This Book Will Destroy You: A Critical Comparative Analysis of YA Heroines

Despite the progress the Young Adult literary genre has made to diversify their characters and stories, the representation of a female protagonist has remained formulaic and predictable. YA commonly centers heroines who embody characteristics associated with female likability, resulting in the loss of authentic representations of teenage girls. Characters who do not personify these archetypes are often regarded as foils to the loveable protagonist, leaving readers with the impression that only idealized girls deserve to have their narratives told. This thesis analyzes quintessential YA heroines – Bella Swan (Twilight) and Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games) – and compares them to YA author Courtney Summer’s protagonists, Parker (Cracked Up to Be), and Sadie (Sadie). This work challenges the makings of a YA protagonist and explores the representation of an “unlikeable” female character in order to provoke a broader understanding of their behaviour and actions, and still embrace them for it.