Comparison Between Three Violent Books

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Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid’s Tale, Suzanne Collins, author of Hunger Games, and Kurt Vonnegut, author of Slaughterhouse Five, wrote amazing novels about serious and powerful topics. Each of these books are considered dangerous in their own way, from promoting violence, profanity, sexual themes, anti-religion, to basically any other potentially offensive theme is provided in these novels. It is debatable to which one is the most dangerous and most criticizing to society but I believe Slaughterhouse Five is the most dangerous to society due to the evidence of being against free will, which can result in individuals pursuing negative actions. The Handmaid’s Tale displays many powerful, enlightening, and critical thinking themes. Including sex, suicide, drugs, alcohol, crudity, and it claimed to be anti-Christian. One reason this novel is potentially dangerous to society and the minds of the youth is the overwhelming amount of suicide mentioned. For example, in three different parts of the novel suicide is mentioned, in chapter 24 it says, “Several days after this interview with her was filmed, she killed herself. It said that, right on television” (Atwood 146), also in chapter 29 it says, "She hanged herself," he says; thoughtfully, not sadly” (Atwood 187), and also in chapter 44 it says, "She hanged herself," she says. "After the Salvaging. She saw the van coming for her. It was better" (Atwood 285). It not only gives the image of suicide it makes it seem as if it is a normal act and people are not affected by the deaths, but it was better that they died. In this novel there is also a very vivid and large amount of crudity, which can be considered dangerous as it implants visions that can be pursued as actions that... ... middle of paper ... ... death of something or multiple people. If that many people are dying how could a person like Billy not care? These are people he knows, he doesn’t know, and some of them died in terrible ways. Not caring about these deaths is wrong, people are supposed to care when others die to signify the value of that life and to try and prevent others from dying. But if we suddenly stop caring like Billy and the Tralfamadorians, we stop being humane and stop trying to protect not only the lives of the human race but also the lives of anything. This is why I believe that Slaughterhouse Five is the most dangerous book to society. Works Cited Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid’s Tale. New York: Anchor Books, 1998. Print. Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press, 2008. Print. Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse Five. New York: Random House, 1991. Print

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