Adolescents aren’t known to listen to everything adults tell them to do. We do what we want, say what we want, and read what we want. With so many of us on social media and constantly using the internet, it’s hard to shelter us from the world outside of our homes. Books specifically may be darker from when my parents were my age, but it’s what society has grown to be like today. We are not as conservative and are more open to discussing topics such as suicide, cutting, bullying, and rape. We talk about it in school, read about it in books, and may even know people who have been through some of these tragedies. I disagree with an excess amount of what Meghan Cox Gurdon is saying but I do agree with some of her points. I agree with Gurdon that
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Children and teens are naturally curious about violence. Age restrictions on sources of these topics will only hinder them from getting the much anticipated answers to their questions. There shouldn’t be a problem with anyone wanting to read a book that involves someone being injured or dying. “As long as they realize that the book is only fiction, then there is no harm in allowing them to explore their imagination” (Rachel Keefner). No violence is deleterious to a person’s thoughts. They chose to read that book and they’re not in search of instructions on how to commit the perfect crime… However, I do agree with Gurdon that younger children (in elementary or early middle school) shouldn’t be reading books like The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins or 1984 by George Orwell. I do agree that younger children-who are not as mature or understanding-should be kept away from or monitored while reading books that encourage bad behavior and violence. Books shouldn’t have any actual restrictions to keep a child from reading about a certain genre. It should be based off of maturity instead. Similar to how some teens in high school are ready to take upper level classes (like AP or honors), while others do not feel prepared or “smart enough.” Some kids may be ready to read books that involve crime scenes and death while others aren 't. Kids who are prepared act more calm and mature during these
Children and teens are naturally curious about violence. Age restrictions on sources of these topics will only hinder them from getting the much anticipated answers to their questions. There shouldn’t be a problem with anyone wanting to read a book that involves someone being injured or dying. “As long as they realize that the book is only fiction, then there is no harm in allowing them to explore their imagination” (Rachel Keefner). No violence is deleterious to a person’s thoughts. They chose to read that book and they’re not in search of instructions on how to commit the perfect crime… However, I do agree with Gurdon that younger children (in elementary or early middle school) shouldn’t be reading books like The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins or 1984 by George Orwell. I do agree that younger children-who are not as mature or understanding-should be kept away from or monitored while reading books that encourage bad behavior and violence. Books shouldn’t have any actual restrictions to keep a child from reading about a certain genre. It should be based off of maturity instead. Similar to how some teens in high school are ready to take upper level classes (like AP or honors), while others do not feel prepared or “smart enough.” Some kids may be ready to read books that involve crime scenes and death while others aren 't. Kids who are prepared act more calm and mature during these