Boys and girls searching for identity. Novels and graphic novels for a new intercultural bildungsroman

Abstract

The present paper aims to investigate the issue of interculturality and migrations in contemporary literature addressed to teenagers and young adults, with a specific focus on those modern bildungsromans that pay attention to single individuals and to the development of their identity between two countries. Literature is a relevant educational tool as – through the fascination provided by stories – it creates inclusion, identification, and knowledge. Moreover, it offers to young readers new meaningful life-experiences. The paper explores how literature for children represents the complexity of identities on the border in two different literary formats. The study focuses on novels, graphic novels, and their portrayal of evolving identities, considering books where the young protagonists are usually on the line between two cultures and looking for themselves. The paper develops a brief analysis of some of the most significant works on contemporary Italian publishing industry, highlighting the literary potential from an inclusive perspective.