'The surfer': A science fiction story which may be appropriate for adolescents

by Nancy Nieto

It is interesting to highlight that not all adolescents enjoy reading books, but there are some elements or materials which encourage them to do it. Within literature, adolescents have the opportunity to choose books or stories which may be appealing for them.  Young Adult Literature (YAL) gathers many of characteristics interesting for adolescents. Many YAL authors like Small, an academic style in YAL, provide an overview of this type of literature. They incorporate attractive elements in books to engage young readers.  The surfer”, a science fiction story written by Kelly Link, can be an example of YAL since it follows some of Small´s characteristics. In this particular story,  young characters and themes related to teens are the characteristics that can be identified.

As Small (cited in Herz and Gallo,1996) points out, there are some characteristics which are unique to Young Adult stories, and adolescents feel attracted by them. They are:

-the main character is a teenager
-events and problems in the plot are related to teenagers
-the main character is the center of the plot
-dialogue reflects teenage speech, including slang

Considering  these characteristics teenagers may enjoy reading some interesting stories like the surfer. Kelly Link presents a talented soccer-player who plans to be the best athlete all over the world. One day he is kidnapped by his father doctor, when the population suffers a flu pandemic. Dorn travels by plane to Costa Rica, and there he and all the passengers are carried to a hangar in quarantine, until the pandemic ends.

As I have just mentioned, young characters are considered by YAL appealing for teenage readers in “The surfer”. Dorn is a young and selfish soccer-player who thinks about himself and does not care about other people. When he shares his interests and opinions with other people in the hangar, he realizes he should change his mind. Throughout the story, the character gradually changes his personality, the way he thinks and behaves  towards other people.

Another important characteristic mentioned in Small´s list is the presence of themes  related to teenagers. Future is an important issue developed by Kelly Link. Throughout the story, she presents young  characters who plan their future while they are in quarantine. The hangar is a place that helps them to reflect about their lives and plan what they want to achieve in their future.  According to Professor Robert Havigurst of the University of Chicago, teens have eleven developmental tasks they must complete to make it to adulthood. One of them is, “begin to consider how they will occupy themselves as adults and which profession  they will pursue”.

To conclude, “The surfer” by Kelly Link can be considered a story for adolescents since it fits  Small´s characteristics . The presence of these elements are important to engage young readers in YAL. They feel attractive by this type of literature.