Gracie+Annoreno

21 PROMS: Every Prom Date Has a Story A Young Adult Literature Page The start of teenage romance novels/short stories occurred between the years of 1942 to 1982. This sub-genre has been continually developing throughout the years and is constantly adding new approaches to broaden the sub-genre. The favored audience for teen romance novels is young adult females who are curious about specific situations and of their future. The male audience is starting to read more romance novels, but they are not as heavily influenced as the female audience. Many young adults have developed a love for the uprising sub-genre of teen romance. Teen romance novels and short stories balance several different themes that young adults desire to read. Prom is one of the most single talked about events that occur during a teen's high school experience. Whether the experience ends tragically or romantically, everybody has their own story. Short stories are a popular genre because it allows many different voices to be heard within one particular book. Focused on a specific theme, readers will be able to understand the different struggles, heartbreaks, and strategies each character faces within their story. The most reoccurring “object of struggle within teenage romance novels, are the gender relations” (Christian-Smith 372). //21 Proms// falls into the teen romance category, focusing on the Prom theme. All of the stories are contemporary romantic fiction, which “is set at the time in which it is published” (Peterson). Another reason why short stories are popular is because of the fast pace reading that keeps the reader intrigued. The reason for the fast pace reading is because short stories are based off an organized plot. Many films have been produced from short stories because it is easier to interpret and break down.

Furthermore, short stories are commonly known for conflicts to arise with their main character. The main characters have full control over the situation they have encountered and usually determine their own ending. In //21 Proms//,some of the authors created their stories as what they imagined their Prom to be. Others reenacted their proms through their writing and added different elements to their work to make it original. Every romance story should be “presented as if it were entirely unique and happening for the first time ever” (377) This collection of short stories definitely portrays unique first time prom experiences that each character faces. Although the “crucial areas of teenage girls’ lives” are focused around guys, //21 Proms// allows diversity within the different gender issues and sexuality (368).



//21 Proms// is a collection of 21 stories, written by 21 different authors, that focus around the theme prom. The stories within this book all relate to the teen romance sub-genre.

1. "Better Be Good to Me" by Daniel Eherenhaft 2. "Lost Sometimes" by David Levithan 3. "The Backup Date" by Leslie Margolis 4. "Three Fates" by Amiee Friedman 5. "A Six pack of Bud, a Fifth of Whiskey, and Me" by Melissa de la Cruz

__**Related Links:**__ __[|Prom in Literature]__ __[|Article-- Pretty in Pink's Prom Scene]__

__[|10 Things I Hate About You]__ [|Pretty In Pink] [|Never Been Kissed] [|Prom Night]
 * __Links to Films: Teenage Romance -- Prom__**

Christian-Smith, Linda K. “Gender, Popular Culture, and Curriculum: Adolescent Romance Novels as Gender Text” //Curriculum Inquiry// 17.4 (1987): 365-406. 5 Dec. 2011. Peterson, Lanie. "What Are the Different Types of Romantic Fiction?" //WiseGEEK: Clear// //Answers for Common Questions//. Web. 6 Dec. 2011.
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