Tobul 1

Victoria Tobul

Malcolm Campbell

UWRT 1104

5 April 2017

Kids Killing Kids: Why are young readers drawn to this?

Its 2009. I am entering my first year of middle school. Puberty is upon me. Hair is

growing in places it hasnt before, my face is breaking out; I am going through a lot of changes.

In years, prior, I would sit in the same class with the same people, who have been in my class for

the past 5 years, all day. Now, I go to seven different classes a day, walk the halls alone, and try

not to get in anyones way. Middle school is a tough time; many things are changing with your

body, your education, and your friendships. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, came out a

year before and many of my friends had been reading it and recommending it to me. My mother,

being the ever-lurking, always-around, needs-to-know-your-whole-life mother she is, banned me

from reading this series. She told me that it was filled with violence and murder and those were

not things she wanted me to read about. I read them anyways. Secretly. And what I read was, yes

indeed violence and murder, but there was also a heroin, there was love, there was adventure,

there was conflict, and there was a resolution. Dystopian literature reflects and projects the fears

and concerns of the present (Masson). This is what draws readers in. It allows them to escape to

an extreme world similar to theirs, without having to deal with it themselves.

The Hunger Games series, The Divergent series, 1984, and The Giver are all popular

dystopian novels, each talking about different subjects related to reality. Why do these novels,

that take place in such unappealing settings, appeal to so many young readers? These books are
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not realistic. Chicago is not a crumbling city segregated by different factions (Divergent).

America is not separated by districts, forced to work and supply for the capital, and give up 24

kids each year for their punishment (The Hunger Games). We do not live in a world without

color or emotion (The Giver). The world wonders how these unrealistic novels can gain the

interest of so many readers in the middle school to high school age group. Contemporary fiction,

realistic fiction, and even non-fiction, all express the worlds current terrors in a realistic form.

Its believable.

A dystopian society is A futuristic, imagined universe in which oppressive societal

control and the illusion of a perfect society are maintained through corporate, bureaucratic,

technological, moral, or totalitarian control. Dystopias, through an exaggerated worst-case

scenario, make a criticism about a current trend, societal norm, or political system, (Schmidt).

These books talk about a current event without directly stating that it is. Common events like

poverty, segregation, total government control, and conformity are a few that are popular in the

dystopian young adult genre. Maggie Stiefvater, author of the Shiver trilogy, a dystopian series,

writes, In a culture defined by shades of gray, I think the absolute black and white choices in

dark young adult novels are incredibly satisfying for readers. We, meaning students and young

adults, are taught most of our lives that there is a right and a wrong, black and white so to speak.

People (i.e. teachers, parents, neighbors, friends) willingly, and openly, give their opinions on

what they believe is right and wrong. We grow up thinking that life is so simple, that making the

right choice will make us happy and there will be no consequences. There comes a point,

though, when our eyes finally open and we see the real world for what it is. The world is not this

simple place where everything is so black and white. We live in a world where there are positives

and negatives to both choices we must make, whether that is to cheat on your test, what college
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you want to go to, or should you date your best friends ex-boyfriend. We live in this gray area

where there is no definite right answer and this is stressful for many young adults. So why do

young readers go to dystopian literature instead of these realistic fiction novels? Realistic fiction

novels are relatable, but sometimes too relatable. Sarah Dessen is an author of many realistic

fiction teen romance novels. Her books touch base on divorce in a family, deceased parents,

cheating boyfriends, backstabbing best friends, financial issues, and many more. I have read

every single one of her books and I get them. She [Sarah Dessen] writes these books so that her

readers have a character they can look to; they can see this character getting through this rough

patch and discovering themselves and thats what they want and it gives them hope. But not all

realistic fiction books end with a happy ending. The parents are still divorced and the family

member is still dead. The great thing about dystopian literature is that it isnt real. When

someone reads this type of book they go into another world where there are so many

possibilities. In a discussion for the New York Times, Ben Barnhart, editor for dystopian novel

writer Lisa Rowe, says It can be comforting, in a strange sort of way, to read a story in which

the terrifying struggles and tribulations of the main character force your own problems to fade

away, (qtd. in Bacigaupi). The events that the characters go through are so intense and

gruesome and challenging that it allows the reader to wonder if their (the readers) issues are not

so bad.

Sophie Massons article for The Australian, talks about the time of the late 1900s where

the threat of nuclear holocaust hovered over everyones head. It was a time where most dystopian

young adult novels centered on post-war, pre-industrial themes. John Christopher began writing

the Tripods trilogy in the late 1960s. A post-war time, where America and northern Europe were

experiencing an increase in immigrants, both legal and illegal. This trilogy, written for a younger
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audience, is about an alien group that descended onto earth and took control of everything. The

books follow a 13-year-old boy and his friends as they try to deal with the outcomes of this

invasion: hunger, envy, humanity, and pride. As stated earlier, books, and specifically the

dystopian genre, like to take current events and add their own twist to it. In this case, Christopher

is writing about the immigration issue and how it affected the economy, the government, and the

society. These books were written for children, yet they discuss such heavy topics that most cant

fully comprehend. Teachers enjoy using dystopian literature in their classrooms because they

intrigue the students (Pinkerton). They are fun to read and can help the readers empathize what

people might be going through in these similar, real-life, situations.

In the 1600s, John Locke wanted to change the education system. He wanted to make

reading fun. He did this by trying to make learning a game, so that it would draw the students

and they still could learn. Everything was realistic though, until Lewis Carroll published Alices

Adventures in Wonderland. This one book kick started this new genre of literature that involved

imagination. Carrolls books, along with the long chain of other novels centered around

childhood, were not welcome in the classroom due to their lack of support for the education

system (Valdes). This girl who had the best education could not find her way around this

wonderland, hinting at the unnecessary amount of schooling that is required of all kids. The

banning of certain books is still present today. Books are banned for sexual references, language,

racism, etc. In Arizona, there is a law that bans classes that promote the overthrow of the United

States government, promote resentment toward a race or class of people, are designed primarily

for pupils of a particular ethnic group or advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of

pupils as individuals, (Rosenburg). Due to this law, there are many important novels that teach

valuable lessons to young readers. Schools dont want The Hunger Games being taught in the
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curriculum due to the violence and the way that the heroin goes against authority. The Perks of

Being a Wallflower, a personal favorite of mine, teaches the importance of acceptance of ones

self, friendship, and family. A parent complained about the book and wanted it banned in the year

2015 for references to homosexuality, date rape, masturbation, and the glorification of alcohol

and drug use, (Admin.) The books that people want banned so badly are the ones that teach

such important life lessons. Homosexuality, date rape, alcohol, and drugs are all out there in the

real world, getting rid of a book from a schools curriculum isnt going to change that. Kids will

still be exposed to these things through social media, television, movies, and their peers. It is

important to teach these things and talk about them in a classroom because it is always going to

be around and the importance of understanding how to drink safely and have safe sex could be

lifesaving.

My mom, and I will assume many other parents, did not want me reading The Hunger

Games series because most of the book is taken place where kids are killing each other for

survival. She was worried that these violent behaviors would impact in some way and that I

would be a more violent person, similar to the arguments about children playing violent video

games. I read The Hunger Games because it taught me to stand up for what I believe in, it taught

me the importance of family and loving someone, and it taught me perseverance. No, going into

an arena and killing other people my age is not relatable to me. Katniss went through so much

pain, internal conflict, and hatred for all three books and she survived. This extreme setting drew

me into the story and I finished it with new look at life. This story is what sparked my love of

reading. Why are dystopian novels so popular? The answer is simple: they are fun to read.

Readers can escape to this whole new world filled with advanced technology, fallen angels,

vampires and werewolves. The books are adventurous; they draw you in and you cant put them
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down because you want to know if the main character is going to make it to the next chapter

alive (and honestly they probably wont but theyll be brought back to life in a later chapter

anyways).

Stories are always going to be around. Whether it will stay in book form or continue its

current path of technology, they will still always be told. Dystopian literature acts as an escape

from reality for all who read it; it offers up a whole new world of possibilities. The adventure the

characters go on and the lessons these stories teach are what make it so popular. When we read

about anything, our minds think. Depending on what is being read, important life questions could

be asked. Am I brave enough to take my sisters place in an arena of kids out for my life, is our

bond strong enough? If its not, reading about Katniss taking her sisters place would make me

yearn for that type of relationship with my sister. Again, I ask why are dystopian novels flying

off the shelves of bookstores and into the hands of young readers? Readers can relate to the

themes and they have this epic protagonist to look up to for hope of a better future; because if

they can get through the worst of the worst, then Im sure that we can survive our everyday

mundane lifestyle.
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Works Cited

Admin. "Frequently Challenged Books." Banned & Challenged Books. America Library

Association, 14 Mar. 2017. www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks. Web. 05

Apr. 2017.

Bacigaupi, Paolo, Maggie Stiefvater, Jay Parini, Scott Westerfeld, Andrew Clements, Lisa Rowe

Fraustino, and Michelle Ann Abate. "The Dark Side of Young Adult Fiction." The New

York Times. 17 Dec. 2012. www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2010/12/26/the-dark-side-

of-young-adult-fiction/craving-truth-telling. Accessed 05 Apr. 2017.

Masson, Sophie. "End of the World as We Know It." Theaustralian.com/au. The Australian, 07

May 2011. Web. 30 Mar. 2017.

Pinkerton, Byrd. Through the Looking Glass: How Children's Books Have Grown Up. NPR,

10 May 2016. www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/05/10/476490413/through-the-looking-

glass-how-childrens-books-have-grown-up. Accessed 06 March 2017.

Rosenburg, Alyssa. "Ten Books That Could Be Kicked Out of Classrooms Under Arizona's

Insane Curriculum Law." ThinkProgress. 18 Jan. 2012. www.thinkprogress.org/ten-

books-that-could-be-kicked-out-of-classrooms-under-arizonas-insane-curriculum-law-

100d9ee7a8ad. Web. 05 Apr. 2017.

Schmidt, Catherine. "Dystopian Literature for Young Adults." What Is Dystopian Literature? -

Dystopian Literature for Young Adults - LibGuides Sandbox for Library Schools.

Springshare, 9 May 2016. www.libraryschool.libguidescms.com/content.php?

pid=325261&sid=2662137. Web. 05 Apr. 2017.

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Valdes, Marcela. What Terrifies Teens in Todays Young Adult Novels? The Economy. NPR,

30, Sep. 2013, www.npr.org/2013/09/30/226472708/whats-terrifying-teens-in-todays-ya-

novels-the-economy. Accessed 01 March 2017.

Wilkinson, Rachel. "Teaching Dystopian Literature to a Consumer Class." English Journal. 99.3

(2010): 22-26. Print. Accessed 12 March 2017

Young, Moira. "Why is dystopia so appealing to young adults? The Guardian, 22 October 2011.

www.theguardian.com/books/2011/oct/23/dystopian-fiction. Accessed 04 March 2017.