Self-Esteem: The Power of Positive Thinking of Youth Characters In Waen Kaew Awarded Literatures

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to study the power of positive thinking and self-esteem of young characters in Waen Kaew awarded literatures. The theoretical concepts relating to positive thinking and self-esteem were studied. The data was collected from the contents of four Wankaew Award-winning youth novels using skimming, scanning, and detailed reading methods. The data obtained was then analyzed through classification, interpretation, and synthesis. According to the results, it can be concluded that youth characters in these literatures represent the power of positive thinking and self-esteem in 4 areas: 1) confidence and optimism leading to perceived self-efficacy, 2) belief and faith leading to perceived self-worth, 3)courage and determination that leads to the perceived self-authority, and 4) moral adherence leading to perceived self-goodness. Overall, Wankaew Award-winning youth novels present the evolution of the characters’ thinking, as a strategy for guiding the youth to “find themselves” for “self-discovery”. This is due to the fact that young people’s positive thinking is shaped by their self-discovery,self-understanding, and self-esteem, all of which are influenced by their social, educational, and familial environments. The purpose of this is to enable the young people to have a realistic view of situations, overcome hurdles, and become successful, content adults. This will allow the young people to see things realistically, overcome hurdles, and grow up to be successful, happy adults.