A1 Journal article (refereed)
”Ystävät on hetkellisiä, mutta levelit ikuisia” : pelaamisen representoituminen ja merkityksellistäminen Aleksi Delikouraksen Nörtti-kirjasarjassa ja Annukka Salaman romaanissa Ripley: Nopea yhteys (2023)
“Friends are temporary, but levels are forever” : meanings and representations of gaming in Aleksi Delikouras’ Nörtti book series and Annukka Salama’s YA novel Ripley: Nopea yhteys

Marttinen, H. (2023). ”Ystävät on hetkellisiä, mutta levelit ikuisia” : pelaamisen representoituminen ja merkityksellistäminen Aleksi Delikouraksen Nörtti-kirjasarjassa ja Annukka Salaman romaanissa Ripley: Nopea yhteys. Nuorisotutkimus, 41(3), 29-43. https://doi.org/10.57049/nuorisotutkimus.9138188(external link)

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Marttinen, Heta

Journal or series: Nuorisotutkimus

ISSN: 0780-0886

eISSN: 2814-9467

Publication year: 2023

Publication date: 26/10/2023

Volume: 41

Issue number: 3

Pages range: 29-43

Publisher: Nuorisotutkimusseura

Publication country: Finland

Publication language: Finnish

DOI: https://doi.org/10.57049/nuorisotutkimus.9138188(external link)

Persistent website address: https://journal.fi/nuorisotutkimus/article/view/138188(external link)

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Delayed open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/92574(external link)

Additional information: Artikkeli avautuu journal.fi-palvelussa vuoden kuluttua julkaisemisesta.

Abstract

The article examines representations of gaming and game culture in Finnish young adult literature published in the 2010s and 2020s. The main corpus consists of selected parts of the Nörtti book series (“The Nerd”; 2012–2017) by Aleksi Delikouras, and Ripley: nopea yhteys (“Ripley: a fast connection”; 2022), a young adult novel by Annukka Salama. Through contextual and thematic close reading, the article aims to answer the following questions: 1) How are gamer and nerd identities defined in the novels? 2) What meanings and functions are associated with video games and gaming? 3) What opportunities does gaming offer to the characters in the novels? Additionally, the article analyzes representations of gaming and game worlds from the point of view of narrative theory. The novels portray gaming with varying degrees of significance, ranging from a meaningful and rewarding hobby to a goal-oriented and competitive activity. However, a common aspect among these novels is the emphasis on gaming and game culture as an integral part of the teenage characters’ identity. Although both Delikouras’ and Salama’s novels reproduce stereotypes associated with game and nerd culture, they also aim to update and diversify the image of a (stereo)typical gamer and/or nerd character. Moreover, the analysis shows that representations of game worlds play a crucial role in the narratives. These representations are significant not only at the level of the story, as they carry the plot forward but, more importantly, because they create story worlds that are familiar and therefore relatable to young readers, as they are representations of real-world phenomena.

Keywords: juvenile literaturedigital culture; ; game culture; representation (mental objects)

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Related projects

Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2023

Preliminary JUFO rating: 1