The interplay of physical and internal migration experiences in contemporary Lithuanian and British young adult literature: identity transformations

Abstract

This article explores the interplay between physical and internal migration in four contemporary Lithuanian and British young adult novels. The analysis is grounded on Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann’s (1966) theory of the social construction of reality, Erik H. Erikson’s (1968) model of psychosocial development, and Homi K. Bhabha’s (1994) concept of hybrid identity. The paper examines how adolescent characters experience migration not only as a geographical relocation, but also as an emotional and psychological transformation shaped by loss, social disconnection, and identity shifts. The selected texts, “Kengūrų slėnio paslaptis” (2014) by Akvilina Cicėnaitė, “Rebekos salos” (2014) by Renata Šerelytė, “All the Invisible Things” (2019) by Orlagh Collins, and “Goodnight, Boy” (2017) by Nikki Sheehan, reveal diverse patterns of belonging, trauma, and self-perception. Through symbolic spaces, disrupted family relations, and narrative self-expression, the protagonists negotiate hybrid identities in response to their cultural and emotional displacement. While the findings are limited to these specific texts, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of how young adult literature reflects the complex relationship between migration and identity formation.