Date of Award
2017
Document Type
Thesis - ECU Access Only
Publisher
Edith Cowan University
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts Honours
School
School of Arts and Humanities
First Supervisor
Dr Susan Ash
Abstract
This thesis consists of the creative component Unstable Ground, which blends equine fiction with Young Adult literature, and an explanatory exegesis. The creative component allowed me to examine how equine fiction can incorporate themes and conventions from the wider Young Adult genre. The explanatory exegesis discusses the equine and Young Adult genres, and how characterisation and narrative point-of-view were utilised to advance the protagonist’s moratorium, period of exploration. The aim of this thesis was to create a story that does not follow the formulas of pony books, but retains the horse as the driver of the story. The horse contributes to the protagonist’s moratorium, which is often present in Young Adult fiction, with a focus on occupation, physical identity, and social identity. Unstable Ground follows the adolescent protagonist, Alix, through moratorium as she manages her injured horse and exams in the final weeks of secondary education.
Access Note
Access to this thesis is restricted to the exegesis
Recommended Citation
Johnstone, A. (2017). Unstable Ground: A novella - and - Riding Through Moratorium: Marcia’s Theory of Identity Formation and Young Adult Equine Literature: An exegesis. Edith Cowan University. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses_hons/1505