Young Adult Fiction Too Dark?

Young Adult Fiction Too Dark?

            This article, “Has Young Adult Fiction Become Too Dark”, by Mary Elizabeth Williams, is a response to Megan Cox Gurdon’s recent article, “Darkness Too Visible”. Williams mostly talks about how young adult fiction can and cannot be bad for teens. She mostly proves Gurdon’s claims wrong, like how she exaggerates when she talks about the content in young adult books. In addition, Williams explains how Gurdon can be misleading throughout her article. Adding on, Mary gives honest opinions about what she thinks of young adult fiction, and if teens should be reading it or not. For example, she admits, “YA section of your bookstore can be a pretty damn grim place, rife with everything from angsty vampires to sex abuse to bullying. And no, not all of it is great literature.”

            Throughout the articles, Williams gives little hints of what she wants us to think or feel. In the article, she makes Gurdon look so misleading; making us think that she is giving out false details that we shouldn’t acknowledge what she claims about young adult books. For example, Williams says, “And when she clumsily insists, ‘publishers use the vehicle of fundamental free-expression principles to try to bulldoze coarseness or misery into… children’s lives’, she fails to acknowledge the coarseness and misery already inherent in adolescence. She assumes that coarseness and misery- and profanity, and violence, and sex- are in and of themselves unsuitable subject matter, regardless of the quality of the writing. That’s where she goofs up big time.” In addition, she proves Gurdon wrong by using better and truthful facts. For example, she asked her daughter what she thought of Gurdon’s article and she said, “Does she get it that they’re not called ‘children’s’ books? They’re ‘young adult’ Adult.” In addition, Williams wants us to feel like we can trust young adult books, she explains how most young adult books can relate and help troubled teens.

            Overall, this article has changed the way I look at YA books and how I feel about them, I feel like I can relate to the books more. Adding on, I changed what I thought on this issue, I now support young adult books because they change most teen’s life and they can teach memorable lessons for us in the future. However, I would like to know more about how many teens had there life changed from a young adult book.