was like in Europe back then. This story chronicles the characters’ lives as they travel from war torn Poland to their new home in peaceful Switzerland. It centers on subjects and themes such as love, bravery, perseverance, overcoming hardship and reunification of a broken family. Just as ‘An Echo in the Bones’, this English Literature text is apt, as it helps adolescents to understand an important historical event. Students who read this book are given a mental trip and are brought into the different psyches of those characters who are involved in the novel. This literary work is written in Standard English. This helps to foster an understanding of grammar, syntax, structure and context that are used in the English Language. It exposes Caribbean Literature students to the proper use of the language. It also helps students to build vocabulary.   Literature texts are not limited to an era or geographical location. Many of the prescribed Literature texts which students are exposed to are comprised of different languages, words, and syntax. In being exposed to different texts from the Shakespearean, Victorian, Modern eras, etcetera, students become aware of the different ways in which to use both the American English, British English and Creole languages along with building their vocabularies. This could also be used as a medium to tackle the issue of Creole over-riding Standard English in most Caribbean countries and also tackle the problem of grammatical errors that are evident among people. It also shows how diverse language can be and how beautifully it can be used to express oneself.

Literature is the medium through which adolescents can live vicariously through the piece in their own private way, it is extremely beneficial as adolescents tend to become stressed and depressed due to the process they are undergoing, and literature in whatever form serves as a form of catharsis or influence among our youths. Reading is so intimate, it consumes time and effort that may be spent doing something that may be considered harmful to adolescents. The novels and plays prescribed in schools are crucially essential in developing a person’s vocabulary, knowledge, and experiences that will, to some extent impact their personal, mental, psychological and emotional development. ‘’ Reading maketh a man’’ and through exploring these different texts along with alternative Literature it builds a person holistically and this is important in regard to young adults, for teachers and lecturers have the sole responsibility of molding young minds. Molding these young minds in a positive way, it allows for a better society as these students will critically analyze situations and come up with meaningful solutions, use their competent vocabulary wisely and effortlessly to their own advantage and learn more about different cultures and will be more able to adapt (if required), relate and accept different cultures and peoples. The plays Old Story Time’ and ‘An Echo in the Bone’ along with the novel ‘Silver sword’ are Literature texts that present messages, situations, use of language that illustrate the benefits of Literature to Adolescents.

References

1. ·         Rhone, Trevor. Old Story Time, Longman, 1987.
2. ·         Serrallier, Silver Sword, Jonathan Cape, 1956.
3. ·         Scott, Dennis, An Echo in the Bone, 1974, Paperback; publisher, Longman, 1986.