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In Cinder, there is another angle of identity, in which the main character Cinder (who is not human) is looked down upon by her adoptive family and has to change who she truly is.

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Another theme of identity is also demonstrated in Uglies, where the protagonist, Tally, wishes to rebel against conforming to society's standard of beauty (in this instance, getting cosmetic surgery with the rest of the population when they turn 16).

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In The Hunger Games series, Katniss struggles with being her true self versus what those around her want her to be. Society forces her to show a version of herself that is not how she wants to be seen deep down.

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In Stargirl and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, for example, the main characters don't hide their true selves but are still craving the acceptance of others around them.

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The idea of identity in young adult literature can vary from culture to culture, depending on how this stage of life is viewed. In some cultures, being a "teenager" does not exist- a person is either an adult or they are a child. It is important that young adults are exposed to various identity-based stories to experience the differences in how someone determines their self-identity. Can certain lessons and tales passed down through family impact their choices? Can they be influenced by the way they were raised and possibly change their thoughts on things they grew up believing to be true?

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In American young adult literature, this is a common theme because this is the most critical period of life for adolescents in which they discover exactly who they want to be. Teens are questioning their sense of self and through reading young adult stories with this theme, can relate to and be aware that their concerns are shared. Reading can be an enjoyable outlet that not only lets them escape to another world but influence their direction in life.

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Socially, identity in young adults is a common topic. Identity dictates the way one decides to view others, communicate with others, and form an idea of their purpose in life. It dictates a group they may belong to, whether it is a group of common interests or beliefs (ex religion). Sometimes, straying from a common societal group or view can make a young person feel like an outcast, or that they do not belong.

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Identity is also based on ethics. This is often evident in several stories: The Hunger Games first comes to mind for me- Katniss absolutely loathes the way her country is run and the games, especially. It is against her personal morals but she still must present a false identity for her and her family's well-being. Identity determines how a person makes a decision, and how they apply their beliefs for those decisions. It also is a foundation of ideal behaviors they believe to be acceptable. In literature, this theme is a close partner to morality and doing what is right, because your beliefs are supported by your identity.

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What are these authors trying to represent about this theme through their work?

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What are these authors trying to represent about this theme through their work?

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"Who am I?" is often the main question in stories and movies that focus on identity. Readers are taken on a journey along with the protagonist, who is trying to figure out who they are and what they represent. Each of these books I chose focuses on identity, but it can be broken down into several different forms of identity. Though the theme of identity can vary from story to story, it is a topic that anyone can relate to and that is why it is so important that there is a variety of different books that cover this theme from several perspectives. Each author who uses this theme wants to intrigue their readers while uniting them with common emotions they have all felt.

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This promotional art for Hunger Games: Catching Fire represents Katniss's search for her true identity and what path she wishes to follow.

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An example of text-to-toy for Hunger Games: Mockingjay. Toys are a very common example of the physical translations from a text in American culture.

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Note: 3/5 of these books (POBAW, Hunger Games, and Stargirl) became movies and the other two (Uglies and Cinder) are currently in development to go from page to screen!