Crossing Borders

This submission for consideration is comprised of an original Young Adult novel entitled Crossing Borders. The project encompassed research into both Balinese culture and the depiction of attitudes of young adult males in contemporary Young Adult fiction. The male protagonist in my novel is not a “splendid, clear-thinking young” (man.) (Salinger 1958. p. 2) He is a ‘lost’ and depressed Western adolescent ‘in crisis’ and ‘at risk’ of self-harm. The writer utilised alchemical philosophy to create a completed novel based on lived experience. Crossing Borders employs Magical Realism to draw the reader from the reality of the visible external world into the dream-like psyche of Marcas Oswald, a young man with schizophrenia. Crossing Borders blends Balinese and Australian cultures to create a new ‘seeing place’ for Marcas and the reader. The plot-line crosses backwards and forwards between Marcas’s childhood memories and his current life on the Island of the Gods providing contrasts between climate, landscape and the customs of modern day people in popular culture, with the gods, goddesses, demons and witches of ancient mythological worlds. Bali, the Island of the Gods, was chosen because the Balinese believe life is a continuous cycle of birth, death and re-birth. Marcas Oswald, therefore, crosses geographical and psychological borders until he is ready to be re-born into a ‘positive state of completeness’ and ‘cosmic consciousness’. Crossing Borders was created to provide a voice for young adult males ‘in crisis’ and ‘at risk’ of self-harm. It supports a strong belief in the re-creative force of art because art is the “greatest defence and protection against solitude, loneliness and isolation from our fellows.” (Aldama 2003. p. 109) The theme of Crossing Borders is that an appreciation of the arts for youth is vital because the writer believes the making of art is healing and a life-enhancing form of occupational therapy.A thesis comprising of [Part 1] Title page; [Part 2] Exegensis; [Part 3] Title page and chapters for novel; and [Part 4] Novel: ‘Crossing Borders’.Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Creative Arts (Creative Writing), University of the Sunshine Coast, 2008