58 pages • 1-hour read
The Leaving
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Background
Social Context: Society’s Fascination with Memory in Science and Literature
Memory may be one of the least understood of the brain’s neurological functions, and as a result, garners much attention in science and medicine. For example, as mentioned in “,” researchers have found that a surprising number of long-term “memories” are actually fabricated, at least partially; the human brain tends to “fill in the blanks” of a distant memory, building a recollection that feels complete but is not entirely trustworthy (LaRosa, Sarah Spivack. “Cedars-Sinai Experts Discuss the Mysteries of Memory.” Cedars-Sinai, 11 Sep. 2024). Conditions related to memory are the subjects of countless volumes of research; forgetfulness, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease have significant effects on patients and their families. Additionally, scientific and medical communities strive to assist those who experience post-traumatic stress disorder, trauma memory, and amnesia.
The continuing importance of this topic is often explored in fiction, where memory serves as a characterization method or a plot conflict. For example, in Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Buried Giant and Debra Dean’s The Madonnas of Leningrad, memory loss is a significant obstacle for protagonists. Memory is a popular nonfiction topic, inspiring works like Joshua Foer’s Moonwalking with Einstein and Mira Bartok’s The Memory Palace.
Memory is closely related to identity, as people learn and grow from the standpoint of their remembered experiences, incorporating them into their senses of self. The overarching conflicts in The Leaving concern the loss of memories and how one’s identity is impacted by the inability to recall formative years. Other young adult novels that deal with memory and identity include Suzanne Young’s The Program and Gae Polisner’s The Memory of Things.
Genre Context: The Leaving as a Blended Genre Work
Many young adult and middle grade novels are labeled as mystery or science fiction because their plot elements fall clearly within the conventions of that genre. Some works of fiction may then include a subplot of another genre, such as a romantic subplot within a science fiction novel. In a blended genre work, however, elements of two or more genres are woven tightly together as components of the main plot. The author balances each genre in terms of importance; to extract the elements of any one genre in a blended work would have strong consequences on the overall narrative. Additionally, each genre’s elements contribute effectively to the overall complexity and overarching themes of the work. Also known as hybrid or cross-genre fiction, blended genre works offer opportunities for engagement on several levels as genre conventions and tropes complicate both the meaning and plot of the work.
The main genres blended in The Leaving are mystery, thriller, and romance. For example, in the rising action of this novel, protagonists Lucas and Scarlett must follow clues to discover the details of their abduction, following a classic mystery genre structure. However, the novel also introduces the tension of a ticking clock, as they must discover the truth before their faulty recollections are further compromised by constructed memories, which brings in elements of the thriller genre. While this is all going on, Lucas and Scarlett are also attempting to recall and revive the love they experienced in the past, building in elements of the romance genre. Other young adult novels that are considered blended genre works include Jennifer Latham’s historical mystery Dreamland Burning; Joseph Bruchac’s Killer of Enemies, a blend of science fiction, steampunk, and dystopia; and the dystopian romance Matched by Ally Condie.
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