Darkness Too Visible

Megan Cox Gurdon’s article Darkness Too Visible, published in the Wall Street Journal, discusses what the author considers to be the overly gruesome and inappropriate nature of young adult literature. After introducing the topic, Gurdon writes about how Y.A. lit affects teenagers emotions and spreads the likelihood “self-destructive adolescent behaviors.” She proves her point by mentioning many Y.A. books, such as Rage and Scars and how they may negatively impact teenagers.

There are many craft moves used throughout the article. It starts out with a small moment to make the reader relate to the cause and simultaneously tries to put an opinion in their head – Y.A. lit is too dark. The author addresses the counterclaim, that Y.A. lit “validate[s] the teen experience.” She immediately makes the counterclaim seem foolish by using a situation that is obviously unreasonable. Gurdon also uses many big words such as “acquiesce” and uses a sophisticated and domineering tone to make the reader agree with her point.

I disagree with the author’s claim that Y.A. lit is too harsh for teenagers. Gurdon argues that Y.A. lit books with violent and dark issues make these topics more plausible. In my opinion, Y.A. lit reflects our teenage generation, not the other way around. Changing the content of Y.A. lit wouldn’t change the behavior of teenagers. You would have to change them.

Identity

“[Irene] slowly ran her pointer finger along the stripe. It made my arms and legs goose-bump…liking the feel of that finger but afraid of what it meant…Irene kissed me again. And I hadn’t dared her to do it, but I was glad that she did.”

Have you ever questioned or tried to change your identity? In The Miseducation of Cameron Post, by Emily M. Danforth, the 7^th grade protagonist, Cameron, began questioning her sexual identity after she kissed her best friend, Irene. Cameron wasn’t sure if she was a lesbian. This is an important topic because a lot of teenagers think about their identity and try to change who they are.

           

In the book, Cameron was worried that people would find out that she kissed Irene and tried to convince herself that she wasn’t a lesbian. Cameron was afraid of other people judging her. Let alone other people’s thoughts, I think that Cameron was also afraid of what this meant for how she looked at herself. She was in complete denial. Cameron thought that she wouldn’t be a lesbian if she didn’t admit it to herself. This connects to the real world when people, especially teenagers, try to hide their true selves because they feel insecure.

I can relate to Cameron because, in the past, I have tried to change myself for other people. I was afraid that other people wouldn’t like me and that I wouldn’t even like myself. Because of this, I adjusted myself to other people’s wants. By reading this book, I realized that if I have to change myself to please people, they aren’t worth pleasing. I like myself and I’m proud of who I am. Cameron needs to be herself and not feel intimidated by judgment.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

My favorite book that I read over the summer was The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. The book starts with the male main character, whose name is never mentioned, returning to his hometown in England for a funeral. Wanting to avoid contact with his family, the main character ends up visiting the farm at the end of the lane, which he vaguely remembers from growing up. After sitting down and looking into the small pond, the main character's childhood suddenly comes back to him, and he is reminded of all the magic and evil he used to know--and hold inside of himself.

This book is filled with excitement and has so much room for a reader's imagination to take over and live inside the book. I would recommend this book to all fantasy fans and readers looking for a fun and mysterious read.