Today’s Teenagers Have Moved Away From Didactic Literature
According to the correspondent of Iran Book News Agency (IBNA) in Isfahan, a meeting to discuss the characteristics of popular young adult novels (part 2), focusing on the analysis of two novels ‘Hasti’ by Farhad Hassanzadeh and ‘When Mojy Got Lost’ by Hamidreza Shahabadi, was held on Monday evening at Sa’di Passage of Isfahan Art Center.
In this session, Mohammadreza Rahbari, a writer and instructor of fictional literature, along with Soheila Sabzevari, a psychologist and translator of specialized psychological works, and a group of enthusiasts and young adult readers, examined the narrative and psychological dimensions of these two works.
Teenagers’ Dialogue with Literature: A Practice for Understanding Life
In this session, Ali Esmaeili, a teenager present at the program, while expressing his personal interpretations of the two novels, said: Both works are relatable for today’s adolescent generation because their characters think and make decisions like us.
He stated: The theme of running away from home in the novel ‘When Mojy Got Lost’ is appealing to young adult readers, especially girls, as it reflects the experience of limitation and the search for freedom.
Esmaeili added, referring to the structural features of these works: In both novels, the author has tried to immerse the reader in the character’s inner world and confront them with lived experience, instead of issuing moral judgments.
He said: These types of novels teach teenagers that making mistakes is a natural part of life and that one should not be afraid to say ‘I don’t know’.
The Reading Experience from the Perspective of a Book-Loving Teenager
Continuing the session, Mohammad Parham Izaddoust, a book-loving teenager present at the program, referring to his experience of reading the novels ‘Hasti’ and ‘When Mojy Got Lost’, stated: What was attractive to me in these two novels was the realism of the characters and the sincerity of their feelings. In ‘Hasti’, we encounter a girl who is courageous and acts against societal norms, and in ‘When Mojy Got Lost’, we face a feeling of lostness and confusion that many teenagers have experienced in their own lives.
He added: In my opinion, successful young adult novels are those that compel us to think about ourselves and the world around us, rather than just delivering moral messages. These two books had such an impact on me.
Izaddoust emphasized: When an author trusts us and invites us to think instead of teaching, we feel taken seriously. This feeling makes us more interested in books and prompts us to seek out other works by the same authors.
The teenager concluded his remarks by stating: Novels like ‘Hasti’ and ‘When Mojy Got Lost’ help us understand that having questions is not a sign of weakness, but rather a part of the growth process. Reading these kinds of books for us teenagers means practicing seeing the world from another perspective.
Issue-Oriented Novels Mirror the Concerns of the Adolescent Generation
Mohammadreza Rahbari, a writer and instructor of fictional literature, continued by stating: The main goal of this session is to analyze the characteristics of novels that have garnered the attention of the adolescent generation and have been able to connect with this group of readers for various reasons. This session is a continuation of previous meetings where popular foreign novels were examined, and this time the focus is on two Iranian works that have been widely welcomed by young adult readers.
He stated: In my opinion, these two novels are issue-oriented, and each addresses topics with sociological and psychological dimensions. Both works have approached the issue of women and girls in our contemporary society from a certain angle; what is important is that these two novels, despite focusing on issues of women and girls, were written by two male authors and have, incidentally, been well-received. Therefore, examining how this popularity was formed, from a narrative and psychological perspective, is significant.
Two Iranian Novels with a Humanistic View on Adolescent and Family Issues
This writer and instructor of fictional literature, in another part of his speech, referring to the presence of Mohammad Parham Izaddoust and Ali Esmaeili among the book-loving teenagers, stated: Based on a survey of teenagers about Iranian novels, they expect authors to write works that address the real issues of their lives. For this reason, novels like ‘Hasti’ or ‘When Mojy Got Lost’ have become popular, as they are issue-oriented and raise issues such as parental imposition of wishes, friendship, loneliness, and not being heard.
He added: At the beginning of the analyses, Ali Esmaeili pointed out two key aspects in the novel ‘When Mojy Got Lost’; first, the way the work begins, which delivers a shock to the reader from the very first sentence: the narrator says they know the end of the story, but still wants to know why and how they reached that point. This immediately engages the reader with the narrative. The second point is the author’s view on the domino effect of events, which is introduced in the very first chapter and continues through the characters and narrative until the end.
In another part of the analysis, Rahbari referred to Esmaeili’s statements about the novel’s characters and said: The character Naser and the impactful phrase ‘Do not sell the woman of your life for the sake of being alive’ are among the main points that remain in the reader’s mind. Naser is a symbol of a human who struggles to survive, but the result is exhaustion and weariness, while Narges endures the pain of existence. These psychological layers draw the narrative from the surface of events to the depth of meaning.
Teenagers Thirst for Being Seen; Not Just Education and Success
Relying on Esmaeili’s views on the characters Mojgan, Saman, and Fariba in Shahabadi’s novel, he stated: Mojgan’s hidden motive for hiding is an attempt to gauge the extent of her parents’ attention; whether her absence is felt or not. Such a choice by a teenage girl is a sign of searching for affection and a reaction to a lack of family attention. Along this path, three consecutive emotional blows wound Mojgan from within: first, her family’s delusions about her future; then, the death of Mrs. Jan, who was her emotional sanctuary; and finally, the family’s distrust after the fire incident.
This writer and instructor of fictional literature emphasized: This novel shows that today’s teenagers need to be seen more than anything else. Although families set goals for their children’s future with good intentions, they often direct their attention and energy in the wrong way. Teenagers need affection, respect, and a sense of worth more than education and success.
He noted: Although some readers have found the slow pace of the narrative boring in parts of the novel, from an educational perspective, this work can be a valuable example for writing practice and narrative analysis. The ultimate message of these two works is summarized in one word: ‘attention’. All characters are in search of being seen; Mojgan, Masoud, Zohreh, and even their parents. And this emotional need is the main axis connecting the work and the young adult audience.
Education Through Books, or Books for the Free Growth of Teenagers?
Rahbari, referring to an experience he had in one of the libraries of the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, stated: I was once invited to a gathering of book-loving teenagers to discuss one of my works. In that session, I realized that these teenagers read works with admirable precision and raised points that sometimes remained hidden from adults. This level of precision is both valuable and sensitive, as teenagers might engage in deep reflections that are difficult for them to comprehend and digest.
He added: Here, the role of reading promoters becomes important. Many promoters in libraries make a conceptual mistake by assuming they should educate teenagers through books; whereas their main mission is not education via books, but rather fostering professional and thoughtful readers. Promoters should give teenagers the opportunity to grow and experience, not anxiously try to instill educational lessons through every text.
This writer and instructor of fictional literature emphasized: The promoter’s perspective should shift from an ordinary library to a professional library. When this view is corrected, the selection and introduction of books will also be different. An informed promoter is someone who understands that not every book is necessarily an educational tool, but can be a bridge for the mental and emotional growth of teenagers.
He noted: Sometimes, even texts that at first glance seem harmless or unproblematic can create deep questions or doubts in the reader’s mind. Our duty is not to prevent such questions from arising, but rather to provide a context for dialogue and thinking.
Free Engagement with Text; From Novels to Sacred Texts
In another part of his speech, Rahbari, to explain the importance of a free and interpretive approach to text, gave an example: In one of my discussion sessions with friends, a very religious person who always emphasized praying on time, became doubtful and questioned after reading a part of the Quran. This incident showed me that even when confronting sacred texts, our perspective and point of view are decisive.
He continued: If we look at sacred texts from a ‘Borondini’ perspective, many concepts might seem incomprehensible or even contradictory, but when we view the text from within that intellectual system, its meaning and coherence become clear. I presented this example to say that confronting any text, whether a novel or a sacred text, requires understanding its context and point of view, and one should not be afraid to ask questions or engage critically.
This writer and instructor of fictional literature stated: Just as the correct perspective is the key to deep understanding in the realm of religious texts, so too in confronting literary works, teenagers must be given the opportunity to reach their personal understanding through questioning and experience. Preventing questions or imposing a specific reading not only does not help their intellectual growth but may also hinder the formation of interest and intellectual independence.
The Lost Father-Daughter Bond in the Novel ‘Hasti’
Continuing the session, Soheila Sabzevari, a psychologist and translator, referring to the importance of analyzing novels from a psychological perspective, said: One of the reasons for the appeal of the novel ‘Hasti’ to teenagers, especially girls, is the type of father-daughter relationship portrayed throughout the story. In her opinion, in many families, this emotional relationship is either absent or suffers from deep communication damage, and the author subtly displays this void.
She added: In parts of the novel, the mother plays the role of an intermediary between father and daughter, and this method of coping, though common, is sometimes ineffective. This situation in some families leads to feelings of guilt in mothers and even the onset of psychological disorders in teenagers.
This psychologist and translator, referring to Bowlby’s attachment theory, emphasized that attachment styles are formed in the first two years of life and their effect persists in human relationships until adulthood.
She attributed Hasti’s character appeal to her dual behavior and said: Her boyish behaviors, courage, and defiance of contemporary norms have transformed her into a different role model for teenage girls. She clarified that this unusual characteristic makes the new generation empathize with Hasti’s character.
According to Sabzevari, the final part of the novel, where the father caresses his daughter for the first time, symbolically represents the healing of the father-daughter relationship and a new emotional experience that many teenagers seek. She added: Many emotional relationships and even emotional failures of girls stem from this very need to receive affection and approval from their fathers.
‘When Mojy Got Lost’: Representation of Shame, Lostness, and Trauma in Adolescents
Analyzing the novel ‘When Mojy Got Lost’, she said: This work is built around the concept of ‘lostness’ in all identity and psychological dimensions of its characters. She stated: Not only Mojy, but also Narges, Naser, and Fariba are each, in a way, lost; from themselves, from their bodies, from their emotions, and from their life paths.
This psychologist and translator further referred to the issue of shame and guilt in both novels and said: The father’s shame in the novel ‘Hasti’ and Mojdeh’s shame in the novel ‘When Mojy Got Lost’ are psychological commonalities of these two works. This feeling is the root of many wrong decisions and character sufferings in teenagers.
Referring to trauma-informed therapy methods, such as ‘Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)’, she added: Many fears and anxieties of the characters in these works are reminiscent of psychological damages registered in their unconscious; damages that manifest as avoidance or anxiety in subsequent relationships.
In another part of her speech, Sabzevari addressed the issue of overprotective mothers and said: Sometimes excessive maternal support leads to a decrease in children’s sense of competence. The mother is the source of security and survival, but the father is responsible for guiding the child towards independence, and both roles are essential for the formation of a teenager’s self-esteem.
Love, Education, and Moral Boundaries in Young Adult Novels
This translator and psychologist, continuing her remarks, referred to the challenge between the educational perspective and the representation of love in young adult novels and said: Many successful novels of the last two decades in Iranian young adult literature, such as the works of Hassanzadeh and Shahabadi, contain traces of love, but this love does not step outside the moral framework of society.
Emphasizing that the subject of love is not inherently anti-educational, she added: A distinction must be made between love as a vital force and morality as a social rule. In her opinion, authors have managed to narrate love in a cultural and humanistic framework while observing this subtle boundary.
Sabzevari noted: Artworks become lasting when they invite the audience to think and dialogue, rather than merely offering moral prescriptions. According to her, today’s young adult audience is thoughtful and critical, and every successful novel must answer their questions about identity, emotion, and the meaning of life.
At the end of the session, attendees emphasized that the reception of works like ‘Hasti’ and ‘When Mojy Got Lost’ by teenagers indicates the new generation’s need for honest, issue-oriented, and experiential literature; literature that is not only entertaining but also a platform for understanding themselves and society.
