Should life lessons be part of YA novels?

[Justin]

I am a high school teacher who writes novels on the side. I've always wanted to try my hand at novel writing, so I took about a year and really worked on creating something special.

My goal in writing my novel, LARP: The Battle for Verona, was to create an entertaining YA novel that also taught a lesson. As a teacher, I see lots of kids being bullied, or, they are treated poorly by their peers because of their interests. LARP addresses both of those issues without being preachy.

So, my question to everyone is...because YA novels are geared toward teens, is it important for there to be a lesson in the novel, or should the novels just be entertaining?

[Heidi]

Personally, I think that every novel should teach something while entertaining. It is a fine balance to maintain, and if you are doing your job right as a writer, people will get different lessons from your story.... but there should be a lesson in any story.

[Justin]

I taught the Hunger Games a few years ago, and as I was teaching it, the thought occured to me that the novel really doesn't have a purpose, other than to entertain. Because of its popularity, I really think the author missed a chance to use her art for a bigger purpose.

I think part of the method in doing it is like teaching...the best teachers can teach a lesson without the kids knowing it. It's better to use examples, character behavior in this case, than to come out and state the important life lesson.

[Heidi]

And I think that there are some important lessons in Hunger Games.... very deeply buried. Do you want to be a person who thrives in such an environment (like the guys from 1 and 2) or the kind of person who abhors killing even when necessary? Would you have the courage to fight against the establishment? If you did, would it be worth it to then paint it as something else to save yourself? All actions have consequences, whether the action achieved the intended outcome or not. Gosh, there are so many lessons my boys and I have discussed because of Hunger Games.

[Roseann]

In my opinion, the best YA novels are those with some kink of moral/lesson within them. So my answer is a solid YES!

[Justin]

Heidi...those lessons are there, but I think they can be overshadowed by the other stuff...romance, etc.

[Heidi]

Yeah, lessons only a perceptive reader (or a mom desperately needing this to be a teaching moment, not this generations Mortal Combat ;) )

[anthea]

As an older teen who reads YA novels, I'd say that it probably depends on the genre within YA. For example, there would be less need for life lessons in paranormal/fantasy novels purely because it's well it's fiction, it's not real. I've read so many books where the author tries to include these deep life lessons, and literally just roll my eyes because it's never executed subtly and it's just so unrealistic.

However, I've read a lot of YA contemporary novels where they really made me think more about my life, in comparison to other people in the world, made me appreciate life and friendship and education and love a lot more. It works better for the realistic fiction/contemporary novels because they're easier to relate to.

But that's just my 18 year old opinion.

[Justin]

Annie...people your age often have the best opinions because you haven't been tainted by life. Not yet! You are a very well spoken young lady! :)

[Joseph]

IMO, as a Youth Services librarian, I don't think teaching a lesson of some sort should be a requirement of a YA fiction. If you can fit a lesson in without being obvious, fine, but don't feel you have to restructure a perfectly enjoyable plot just to find a way to fit a lesson it. I would much rather see a kid reading and enjoying a fun story than be turned off from reading the book by being "lectured" to by the author.

[Carol]

Joseph wrote: "IMO, as a Youth Services librarian, I don't think teaching a lesson of some sort should be a requirement of a YA fiction. If you can fit a lesson in without being obvious, fine, but don't feel you..."

Justin wrote: "Annie...people your age often have the best opinions because you haven't been tainted by life. Not yet! You are a very well spoken young lady! :)"
Yes, I agree with Joseph. YA literature is to enjoy, not to be used as educational material.

[Jan]

I think if a book is written well, it will reflect some sort some sort of truth or insight about life, but it doesn't have to be a moral or a lesson.