Premium
A Threat or Just a Book? Analyzing Responses to Thirteen Reasons Why in a Discourse Community
Author(s) -
Walter Brooklyn,
Boyd Ashley S.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of adolescent and adult literacy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.73
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1936-2706
pISSN - 1081-3004
DOI - 10.1002/jaal.939
Subject(s) - psychology , plot (graphics) , reading (process) , pedagogy , developmental psychology , social psychology , linguistics , philosophy , statistics , mathematics
In this study, the authors examined how parents, preservice teachers, and teens responded to their reading of one controversial young adult novel. Analyzing the discourse of participants through the lens of positioning theory, the authors found that student readers approached the book as a story, examining its various literary elements. Youths also noted the reality of the text and drew personal connections to plot elements. Parents, however, considered the book as a tool and expressed concerns over the text's message and potentially negative influence. The authors also discuss conflicts that arose in the dialogue and conclude with implications for teachers and teacher educators.