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The Architecture of Belonging: Abandonment, New Family Structures, and Home in Sarah Dessen's Lock and Key.

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Title: The Architecture of Belonging: Abandonment, New Family Structures, and Home in Sarah Dessen's Lock and Key.
Authors: Krishnakumar, M.1 prof.mkrishna@gmail.com
Source: Contemporaneity of English Language & Literature in the Robotized Millennium. Dec2025, Vol. 4 Issue 4, p4-6. 3p.
Subject Terms: *Family structure, *Child abuse, Social belonging, Dwellings, Fiction, Transition to adulthood, Young adult fiction, Novelists
People: Dessen, Sarah, 1970-
Abstract: This article investigates Sarah Dessen's 2008 novel, Lock and Key, examining how the central trauma of parental abandonment compels the protagonist, Ruby, to navigate new, estranged family structures and ultimately redefine her concept of "home." While consistent with Dessen's thematic focus on adolescent identity and family issues (Soria 56), this novel distinctively uses the abrupt displacement of the protagonist as the narrative engine. Drawing on the ability of Young Adult (YA) fiction to address serious topics in an accessible manner (Jewkes 49), the analysis demonstrates how Lock and Key tracks Ruby's journey from a state of profound alienation and low self-esteem to securing a new sense of belonging and stability. The novel's success lies in its use of a contemporary narrative to offer a cathartic experience, modeling the complex process of finding security after a fundamental familial crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Education Research Complete
Description
Abstract:This article investigates Sarah Dessen's 2008 novel, Lock and Key, examining how the central trauma of parental abandonment compels the protagonist, Ruby, to navigate new, estranged family structures and ultimately redefine her concept of "home." While consistent with Dessen's thematic focus on adolescent identity and family issues (Soria 56), this novel distinctively uses the abrupt displacement of the protagonist as the narrative engine. Drawing on the ability of Young Adult (YA) fiction to address serious topics in an accessible manner (Jewkes 49), the analysis demonstrates how Lock and Key tracks Ruby's journey from a state of profound alienation and low self-esteem to securing a new sense of belonging and stability. The novel's success lies in its use of a contemporary narrative to offer a cathartic experience, modeling the complex process of finding security after a fundamental familial crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:25837370
DOI:10.46632/cellrm/4/4/2