The perks of fan fiction : identity, community, writing and the perks of being a wallflower.

Abstract

This thesis examines the processes by which writing and reading fan fiction online can help young adults learn about their own identities, how to socialize with others, and how to write. The popular website FanFiction.Net is described as a Discourse which facilitates this learning by providing distributed mentoring and opportunities for role rehearsal. Fan fiction based on Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower serves as a case study.