Reader response theory is an idea that states that meaning within a narrative is not derived solely on the writings and wishes of the creator and that meaning is primary derived from the readers’ own interpretation and take on it. This theory can be applied to any text and for the purposes of this write-up we shall examine C.D. Payne’s “Youth In Revolt.” This novel has a rather large cult following and that is mainly attributable to the intensely crude variety of situational humor, sexuality, and morally questionable decisions. At the surface it is taken as a hilarious book widely appreciated for its toilet humor. However, that is only one established reading of the book and there lies a certain depth and sophistication to it; so much so that I personally first read this novel in an academic setting in a community college critical thinking English class.
Beyond the crude surface of the language lie numerous subtexts and insipient stories within the work. A very basic reading would be that the nerdy and misguided protagonist, Nick Twisp, a naïve adolescent that believes he can learn and do anything from reading a book on it, vies for the affections and body of Sheeny Saunders through a string of over-the-top situations to weave a tale of dirty jokes and moral ambiguity. However, different readers pick up on the different subtexts to weave their primary understanding of the novel. An alternate reading may place not an emphasis on the blue material but rather on the subpar parenthood and lack of responsible adults throughout the book. Every parent, middle-aged citizen, older sibling, etc. within the book all set grossly irresponsible examples and standards for the teenagers to follow. They’re also naïve and blind to the goings-on of their children which may stand to be holding the mirror to the current state of American families; the cluelessness, the apathy, the detachment between parent (or guardian) and child. Another reader may interpret that the primary meaning behind the story is one closely associated to ideals of adventure and freedom that resemble novels such as Jack Kerouac’s “On The Road.” The main protagonist in that novel, Sal Paradise and Nick Twisp both chase after ideal personas that they wish to follow or achieve –Dean Moriaty for Sal, Sheeny Saunders for Nick. They follow these ideal personas and on their wild adventures they meet many people, get in misadventures, chase and hunger a freedom and experience, and all the while attempting to stave off forces such as loneliness or consequence. Another reading could closely follow the collapse of the moral fiber of America and that the novel is a parody on our moral degradation of our adults, how it trickles down to the children, and how the irresponsible use of deception, drugs, sex, theft, etc. has horrid consequences and that in our reality they’re manifested in different forms. The burning of Berkeley within the novel could be seen as the ultimate decaying and compromise of our values through the very real consequences of the “Youth In Revolt” adolescent behavior that can be teen pregnancy, drug addiction, jailed parents, neglected children, etc. The point is that the amount of readings for even the simplest text varies and interpretations become vast because the filter within the mind of each reader is bound to vary considerably; reader response theory is in recognition of this.
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