overcome their adversaries and mature into a perceived adulthood.

1. overcome their adversaries and mature into a perceived adulthood. Adolescent Literature Violence Research Question: What purpose does violent conflict in both male and female adolescent protagonists serve within YA literature, and how does it cause characters to grow and mature? Adolescent Literature Violence in Different Forms In Golding’s Lord of the Flies, several marooned boys resort to violence to form a semi-structured way of life. “Viciously, with full intention, he hurled his spear at Ralph. The point tore the skin over Ralph’s ribs, then sheared off and fell into the water.” (Golding 153) Nelson’s The Girl Who Owned A City depicts a female protagonist fighting for her life and the lives of her friends in a post-apocalyptic Chicago. Conclusion: When the protagonists of YA Literature are forced into a violent conflict with no means of escape, only through violence can those characters “He looked at the horrible Hopper, then he punched him hard in the face. The next one burst his lip, and blood poured from his nose.” (Almond 57) Almond’s graphic novel The Savage illustrates a young boy who uses an alter ego to violently deal with a bully. In his article “The Violence of the Lambs”, Harries explains that “Their language is not necessarily violent in itself, but violence is necessary to transform them and to make them capable of new self-expression and self-understanding.” (64) overcome their adversaries and mature into a perceived adulthood.