How Fantasy Speaks to Adolescent Readers

The Development of Gender Equity, Heroism and Imperfection, and Good and Evil from an Exploration into Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson & the Olympians and Heroes of Olympus Series

Authors

  • Julie Smit Texas Tech University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15763/issn.2376-5275.2020.4.1.52-76

Abstract

Many genres of fictional novels are considered groundbreaking for complex plots and psychologically interesting characters. Little attention has been focused on how fantasy can be groundbreaking. This exploratory case study centers on how the five-novel series Percy Jackson & the Olympians, and its five-part sequel The Heroes of Olympus, speaks to a reading community of eighth grade female adolescent readers. This study traces the development of social inquiries of gender inequality, heroism and imperfection, and good and evil from these readers’ interactions with characters and events in the world of Percy Jackson. 

Author Biography

Julie Smit, Texas Tech University

JULIE SMIT is Assistant Professor of Language, Diversity, and Literacy Studies in the College of Education at Texas Tech University in West Texas.  Her work involves exploring the knowledge advances of adolescent readers as they utilize their transactions with narrative fiction to reflect and develop sophisticated understandings of the self, others, and the social world. 

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Published

2020-11-02

Issue

Section

Empirical Studies