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Victoria Tobul

Malcolm Campbell

UWRT 1104

5 April 2017

Kids Killing Kids: Why are young readers drawn to this? Formatted: No underline

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, allpeople 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 my body, your my education, and your my friendships. The Hunger Games,

by Suzanne Collins, came out ahad just come out the year before and many of my friends had

been were 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 forbid me from reading this series.

She told mesaid that its was filled with violence and murder and those were are not things she

wantsed me to reading about. It is now 2017. I am an avid reader; a lover of most genres, favorite

being dystopian set literature. I read The Hunger Games back in middle school.them anyways. Formatted: Font:Italic
Formatted: Font:Not Italic
Secretly. And what I read was, yes indeed violence and murder, but there was also a heroine, Formatted: Font:Italic

there was lovewas love, there was adventure, there was conflict, and there was a resolution. The

world that the characters lived in was a dystopia; an imagined place in which everything is

unpleasant, a totalitarian or environmentally degraded society. The Hunger Games is classified

as a dystopian novel. Dystopian literature reflects and projects the fears and concerns of the
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present (Masson). This is what draws readers in. It allows them to escape to an extreme world Formatted: Font:Not Bold

similar to theirslike 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

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

kidsadolescents 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; why not something

more realistic, the world might ask. . Contemporary fiction, realistic fiction, and even non-

fiction, all express the worlds current terrors in a realistic form. Its believable. So why is it that

readers enjoy looking at the worlds current events through the chaos that is a dystopia?.

A dystopian society is aA 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, writes

Catherine Schmidt (Schmidt). These books talk about a current events without directly stating Formatted: Font:Not Bold

that they areit is. Common events like poverty, segregation, total government control, and

conformity are a few topics authors enjoy writing aboutthat 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
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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 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 understandget them. She [Sarah Dessen]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 itwant; it gives them

hope. But not all realistic fiction books end with a happy ending. Theending; 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 Formatted: Font:Italic

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). Anytime I read a book set in a dystopian society it takes me Formatted: Font:Not Bold
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away from my problems. I see what the characters are going through and everything I am going

through seems so small; it fades away. But what I love most about these books isnt that it

minimizes the troubles in my life but more romanticizes the troubles of the characters. The

characters go through hell and have an epic resolution filled with confessions of love, reunions,

and the death of the antagonist. The endings of these books fill me with a hope that anything I go

through will end up with an epic conclusion. A break up with my boyfriend gives me an epic

confession of love that trumps Ryan Goslings The Notebook speech. If I have a fallout with a Formatted: Font:Italic

friend, I can think that maybe we will battle it out and decide to call a truce in the end. And if I

am worried about a test, well then perhaps my teacher will become a vampire and wont be able

to make it to class. No problem I go through will ever be worse than having to fight to the death

with 23 other kids my age just to survive and live in a society heavily controlled. 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 notarent so bad.

Sophie Massons article for The Australian, End of the World as We Know It, talks about Formatted: Font:Italic

the time of the late 1900s 20th century where the threat of nuclear holocaust hovered over Formatted: Superscript

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:. aA

post-war time, where America and northern Europe were experiencing an increase in

immigrants, both legal and illegal. This trilogy, written for a younger audience, is about an alien

group that descendsed onto earth and takesook 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
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immigration issues 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 says Byrd Pinkerton in Through the Looking Glass: How Children's Books Have

Grown (Pinkerton). TheyUp. They are fun to read and can help the readers empathize what Formatted: Font:Not Bold

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

In the 1600s, John Locke wanted to change the education system by making reading

fun.. He wanted to make reading fun. He did this by trying to make learning a game, so that it

would draw the attention of the students, and they still couldcould still learn. Everything taught

in school and read in Everything wasbooks was realistic though. There were no books set in an

alternate dimension or societies with a totalitarian government; the books that were published

during this time are what we consider the classics, the books like Pride and Prejudice and

Of Mice and Men., That was until 1865 when Lewis Carroll untilpublished Lewis Carroll

published Alices Adventures in Wonderland. This one book kick started this new genre of

literature that involved imagination and fictitious characters. 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 Formatted: Font:Not Bold

not find her way around this wonderland, hinting at the unnecessary amount of schooling that is

required of all kidskids (Alices Adventures in Wonderland). Formatted: Font:Italic

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 an particular ethnicethnic group or advocate ethnic solidarity
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instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals, (Rosenburg). Due to this law, there are many Formatted: Font:Not Bold

important novels being removed from the schools curriculum that teach valuable lessons to

young readers. Books that talk about sensitive topics such as racism, homophobia, and

discrimination are taught in schools so that students have a safe place to talk about the problems

of the past. They are taught in school and discussed to ensure that our future leaders of this world

are empathetic to the issues of the past and help promote a better future. Without making the

discussion of these sensitive topics a requirement, our younger generations could grow up

ignorant about the world they live in and history could repeat itself. Schools dont want The

Hunger Games being taught in classthe curriculum due to the violence and the way that the

heroine 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, in

Connecticut, 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.) Formatted: Font:Not Bold

Dystopian novels, banned for the same reason this parent complained about, include: Clockwork Formatted: Font:Italic

Orange, Brave New World, and 1984.

Recently, President Trumps Re-Education Secretary talked about the growth in sales for

George Orwells 1984. They said Weve got to stop this before it gets out of hand. We cant Formatted: Font:Italic

have people reading books that encourage independent thought or criticize the government,

(Bergman). Our own government wants to get rid of book that are taught in the curriculum at

schools. The books that people want banned so badly are the ones that teach such important life

lessons;. hHomosexuality, date rape, alcohol, and drugs are all out there in the real worldworld

and getting, 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. Novels
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are honest about society, they are blunt. Throughout our lives information gets censored for

children because it is deemed too extreme, so they are kept from knowing and understanding

certain topics like sexual orientation, sex, racism, and government. The great thing that dystopian

novels do is lay it out for the readers, they tell them what is wrong in society in the most honest

way possible. In middle school, we were told to read the book Fahrenheit 451. The book takes

place in a futuristic America where all books are banned and firefighters are in charge of

burning the books. This is a book about censorship and the banning of literature for fear of

creating individualism and independent thought. So now do you see why books are hated and

feared? They show the pores in the face of life. The comfortable people want only wax moon

faces, poreless, hairless, expressionless, (Fahrenheit 451 2.129). Bradbury is telling the reader

that that books show reality and all its ugliness. I agree that there are some books that certain age

groups should not read but prohibiting a book being taught in a classroom full of people old

enough to vote and drive seems ridiculous. This dystopian novel that teaches the importance of

individuality, has been banned in Foxworth, Mississippi at West Marion High School for the use

of the word goddamn, (Baldassarro). This book expresses my fears for where the future is

headed. We are headed to a world where all books, movies, and T.V shows will be hurtful for

any person and require its banishment to avoid conflict. It is important to teach these things

topics 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.

lifesaving.

MyMy mom, and I will assume many other parents, did not want me reading The Hunger Formatted: Indent: First line: 0"

Games series because most of the book talks is taken place where kidsabout kids are killing each

other for survival. She was worried that these violent behaviors would impact me in some way
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and that I would be a more violent person, likesimilar to the arguments againstbout 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.simple. They are fun to read. Readers can escape to this whole new

world filled with advanced technology, fallen angels, vampires and werewolves. They can

escape to alternate universes, visit Paris during an apocalypse, and kill someone with one single

touch. Dystopian novels are also relatable. The books are told through the point of view of

someone who is the same age as the reader. Stevens relates The Hunger Games to high school Formatted: Font:Italic

stating, cutthroat race for high school popularity becomes an annual televised fight, (qtd. in

"The Rising Popularity of Dystopian Literature."). These books are related to the readers

everyday life in school: fighting to get attention, fighting to get good grades, fighting to become

someone. In The Hunger Games, the readers see this strong confident woman who isnt so

feminine and then the readers see this man who bakes and paints; both characters go against the

stereotypical gender roles set by society. This book shows the readers that its ok to not be like

everyone else. Finally, tThese books are adventurous; they draw you in and you cant put them

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).
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Stories are always going to be around. Whether theyit will stay in book form or continue theirits

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. What the world

fails to see is the importance of these novels. These novels are fun but they are more than the

violence they hold inside them. They are real and they talk about a future that could be fast

approaching. 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?

They are real, honest, and clear. They allow for an escape from this reality while teaching

lessons related to it. 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.

Accessed 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.

Baldassarro, R. "Banned Books Awareness: Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury - World Leading

Higher Education Information And Services". World, 3 January 2011. world.edu/banned- Formatted: Font:Italic

book-awareness-fahrenheit-451-ray-bradbury/. Accessed1 May 2017.

Bergman, Andrew J. "US Department of Education Bans All Dystopian Novels." The Daily Formatted: Font:Italic

Bonnet. Wordpress, 27 Mar. 2017. www.dailybonnet.com/us-department-education-bans-

dystopian-novels/. Accessed 30 Apr. 2017.

Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, 1950. Print.

Formatted: Underline, Font color: Text 1

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

May 2011. Theaustralian.com/au. Web. Accessed30 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.

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"The Rising Popularity of Dystopian Literature." The Artifice. N.p., 20 Apr. 2015. www.the-

artifice.com/popularity-of-dystopian-literature/. Accessed 23 Apr. 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.Accessed 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.Accessed 05 Apr. 2017.

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

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