Literatures and Cultural Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Dreamers: Living Undocumented in Contemporary Young Adult Fiction

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-2020

Abstract

This article analyzes characteristics of living with undocumented legal status in the United States and examines how the young adult novels The Secret Side of Empty (2014) by Maria E. Andreu, Illegal (2011) by Bettina Restrepo, and Sanctuary Somewhere (2019) by Brenna Dimmig depict significant aspects of unauthorized residents, such as resilience, vulnerability, educational striving, family relationship, disclosure, financial and occupational limits, and uncertain futures. Critical content analysis of the books' narrative elements and writing styles leads to evaluation of the literary texts. The authors aim to build understanding of "Dreamers" through these books although there are limitations in how the works of fiction convey the complex and diverse experiences of being undocumented.

Comments

Copyright Transformative Studies Institute.

Publication Title

Theory In Action

DOI

10.3798/tia.1937-0237.2023

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