This study involves a discussion of the term alienation and its relevancy to adolescents, a survey of the philosophies of state departments of education, an examination of state-adopted hardback and paperback textbooks, and a look at the individual literature courses offered as electives or as parts of standard curricula in private and public secondary schools. Chief sources for the research are books by psychologists discussing the alienation of youth, correspondence from state departments of education and authorities in the fields of English and education, curriculum guides, state-adopted textbooks, and articles in professional journals and bulletins. Research reveals that psychologists and educators recognize the causes of alienation and the importance of literature in dealing with adolescents' search for values. Bibliotherapy, while not a panacea, is a method by which instructors may help students to find themselves and acquaint themselves with the great works of literature at the same time. Teachers who discuss alienation with their students via literature achieve one of education's most worthwhile goals--that of communicating with individuals grasping for insight into the world about them and the world within themselves. (Author/RB)