Silence to Self-Identity: Psychological Traits of Cath Avery Hinders Identity Development in Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl

Abstract

The research paper aims to analyse Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl, with a focus on one of the significant issues in young adults today. It analyses Cath Avery’s psychological development and growth as an individual. Young Adult Literature serves as a significant genre in literature as it represents the crucial age in a person’s life where development of an individual takes a significant shift. Rainbow Rowell is an American writer known for dealing with the issues of young adults in her novels. This research paper investigates how anxiety issue and introvert nature lead the character to live in an imaginary fiction world as a means of escapism from encountering the psychological fear. Fan fiction writing serves as a coping mechanism which reflects the reality of many young adults who retreat themselves either into food, books, media or technology. The paper employs qualitative analysis of close reading of the primary text and inclusion of theoretical concepts, such as attachment theory and Mowrer’s two factor theory. Attachment theory examines how the absence of one parent affects the emotional characteristic of the protagonist. Mowrer’s two factor theory analyses the underlying factors behind the psychological problems of Cath Avery. Series of confrontations with people and situations mold Cath to come out of solitude and exhibit her talent as writer that eventually leads to individuality.