Is It Still the “Last Taboo”? Depictions of Religion in YA

Meet our Contributor

​Mercedes is a former middle school and high school teacher, and she just graduated with her MA from Brigham Young University. She loves reading YA literature, and her favorite teaching memories are related to teaching some of her favorite YA novels, such as Scythe by Neal Shusterman and The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner. When Mercedes isn’t reading YA literature, she is hanging out with her husband, 9 month old daughter, and poodle, Honey. 

Is It Still the “Last Taboo”? Depictions of Religion in YA by Mercedes Allen

​I would bet a lot of money that if you asked people what they would consider as a  “taboo” topic in books for adolescents, responses would be along the lines of politics, sex, or violence. I would guess that very few people would say the topic that Patricia Campbell stated as “the last taboo” in the world of young adult literature: religion. 

​Think of five of your favorite young adult novels. Are there any religious elements in these texts? If so, how is religion being portrayed? Is religion affecting the character and story in a positive or negative way?
 
When I think about the books I read growing up, I do not remember religion being discussed in any book–or at least being an important part of the story (for example, The Baby-Sitters Club or the Goosebumps series). Some of the most popular books growing up had little to no mention of religion, such as Harry Potter, Twilight, or Hunger Games. Why is that? Why have so many been willing to talk about the most controversial of topics but rarely about religion? 

YA scholar, Patricia Campbell, when writing about religion in young adult texts stated that “The majority of realistic YA fiction projects a world in which both the personal practice and the corporate practice of religion are absent, except for the worst aspects of cults or fundamentalist sects” (Mickelson 2). However, there have been recent calls for writers to include religion in their texts, specifically utilizing religion in more realistic ways instead of through purely negative depictions (Mickelson 5). It seems that authors may have heard these recent calls and have responded with some great stories depicting religion more realistically. 

​I was lucky enough in my graduate program to take two classes focused on young adult novels. The first, taught by Chris Crowe, went through a history of young adult novels starting from the 1960s to the early 2000s, in which I noticed mostly negative depictions, if any, of religion, such as in books like Send Me Down a Miracle by Han Nolan.
 
In my second section on YA literature the following semester, modern, award-winning novels were the focus. As I read through recent modern contemporary young adult novels, it seemed to me that there has been a shift in how religion is depicted. In these newer texts, the nuances of being part of a religion in today’s world are shown, rather than the religious binaries of the past, where the text was either didactic or representing religion negatively. 

The following books are examples of two really great modern, contemporary young adult novels that show a different way to depict “the last taboo.” 

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

Simon Sort of Says is the story of a middle grade boy, Simon, who has recently moved from Omaha, Nebraska to the small town of Grin and Bear It, Nebraska. Simon has moved after a school shooting occurred at his school in which his entire class was killed except Simon, who was found alive under his murdered classmates. He does not want anyone to know about his past experiences, yet he is constantly struggling with the flashbacks and reminders of that day. As he settles into his new life, he begins to make friends and a new identity while still trying to figure out how to cope with his past–and if these are things he should include in his identity or continue to hide from. Simon has a great relationship with his parents who assist him along the way in healing and moving forward. 

​Simon’s father is a deacon for the Catholic church, making religion a focal part of Simon's family’s life. Throughout the book, as Simon tries to work through the trauma of the past, he wonders why God would let something like that happen, especially to a room full of children.

​In thinking about saints and their role in his religion, Simon says “it’s a little messed up that we make saints of girls who didn’t want to get married and got killed, and boys who didn’t want to make public sacrifices and got killed…It’s like, somehow, they’re holy because awful stuff happened to them” (289). Simon continues his internal dialogue, wondering, “Maybe one of them was super good at soccer, or really liked stargazing…We only know the one part of their life, and it’s the most awful part” (289). Simon does not want to be defined by his most awful moments in life, and does not understand why his religion must be so focused on the past traumas of others; Simon wants to believe that there is more to people than their trials, that there is more to his life than the horrible things he has gone through. Simon wonders why his religion focuses so much on the suffering of people in the past when he wants to focus on healing and the other things that make him who he is. In his case, the point of the saints in his religion focuses on the things that Simon is trying to not dwell on. Can he still be a part of this religion despite this focus and move forward in healing? Does this mean he must abandon his faith altogether?

A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Caletti 

Deb Caletti’s A Heart in a Body in the World tells the story of 17 year-old Annabelle (Belle) on her journey navigating grief, loss, and trauma. Told through a non-linear timeline, Belle is running across America to raise awareness about violence and the difficulties and fear women may experience at the hands of men in romantic contexts. As she runs, Belle has continual flashbacks of her traumatic experience that resulted in the death of her boyfriend and best friend. Belle was harassed and stalked by a boy she briefly had a fling with, resulting in this boy murdering her boyfriend and best friend (that he thought was Belle) at a party. Belle’s friends and family support her journey across America. Gradually, she receives more support and recognition as word spreads about her story. Accompanied by her Grandpa Ed, his camp trailer, new friends she gains along the way, and the unwanted memories that continue to resurface, she is able to work through her past while paving her future. While her journey is primarily focused on overcoming her trauma and loss, Belle also subtly navigates her religious identity, which affects her relationships with her parents and herself. Belle is not the narrator of this text, but the narrator is omniscient when it comes to Belle’s thoughts.

​Belle’s relationship with her mom is complicated, as are many teenager’s. Belle’s mother, Gina, cannot be described without mention of her religious beliefs. Gina is an Italian Catholic, and Belle describes it as being not “ just about religion–it’s about superstition and safekeeping and tradition” (5). Gina “rarely goes to mass, but she’s got the required crucifix over the kitchen doorway, the rosary in the dresser drawer, and the stack of dead relatives’ funeral cards, held together with a rubber band” (5). Belle’s use of the word “required” in this quote demonstrates her view of religion being something that is forced, where people seem to just go through the traditional motions. Belle’s relationship with her mother is complicated in the beginning of the novel in part due to Gina’s religious beliefs since Belle does not hold the same reverence for the traditions. Belle has a difficult time believing “people are still Catholic,” and draws a comparison between the Catholic church and Hostess Twinkies, since they both have been around “for a zillion years, in spite of the bad press and rumors of vanishing” (5). When examining Belle’s own beliefs, the narrator asks “How can Annabelle believe in anything anymore, though? It’d be nice to have a belief, but it’s likely gone for good” as a result of what she has suffered (5).  

As Belle slowly allows herself to remember her past and to feel the emotions she’s been trying to bury, she realizes that the idea of religion, such as the Saint Christopher, is comforting in moments; however, she recognizes it is not enough to heal her completely. Belle finally is able to sift through the memories of her boyfriend and best friend being killed by her stalker, finally revealing to the reader what exactly happened that night. Before she allows the memory to unravel in her mind, she sees “The Saint Christopher medal” shining “in the moonlight,” and thinks to herself how “even a saint seems small and powerless against what’s coming” (320). This moment shows the complexities of religion in Belle’s life, where she has the two contradicting feelings about religion: it can be comforting and healing, and it can also cause more anxieties and questions. These ideas are so opposite of one another that it would seem somewhat impossible for them to both make up her religious identity; yet she is able to have these back and forth moments that help her to better understand what role religion can play in her life–and that it does not have to have just one purpose. 

Other YA Novels to Explore

While less young adults identify as being religious as ever before, there is still a need to show representation for the many young adults who are trying to find the balance between living in a modern world, with all of its complexities and instant gratifications, and holding onto something that gives them hope–something that may have given their families hope for generations.

While these texts mentioned are great examples of a more realistic depiction of religion, there are several others that do similar things, and they are worth exploring for further insight into religion in young adult literature today. Some of these texts are All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir, The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater, Scythe by Neal Shusterman, and Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri. Even though religion is never the primary focus of these texts, that makes them even more realistic. With so many things begging for a teen's attention–social media, jobs, school, current events, family, friends, relationships, etc.--religion is oftentimes a smaller part of a religious teen’s life, but it is still a part of it. And that part shapes their adolescence, which ultimately shapes how they view themselves and the world around them. Giving examples and presenting the inner dialogue of what one may experience as a teen navigating religion in the modern world can do what literature does best–what we love literature for: showing young adults that they are not alone, providing them new ways to think about their experiences, positions, and questions, and helping them on their path to better understanding who they are.