In this study I hope to begin evaluating contemporary young adult literature that focuses on the bereavement of adolescents to see if the novels portray psychologically proven productive coping methods. I hope to initiate a conversation around how complicated bereavement is depicted within young adult literature that will establish a body of research that can be expanded into a further exploration into the young adult literature market. Within my study, I will conduct a psychological literature review on young adult complicated grief and coping mechanisms. Then I will create an instrument of analysis, a rubric/model to evaluate the fidelity of novels based on the research within the literature review. Finally, I will evaluate the depiction of productive adolescent grief coping mechanisms in the recently published novel All My Rage by Saaba Tahir based upon my literary model. Finally, I will write my own short story based upon my research and findings in analyzing the model, seeking to represent methods not seen in the literature or not discussed within research.
The Man Behind the Sun is an unfinished manuscript that is 114 pages long. The goal for this thesis was to focus on writing forward through a story. Previously, this manuscript was a short story that turned into a bigger project. Mostly, the manuscript deals with the mystery of light and the light-waves our human eyes can not see. The research and writing of this hopefully will be novel is being continued even after the defense.