Fantastic literature and young adult identity: evil and death as motifs for the young man’s quest

Abstract

Young adult people use to have as quest-motifs problems related to death, transgression, or sexual issues. Reading is, without any doubt, a good way to approach these topics and through it teenagers can find the answers to the different questions that they have at this stage of life. In this contribution, we deal with the concept of evil, as well as with the concept of death using two texts which belong to Young adult literature. The text written by Ursula Le Guin, A Wizard of Earth Sea, will allow us to see from an anthropological point of view, a development process, because Ged de Gont, must go through different proves that take place at this stage of life. On the other hand, we will study Otfried Preussler's text, Krabat. The satanic mill, in which the topic of diabolism is constant, will well reviewed. The growing up of the main character will help us to reflect on the situation.

Keywords

• literatura fantástica, tópicos literarios, literatura juvenil, desarrollo