Argument Essay

             A common argument between readers, authors, and the public involves which books should be available to young readers. There is graphic material in most young adult books today, and many teens claimed in William Porter’s article they  get about “anything they can get their hands on,” meaning it does not have to be safe and ‘clean’, just anything that interests them. The only group of people who are entitled to choose what books teens can read are parents. Parents are supposed to care and make decisions that benefit their children. Choosing the right book for their child can make a difference. Parents should restrict the ability of their child to choose what books they read (Porter). Teens are influenced by media, or what is popular in the world. If there is a book out there that teens love, chances are that kid will also start reading the book. Teens have a huge curiosity. So leaving a kid unattended to do what they please to do, can lead to that kid doing or reading or watching something that they shouldn’t. Finally to conclude, teens say that they can easily connect with characters in books, but many of those characters have absurd problems that only a very small percentage of kids can relate to. Parents should restrict what their children read because their children can be benefitted from not being exposed to such material.

              Media among teens can influence them. The internet is not limited, so teens have the advantage of seeing what is popular. Popular books appear on the internet, and like many of these books, like the Hunger Games, can go viral among teens. The Hunger Games is very graphic, with violence and some sexual content. This book could have been disturbing to readers, but it was popular since the day it came out. When teens read these books they can be influenced into doing immoral things.  In Husna Haq’s article on book ratings, a study showed at Brigham University that graphic books can are more likely to influence readers into cussing than video games and movies. It is important for parents to restrict their children from these books, because if too late, their children can catch the popularity online and start reading dangerous material.

              Even if parents notice that their children are reading books that are graphic or profane,  most of the time they won’t alert their children that the material in those books are dangerous. But other times parents will lazily tell their children that they shouldn’t read those books. And as a result the child, driven by a curiosity, will still read that book. Internet is a loophole around such mild censorship. Teens are smart enough to search the book online and download it on their computer. Or just by walking back home from school, they could easily go to the nearest book store or library and get the book. But graphic material isn’t that unknown presently. “Given what teens are exposed to these days, from war on TV, and pornography on the web…” (Porter).  Teens are exposed to a lot of graphic material and parents don’t mind their children being endangered to it. Growing up provides new things to bounce at a teen, including graphic material. To censor it, parents could easily ‘ban’ a book from the family after deciding if it is too graphic.

              Books can connect with a reader’s real-life problems. Young adult books can “normalize” reader’s real-life problems. But, that graphic material can only be pushed to some extent. Profanity can still influence kids to do immoral things. And not all teen readers are subjected to sexual abuse and self-mutilation in their lives. Meghan Cox Gurdon, in her article explained that even if teen problems can be “normalized” when compared to young adult books, the fact is that the graphic material that a teen reads can be spread to people who either don’t understand it or who can be heavily influenced by it. In author Sherman Alexie’s article, he adds that young adult book s don’t “traumatize” people who have faced problems similar to those in YA books. But, what about all those teens who haven’t those problems before? Those teens who were just trying just to read a book, and end up with a book with violence, rape, and sexual content. Those teens will be traumatized, your move Mr. Alexie.

              In conclusion, a teen’s choice of books should be given to a parent. A parent will understand what their child/children should be exposed to. Parents should be able decide a book choice suitable for their child. They are the ones who should care for their child’s wellbeing.