Learn from Literature: Characters That Engage Young Adult Readers

~by Amanda Smith
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For the last three years, I’ve had the incredible privilege of teaching literature to high school students. While studying a variety of literature in a range of genres, I have noticed that certain characters draw students in and engage even the most reluctant readers. Lately, as I'm pondering a new YA idea, I’ve been trying to tease out the commonalties between Gatsby and Montag, Portia and Daisy.

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Love to Hate Villains:
First up, are the easily detestable villains. Whether it is Tom Buchanan from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald or Captain Beatty from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, these characters immediately raise our hackles, because they have such clear character flaws. Every time they appear on the page, we know they will do or say something terrible and their vileness is so…vile that our hatred feels justified. In a world where teens notice evil, but often must suppress rage or judgement, having a common enemy offers a great socially acceptable outlet for pent up anger.
Warning: These characters do not have staying power. They amp up the heat quickly, but they are also forgettable. Keep them to a minimum.

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Hate to Hate Villains:
Every year I watch Juniors fall hook, line, and sinker for Jay Gatsby. They know he is a mobster. They understand that he is likely scamming widows and orphans out of their insurance bond money. They think he is over-the-top, and that his infatuation with Daisy is pathetic. And yet, they LOVE him. Why? He made it. He reinvented himself into the dream he conjured up when he was a poor nobody at fifteen. Teens can relate to that.

But also, despite his life in organized crime, he has a naivety about him: he can only see Daisy for who he imagined her to be; he innocently believes Tom will fold and hand over his wife, and Daisy will erase her past; he foolishly asks Wolfsheim, crime-boss and fixer of the World Series, to be his character witness. His “capacity for hope” is truly extraordinary – almost childlike.

Student art of Jay Gatsby posting a selfie on social media. (Used with permission from the artist A. Gilchrist)

In the same way students, especially the guys, are drawn to Rip van Winkle. Adults (and teen girls) see a bumbling, lazy, old fool of a loser husband. But the guys appreciate his childlikeness and playfulness, his idealism, and his successful avoidance of responsibility. Isn’t that the teen dream? So, infuse your villains with some idealism, naivety, or playfulness.
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Both Guy Montag from Fahrenheit 451 and Shylock, from The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare fall in the hate to hate category for a different reason. Their environments restrict their freedom and shape their mindset. Even though they both have deep character flaws and commit heinous acts, young adults understand the desperation to break out of an uncomfortable mold, and therefore they have extreme empathy for these types of characters. Create a moment of vulnerability, or a reason for empathy in your villains. ​​

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Love to Love Heroes:
Young adults are drawn to protagonists who contain a strong moral compass, especially if it doesn’t always point true North. Lovely War by Julie Berry is a great example of truly good characters whose honest beliefs lead them astray. James Alderidge's admirable British properness almost derails his and Hazel’s happiness, while Hazel’s love for James and belief that he deserves the best, almost blocks their future, and Aubrey Edwards’ all-be-damned pursuit of racial equality leads to tragic circumstances. Students love this novel because all the main characters are likeable, good people, but the setting (WW1) tests their morals and interferes with their internal GPS.  

Will Holloman from Long Way Down ​by Jason Reynolds is another example of a character who wants to do what is right but is unclear about what the right thing might be because of his loyalty towards family and “The Rules” that guide his actions. Likewise, Guy Montag's initial conformity and slow awakening to the world around him leads to internal conflict regarding his ethics. Dietrich Bonhoeffer in The Faithful Spy and Elie Wiesel in Night struggle with the intersection of faith and justice. These conflicts, which are still playing out around the world today, resonate with young readers. Throw something at your characters that might dislodge their moral compass or cause their best intentions to go awry.

Student interpretation of Will Holloman's internal conflict: Will's arms are outlined with the word "no", while his hand holding the gun and the cuff of his shirt are outlined with "yes" and "the rules". (Used with permission from the artist I. Menard.)

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Great Friendships:
The Merchant of Venice’s Portia and Nerissa quickly become a beloved pair as students recognize their loyalty towards one another. They cheer Nerissa on when she calls out Portia’s bias, appreciate that Portia includes Nerissa in all her schemes, and love how both girls outsmart the guys. The balance in Portia and Nerissa’s friendship helps students see the imbalance of Antonio and Bassanio’s,  and guides them to recognize these dynamics in their own relationships.

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Similarly, students adore the way Lovely War’s Hazel and Colette encourage one another and fight for each other’s joy. Colette is respected for the hardship she overcame and the badass she becomes, and Hazel’s strength, that shows up as compassion, resonates.  I have seen students’ behavior change after studying Lovely War because of the example of beautiful friendships between the characters. Add positive role models of solid friendships, where the friends are strong, kind, and keep each other accountable. Wouldn't it be awesome if your characters impact your readers' interpersonal relationships?

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The Fool Archetype:
There is a reason the fool is a classic. Young adults adore comic relief and all forms of irony land well with YA readers. For example, Gratiano’s (The Merchant of Venice) snapping sarcasm and quick come backs, as well as the dramatic irony when he unknowingly throws Bassanio under the bus, have students howling with laughter. The biting banter between Ares and Hephaestus, as well as Aphrodite’s sharp jabs (Lovely War) towards self-obsessed Ares add an unexpected layer of humor for the more discerning reader. Go ahead, add a fool, but it is important to remember that the archetypal fool offers wisdom and truth along with laughs. 
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​​Overall, young adult readers respond to lots of layers and complexity. While clear villains provide some short-term venting, ambiguity is what holds these readers’ attention. Middle grade readers mostly still see the world as black and white, but young adult readers live in the gray – they are noticing ambiguity in their friends, parents, teachers, spiritual leaders, political figures, history, and current events. Providing multifaceted characters in fiction helps them figure out how to navigate the complexity they are experiencing in real life. Add a dose of vulnerability like we see in Nick Carraway, Guy Montag, and Will Holloman, and you have a winning recipe for characters young adult readers will adore.