An article by Meghan Cox Gurdon titled “Darkness Too Visible” recently appeared in the Wall Street Journal. In it, Gurdon suggests that Young Adult novels have become too dark, too “adult,” for readers in the YA category, and that the themes/content and language should be carefully moderated in order to make sure that the content is age appropriate. She equates novels about teen rape (that happens, people) with “envelope pushing,” and refuses to accept that freedom of speech is actually pretty darn important. “No family is obliged to acquiesce when publishers use the vehicle of fundamental free-expression principles to try to bulldoze coarseness or misery into their children’s lives” (Gurdon, “Darkness Too Visible”).
Gurdon straddles the fence in an attempt to please everyone and no one, explaining in one single paragraph that she doesn’t blame mean old entertainment for turning kids into sociopaths, BUTBUTBUT “entertainment does not merely gratify taste…but creates it.” So which is it, Gurdon?
Yet it is also possible—indeed, likely—that books focusing on pathologies help normalize them and, in the case of self-harm, may even spread their plausibility and likelihood to young people who might otherwise never have imagined such extreme measures. Self-destructive adolescent behaviors are observably infectious and have periods of vogue (Gurdon, Darkness Too Visible)
Books that focus on so-called “pathologies” are not normalizing these actions, but showing kids that they are not alone. Teens are abducted. Men are raped. Girls cut themselves. These things not only happen, they happen a lot. Not every kid has a fantastic relationship with an adult that will allow them to have a calm, constructive chat about the various things happening in their lives.
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I originally planned on writing a much longer, angrier response to her article, which I think is uninformed at best, but I came across so many fantastic responses that I don’t think I need to say much more. Please read the article, and if you have time, take a look at some of the very insightful responses out there from YA authors, parents, and teens alike. Good work, internet.
Thanks for reading.
Lauren