“I don’t approve of you dating in your condition” : Constraint and Confusion in Jason Reitman's Juno and Non Pratt's Trouble

Abstract: Since the popular indie-film Juno came out in 2007, it has received massive attention including both praise and harsh critique. Some have celebrated the protagonist Juno’s strong personality and her initial sexual liberty, but the majority have questioned what they see as the film’s anti-abortion message. In contrast, the more recent work Trouble, a young adult (YA) fiction novel from 2014 by Non Pratt, has received very little attention from scholars despite treating the same sensitive subject of teenage pregnancy. Therefore, this essay involves a comparative analysis of the two texts, which examines how the protagonists experience their pregnancies by looking at aspects such as the pregnant body, sexuality, maturation, identity and existential questions. The essay also takes into consideration some of the critique that previously has been voiced regarding the messages that Juno and other YA fiction send. The aim is to contribute to the same discussion by analyzing the film from a slightly different angle and by introducing an analysis of Trouble. In accordance with previous research, the essay concludes that these two works reveal traditional values and perspectives on teenage pregnancy that limit the protagonists’ sexual agency and leave them feeling isolated and confused.