Non-Fiction Critical Analysis

 "Has young adult fiction become too dark?" by Mary Elizabeth Williams

In “Has young adult fiction become too dark” by Mary Elizabeth Williams is trying to convey the message that YA literature has too much sex and violence, and that kids need to be protected from this. With all the advanced content, it is causing the young readers to grow up too fast, and making them speed through life. For example, the books “Go Ask Alice” and “I Am the Cheese” are “unfavorably contrast bestselling author (and darling of the ALA’s challenged book list) Lauren Myracle, and her themes of homophobia, booze and crystal meth to the glory era of Judy Blume." Those books are examples of of what types of content children should be shield from. In addition Williams also, makes a connection with her as a parent and how hard it is to find a book for both her teenage kids. “YA section of your local bookstore can be pretty damn grim place, rife with everything from angst vampires to sex to bullying,” Williams stated. Clearly Williams wants to protect her kids, and wants other adults to feel the same way about YA fiction.

Williams goal is to convince parents to screen kids from reading the gruesome things happening in YA books, in order to yield them wanting to try all the horrible things at too young an age. For example, she said she takes her kids the library every week, and stated, “I’ve yet to refuse them anything. Frankly, as a parent I’ve always been a much bigger hardass about their exposure to Disney princess-to-sassymouthed teen juggernaut than anything involving abuse or a dystopian future.” She speaks as a parent, to other parents by stating, “ It’s our job as parents to protect our kids, even as they slowly move out into the worlds and further away from our dictates.” She is against what Gurdon has to say on the topic of YA books. She agrees that they have become more dark, but Williams thinks some content should be kept from them so they don’t go through life too fast. Williams doesn’t include a very important person’s point of view.  In other words, Williams believes in preserving children as long as they can, and preventing them from these books, may help preserve their long lasting childhood. Williams doesn’t include the young readers who actually read these horrible, dark books. This weakens her opinion, though it helps appeal to parents and try to persuade them.

I agree with Williams, though I am not a parent, and I think we should be allowed to read these books. If a child thinks they are ready to read this, they should. If they think the content is too rough for them too read, then they shouldn’t read it. As a young reader, I can decide for myself if a book’s content is too ugly and gross. But through a parent’s point of view, I think they would strongly agree with Williams, and try to shield their kids from these books.