Will Grayson Will Craig

Improved Essays
How successful are John Green/David Levithan and Kelly Fremon Craig in utilising stylistic conventions of their text type to explore the idea of identity and belonging?
The 2010 novel ‘Will Grayson, Will Grayson’ co-written by John Green and David Levithan and 2016 film ‘The Edge of Seventeen’ directed by Kelly Freemon-Craig both use stylistic features appropriate to their texts types to reveal how identity and self-perception are shaped by relationships formed with others. In both texts, similar themes of betrayal and dysfunctional relationships are conveyed to introduce the idea of developing one’s self. These ideas are supported by the narrative of both texts which support plot structure. Green/Levithan use contextual relevance towards the
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This endorses the idea that major differences between multiple individuals assist in the realisation of distrust which leads to the questioning of one’s belonging and self-perception. This idea further influences characters to reconsider the perspective of their own personal relationships. The relationships of the protagonists for both texts are revealed to be both broken and dysfunctional. Craig reinforces this idea through a narrative voice-over, explaining how Nadine and her mother aren’t ‘exactly two peas in a pod.’ Similarly, Green/Levithan use diction to state how ‘other’ Will Grayson perceive his mother to be pathetic for attempting to care for him and that ‘it can’t be easy’ having a son like him, a ‘disappointment’. Both authors use failing relationships to influence the protagonists to undertake a journey to find …show more content…
Green/Levithan uses SMS language and layout to introduce another dimension to the text and reveal the betrayal of ‘other’ Will Grayson’s friend Maura. Through diction, the ‘other’ Will Grayson converses and develops an intimate relationship online with Issac. Whilst Craig uses a cinematic, mildly dramatised sequence of events to explore the boundaries of family and friends. Although Grayson admits to himself that he ‘is so in love’ with Issac, when Maura questions his sexuality, he finds himself arguing that he ultimately is not ‘really that gay’. The conflict ‘other’ Will Grayson has with himself regarding his sexuality endorses the idea that one must learn to accept or understand themselves before they can begin to understand others. Craig alternately uses a sequence of events to initiate betrayal. After walking on her best friend and brother in bed, Nadine and Trista have an awkward conversation. Craig uses dim lighting and melancholy non-diegetic music to suggest that the situation is unappreciated by Nadine, emphasising the mixed negative emotions felt by both characters. As a result of using different techniques such as lighting and SMS language, both authors are able to appropriately

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