The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

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Recommended: List and explain the basic significance of young adult literature

Novels for young adults are essential for a myriad of reasons: they are educational, relatable, and an escape for those who read them. It is important when teaching a class featuring these books, that the recurring themes be highlighted. This provides a full understanding of why these novels are important for young adults to read, and provides insight about character motivations and relationships. These important features of YA lit are: the power structure that exists between children/young adults and adults, survival, the idea of the underdog, personal growth/self-actualization, and isolation v. conformity. Most of the time these themes occur during the protagonist’s journey, whether that quest is a physical or emotional one. Overall, YA lit themes can be summed up as the evaluation of relationships with others and with the self. The following works demonstrate that overarching theme, and all that it entails, perfectly.
A novel that successfully demonstrates the power dynamic is Book One of the Bartimaeus Trilogy: The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud. It revolves around a young boy, Nathaniel, who is a magician’s apprentice in London. Adult magicians possess all the power in London, and in their households. In this novel, it is every magician’s duty to adopt an apprentice. Nathaniel’s adoption is described in a conversation between a clerk and Nathaniel’s new master Arthur Underwood:
“Mr. Underwood flourished his pen. “His parents- they’ve left, I take it?” “Yes sir. They couldn’t get away fast enough. The usual sort: take the money and run. Barely stopped to say goodbye to him.” ‘And all the normal safety procedures-?” “His birth records have been removed and destroyed, sir, and he has been strictly instruc...

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...hese novels, and the YA lit genre in general is the idea of a quest/journey and the protagonist being an underdog. Percy takes on a quest in a literal sense, Amir physically journeys back and forth between countries, Nathaniel is on a quest to save the government, and Katniss’ quest is to survive. All of them are underdogs in some sense as well. They are all underestimated, and not expected to succeed. Their situations are extremely relatable to many young adults. Young adults are looked down upon, and constantly incorrectly judged. So are these protagonists. Young adults can learn a lot by reading about their experiences. These novels may even help them cope with misconceptions that are placed on them in their own lives. By watching someone who is your age, going through similar emotions and predicaments, young adults can better learn to deal with their realities.

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