RISK AND RESILIENCE: ADOLESCENT POVERTY AND AGENCIES OF CHANGE IN SWATI SENGUPTA’S 'HALF THE FIELD IS MINE' (Pages 73-80) by Mrs. Shobana. S * and Dr. Shobha Ramaswamy** in THE ENGLISH RESEARCH EXPRESS / ISSN:2321-1164 (Online); 2347-2642 (Print)

Young Adult novels in India depict the lives of adolescents from diverse backgrounds. The current paper studies the impact of generational poverty on the various aspects of development of an adolescent protagonist as depicted by the YA novelist Swati Sengupta in her novel Half the Field is Mine. It also analyses the author’s depictions of economical disadvantage in the life of the adolescent, coupled with the inherent deficits of environmental, social, emotional and educational aspects caused by chronic poverty. The paper also shows the positive agencies of change which moderate the negative effects and lead to a possible uplift from the disadvantaged condition.oung Adult novels in India depict the lives of adolescents from diverse backgrounds. The current paper studies the impact of generational poverty on the various aspects of development of an adolescent protagonist as depicted by the YA novelist Swati Sengupta in her novel Half the Field is Mine. It also analyses the author’s depictions of economical disadvantage in the life of the adolescent, coupled with the inherent deficits of environmental, social, emotional and educational aspects caused by chronic poverty. The paper also shows the positive agencies of change which moderate the negative effects and lead to a possible uplift from the disadvantaged condition.Key Words: Adolescent, poverty, risk, resilience, agencies of change.