Reading can be vital because it "determines the focus of your mind" (Covington). Is reading bad for a person? Does this mean modern literature is partly responsible for the corruption of society because it determines the way people think? Reading can transport people to different places, times, and state of minds. But what you read will determine it all. Even though modern literature makes great reads, it is changing the views of society because magazines send the wrong messages and modern literature only focuses on mystical and fantasy ideas.
Modern literature makes fascinating reads because readers are able to escape into a fantasy world. Reading exposes the reader into a different mindset (Covington). It allows bookworms to think about what they do not have, what they wish to have, or simply just escape from reality. Sometimes it is nice to sit down after a tiresome day, open up a fantasy book and read about the things that can never happen. The reader knows it will never happen, but it is just relaxing to start dreaming about the mystical. Who has not heard of the book Twilight? The book has traveled globally leaving teenage girls star struck. The book is based upon Bella’s viewpoint, an average teenage girl that is not popular or outstandingly beautiful. The girl is just like every other teenage girl going through the good and bad times of the teenage years. Bella moves away from her comfortable life in Arizona to a new life in Washingon. Bella’s world is turned upside down when the unbelievable becomes her life.,
Bella enters into the peculiar atmosphere of high school and quickly learns that anything is possible. the story makes a dramatic, one hundre...
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...t reality. Some say that if the reader will avoid abiding by Rowling’s philosophy, the book is a great read (Aguilar). Maybe the book was not designed for the minds of younger children, but for the mind of mature adults. A critic says that children who are “wrong” readers are definitely not recommended to read the Harry Potter series. The series may be a “matter of debate” rather than a “matter of faith” (Aguilar).
Book based on mystics and fantasies will change the mindset of the readers and possibly change values of morals.
Many people say that reading will only stimulate the mind and enhance one’s reading level. Statistics have proven that reading abilities have increased but has actually plummeted towards the ground. “Since 1983, more than 10 million Americans reached the 12th grade without having learned to read at a basic level,” states the Literacy Company.
Andrew Solomon has some valid arguments in his article, and he tries to persuade the readers through logos, pathos, and ethos. Solomon wants the readers to understand the importance of reading, and how its decline can be harmful to the nation. To reinforce his arguments, Solomon shares a variety of examples, for instance, he mentions that reading helps improve memory and concentration, and the decline of reading is causing mental “atrophy.” He also calls upon the readers to take some sort of action to raise reading rates and help the society. This can grant the readers a form of power and control over the crisis that will lead to an em...
After hearing a brief description of the story you might think that there aren’t many good things about they story. However, this is false, there are many good things in this book that makes it a good read. First being that it is a very intriguing book. This is good for teenage readers because often times they don’t willingly want to read, and this story will force the teenage or any reader to continue the book and continue reading the series. Secondly, this is a “good” book because it has a good balance of violence. This is a good thing because it provides readers with an exciting read. We hear and even see violence in our everyday life and I believe that it is something teenagers should be exposed to. This book gives children an insig...
Since the first segment of the series was released in 1997, Harry Potter has been challenged by churches and parents due to the practicing of magic by children found within the books. The books have been removed from school shelves, discouraged by churches, and censored by parents. It is claimed that Harry Potter is devilish, satanic, and encourages children to practice the occult, damaging their religious views (LaFond). Therefore, many parents keep their children from reading the book series. Yet, Harry Potter has been such a positive influence on my so many lives. Evident through the movies, theme parks, stores, and much more, J.K. Rowling’s series has been an overwhelming success for many reasons (“Because it’s his…”). In order to encourage
It lets children and young adults go into a fantasy world that involves around wizards, witches, and magic. This series gets children to start to read at a young age. I believe this series is deeply more because it can show what morally side path you want to go down life. This series of books show how the morally good people would act in a crisis and not in crisis. For example, Mrs. Weasley in books and movies series her character was the loving mother who loved everyone basically. But at the end of the books and movies, when she in a crisis situation with Bellatrix Lestrange, who is trying to kill her daughter. Mrs. Weasley puts down that friendly loving look and goes after Bellatrix. They battled until Bellatrix’s death. It was the first time we saw this character not in loving, happily mood. Her morals changed when she saw that her daughter was in danger. This series also teaches us how to break the rules. Even though breaking the rules is morally wrong, but in some cases breaking the rules is good for people. Its shows how even fictional characters are not perfect in a make-up world. But it does show heroic and virtuous character moments that don’t need a perfect character. This imagination by J.K. Rowling is truly impressive because she appeals to our heads and our hearts with her writing according to Philosopher Martha Nussbaum. She means that the way she wrote some of her characters and the scenes they are in they touches our self in different place like our head and hearts. This book also gives young children and adults to explore their imagination that could lead us to the next Harry Potter
Rowling’s success ignited once the first Potter book was published Before publishing, she used her initials to disguise her gender in order to offer an opportunity for young males to take interest in her novel (Biography, 2014). It started to flourish immensely but with its success came criticisms. Several critics believe that Harry Potter has too violent themes for young readers. Rowling agrees that Harry Potter has some themes that are mature for children, however; the banning of the stories because of the deep themes is not fair to adolescent avid readers. Rowling would consistently respond that people like the idea of magic and it something that takes readers of any age to a place where anything is possible (Shea, n.d.).
J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, which have reached worldwide popularity have an effect on children has not been matched by any other book. The novels have encouraged children to read for entertainment instead of turning to television or video games. When a piece of literature inspires children as the Harry Potter novels do, limiting a child’s access to the novels seems ridiculous. Unfortunately, this is what is happening with Harry Potter. The books are challenged and banned in schools and libraries all over the world because parents contend that the content is unsuitable. The content, which revolves around a world full of wizardry and witchcraft, has some parents actively lobbying against the books. These parents believe the books encourage children to practice witchcraft. Additionally, some parents do not believe that the novels are an asset to the learning development of their children. For most children, Rowling’s Harry Potter novels encourage reading. Not only do children read the massive novels in the series, but also they use the Harry Potter series as conduits to other types of literature because their minds are opened to the wonder of the written word. The novels do not advocate witchcraft or evil, which are often the grounds for censoring the novels from children.
In today's society, many young adults find entertainment and freedom in the form of literature. Not the horribly dry and slow writings that our preceding generations found enjoyment in, but instead a new strain of literature. It can be easily observed that book's themes have often changed to better accommodate the current generation growing up, and this principle can easily be applied to the books of modern society. An example of the evolution of books over time is that today books have changed from being a one hit wonder, too a series spread over several years. Some of the modern-day texts that are popular amount the younger generation include series such as The Hunger Games, Divergent, Maze Runner, Twilight, and Harry Potter. Despite the changing format of books, they still have the same goal of trying to teach us important lessons and skills to be applied during our lifetimes. Modern literature often times is what highlights the most important and influential characteristics affecting our society.
High school sophomore, Samantha Baker woke up on the morning of her sixteenth birthday, hoping for an overnight transformation. While on the phone with her best friend, she stares at herself in the mirror, praying she had grown a few inches and a set of boobs. Much to avail, she has not and her day goes on just like every other one. She has the added pressure of being a bridesmaid for her older sister Ginny’s wedding, the next day. After being felt up by Grandmother Baker, Samantha deals with the ridicule and torment of her annoying little brother and takes the bus to school. During her study hall class she takes a silly quiz another friend had given her. The quiz ends up in the hands of her crush, Jake Ryan! The anxiety sets in.
When you read, especially fiction, you experience a broad sweep of human life. You gain access to the thoughts of others, look at history through another person’s eyes and learn from their mistakes, something that you otherwise would not be able to experience.
Rowling’s writing sparks controversy with readers. Rowling has dealt with criticism about how her books teach children about witchcraft and evil powers (Kirk 103). To shield children from these teachings, schools and libraries across the world banned the books and occasionally, a book burning. “It conflicts with the values I’m trying to teach my children,” reports Ken McCormick, a father (qtd in Cannon and Cataldo). Evidently, the series’ plot teaches children revenge, and parents and teachers across the globe agree that banning the books will protect them from harmful lessons. However, her works have encouraged children read more. Today, fewer children and teens read for pleasure, causing a great drop in test scores, vocabulary, and imagination (Hallet). According to U.K.-based Federation of Children’s Book Groups, fifty nine percent of kids believe that Harry Potter enhanced their reading skills, and forty eight percent say that the books turned them in to bookworms (Hallet). In other words, Rowling’s books became children’s, in this day of age, video games. She published Harry Potter at a time where children, teens, and young adults were starting to consume their time with technology instead of reading. Without these books, generations across the spectrum would diminish in terms of reading skill. Rowling not only helps children improve their skills, she gives back to them through her
One of the most read series in all literature is Harry Potter. The seven-book succession has sold over 400 million copies and has been translated into over sixty languages. What is it that makes this series so wildly famous? What is it about the boy who lived that makes frenzied readers flock to their local bookstore at midnight on the day of the release to buy the latest installment? How is a story set in a world that doesn’t exist about wizards, witches, magic, and mystical creatures so popular? The series has been able to earn its spot on the New York Times Bestseller list and has granted author J.K. Rowling multiple awards because it is relatable. It is not the setting or the events in the plot of the story that we relate to. We relate to what Harry, his friends, mentors, teachers, caretakers, and even enemies feel. Harry is in a lot of ways exactly like us. He represents some of the good characteristics that all of us have as well as the bad. The series as a whole, is about one thing that is stressed over and over again in the novels, love. The Harry Potter series is one of the most read sequences of novels because the central theme is love and self-sacrifice, and readers are looking for a novel that shows them just that.
This book will pull on your heart-strings. It is filled with happy moments, many obstacles, life lessons, and tragedy. This story is about a teenage girl named Mia and her love for music, her adoring family, and her caring boyfriend Adam. Mia’s life is turned upside down when her entire family gets into a horrible car accident that ultimately questions all she thought was good in the world. I enjoyed this book because it was the perfect combination of dramatic and romantic. It was also well-written and although sad, had a satisfying ending.
Supernatural elements – religious figures and activities, ghosts, witches, and anthropomorphized animals among others – have been used throughout the history of literature from its origins in oral folktales to Shakespeare’s plays to Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series. Throughout the history of literature, supernatural elements have been useful in developing themes that reflect the nature of humanity. Supernatural elements are often used to outline and comment on conflict and power struggles: both within the plot of the work and within society at the time of the work’s publication. These otherworldly components are also commonly used to adapt, expand upon, and make a work of literature more applicable to its settings. Supernatural elements also play a r...
Popular culture consists of the cultural patterns and expressions which are recognized and reflected by the society. Speculative fiction which includes genres of speculation like science fiction, fantasy, horror, futuristic utopia/dystopia, alternative history and cyberpunk is a staple of popular interest and consumption. In the wake of advanced breakthroughs in science and technology, the speculative explores the ‘what if?’ through its exploration of life in its myriad forms. It is a combination of art and recreation and is comprised of a variety of elements that attract the fancy of the people. As an integral part of popular culture, it reflects the values of the society and draws from the common beliefs, shared values, fears and superstitions.
Nowadays, many people think reading is not necessary, since there are so many sources of information and types of entertainment, such as TV, cinema and the Internet. I believe they are wrong because reading is very beneficial in many ways.