Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
English
Date of Award
12-2017
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Phyllis Thompson
Committee Members
Rebecca Adkins Fletcher, Scott Honeycutt
Abstract
Based on recent research concluding that fiction can increase empathy, this project examines how multicultural young adult literature may encourage empathy in Appalachian adolescents. Empathy encourages prosocial behaviors, but evidence suggests that young adults’ ability to empathize has declined in recent decades. In addition, Appalachia in particular is still a relatively homogenous region as it is majority white, protestant Christian, and heteronormative. Because of this, young adults in Appalachia may encounter few diverse perspectives in real life; multicultural young adult literature can provide diverse perspectives with which teenagers can empathize in a region where they might not have similar opportunities in reality. This thesis demonstrates how three multicultural young adult novels (The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (2007), Accidents of Nature (2006), and The Porcupine of Truth (2015)) can be used in a literature unit that encourages students to show emotional understanding despite personal differences.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Kiser, Kelsey R., "Young Adult Literature and Empathy in Appalachian Adolescents" (2017). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3325. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3325
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.
Included in
Children's and Young Adult Literature Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Methods Commons