Chapter 8

We have not considered television in this section, but it is a rich source for the debates examined here. We suggest consideration of current and classic ‘youth’ television in two ways:

  • Examine shows that are aimed at the young but which are broadly ‘realist’ in approach, such as My So-Called Life(1994–5) which exam­ines family tensions surrounding the teen dramas of Angela Chase, who in one episode said, ‘Lately I can’t even look at my mother without wanting to stab her repeatedly’. Explore its portrayals of youth ‘types’ and its self-conscious issue-led scripts that are domin­ated by a classic Hollywood need for resolution. Equally interesting are detailed ideological readings of classic shows such as The Wonder Years, Dawson’s Creekor Saved By the Bell in contrast with more recent series like One Tree Hill orGlee.
  • Examine youth-orientated televi­sion such as MTV in terms of its style, modes of address and value systems. Music video itself is an interesting area to consider as another source of the ‘language’ of youth. Analyse a popular video and discuss it in relation to the broad themes set out in this chapter. Consideration might be given to how it portrays rebelliousness and conformity, or how it articulates gender roles amongst the young or relations with institutions of power.
  • ‘Sincerity opposes duplicity and honesty opposes hypocrisy in American youth cultural texts.’ Discuss this comment and say to what extent it is a helpful way of interpreting the texts you have studied.
  • How do any of the cultural texts you have studied demonstrate the confrontation between youth and social institutions, such as the family or education, and what are the consequences of the contest?
  • Examine Thirteenin the light of Alissa Quart’s comments referred to in this chapter and say to what extent you agree or disagree with her views.
  • How does Donnie Darkoconform to and challenge the parameters of the youth film?
  • How does the film Juno (2007) address the theme of family, pregnancy and growing up in innovative ways?
  • ‘Vampires, Nina Auerbach argues, change according to their time: “[E]ach feeds on his age distinctively because he embodies that age”. The vampire reflects national moods and, hence, tells us who we are’ (T. Goddu, Review Essay, ‘Vampire Gothic’, American Literary History, alh.oxfordjournals.org).How and why mightEITHER TwilightORBuffy the Vampire Slayerrelate to Goddu’s assessment?