Craig Silvey, the author of Jasper Jones, positions us to view the life of Charlie Buckton a young boy, growing up in the devastating decade of the 1960s. Living in the small town of Corrigan, Charlie must experience the confronting issues of injustice, racial prejudice, and the ongoing love for Eliza Wishart. In viewing from Eliza Wishart, the sister of Laura Wishart who had been killed, the novel also follows the portrayal of silent bystanders and the value of gender equality that is promoted throughout. Eliza's inspiring persona can be easily relatable through the journey that drives her to speak out about the truth, empowering her even more than ever, as well as what disempowers her.  In Jasper Jones, Eliza faces frustration since she couldn't bring her father to justice for abusing and raping her sister. Through the journey she takes, the readers can soon understand that every situation that brings her down, only makes her braver and empowers her to change the way of speaking up within the town of Corrigan.

This article is designed to recognise the concept of teen voice, which is used by several of the characters in "Jasper Jones" to express their viewpoint. Empowerment is a major theme in this novel because it is present throughout the story and is employed extensively in each setting. Many teenagers of this generation are hesitant to speak up and don't use their voices to express themselves. When comparing our generation to that of the novel's setting in the 1960s, teens have become increasingly reliant on technology and social media, where they are influenced to be more like others rather than themselves. The difference between these generations of teenagers and the teen characters in Corrigan is that they had the ability to speak up and did not have access to technology to distract them from their problems.

During the novel, both Charlie Buckton and Jasper Jones uncover the death of Laura Wishart and the readers can follow the mystery of what truly happened to her. It isn’t till the events leading up to the end that the two boys soon realise Eliza knew the whole thing and it was far from what Jasper and Charlie had coming for themselves. The importance of gender equality is emphasised throughout Jasper Jones by focusing on the disempowerment of several female characters. Laura Wishart, abused by her father, shunned by her mother, and completely alone in her hour of need, is maybe the saddest. While it's easy to point the finger at Mrs Wishart, we can view her as a lady who has been fully dominated by her abusive husband, to the point where Jasper calls her "the craziest woman I've ever seen." Housewives are generally viewed as dissatisfied and one-dimensional, with little authority in the community and over their own lives other from "gossiping like murderous spies."

Eliza Wishart represents the future as it is understood to modern viewers, as she exemplifies independence, choice, and self-empowerment. Eliza's journey from disempowerment to empowerment culminates in her finally disclosing the truth and trusting Charlie with what she knows. She is disempowered by the trauma and secret she carries, and it is only after the secret is revealed that she can eventually recover and let go of her guilt. Eliza burns down her house with her father inside as the truth is revealed. She does it to exact vengeance and seek justice for the anguish her father inflicted on her and her sister Laura.

The text and quotes examined in this article not only justify the topic of teen voice, but also demonstrate the empowerment and disempowerment that all characters, particularly female characters, experience. Many teenagers, including me, are inspired by Eliza's amazing persona to speak up and use our voices. Eliza had to remain strong throughout the story, and the awful circumstances she had to endure tested her in a variety of ways. Readers like me may discover and follow along with each character's journey and the emotions they experienced along the way. Finally, the novel demonstrates the importance of women's empowerment for a functioning, just, and honest society.