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Effect of literature on society
Effect of literature on society
Literature and its impact on society
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Thirteen Reasons Why Fiction Should Stay
On average, the normal human being impacts the lives of 80,000 people throughout their lives. Whether it be in a positive or negative way, it is your choice. The fictitious book Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher is about a new girl at school named Hannah that committed suicide and sent tapes to thirteen people explaining why she did it, and if they received the tapes then they are one of the reasons why. With this in mind, many school boards have contemplated the idea of getting rid of fiction books, such as this, because of the lack of educational value they provide. This is not a valid argument because fiction can provide meaningful education about topics such as how important impact is, the impact
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To begin, impact is an important topic that fiction books have because they can create exaggerated or realistic situations where readers can clearly see how one response affects the next. Impact is when an action considerably affects someone or something. Firstly, to give some background information about this quote, Hannah just completed telling the story about her first kiss. The boy then told rumors about her that eventually reached her. “ I know. I know what you’re thinking. As I was telling the story, I was thinking the same thing myself. A kiss? A kiss made you do this to yourself? No. A rumor based on a kiss ruined a memory that I hoped would be special. A rumor based on a kiss started a reputation that other people believed in and reacted to. And sometimes, a rumor based on a kiss has a snowball effect. A rumor, based on a kiss, is just the beginning.” (Hannah, Pg. 31) This impactful statement can make students reflect about what they are doing in their lives that might cause one of their own snow ball effects. A snowball effect describes how impact works. One action can make another action happen, which makes the next outcome happen, and …show more content…
Suicide is when someone takes their own life because they feel like there is no other way out or that they do not matter. In addition to the novel, a Netflix original TV series has come out based on the book. The executive producer Tom McCarthy explains, “...When you get a piece of material like this that’s actually about something? You take that seriously and you really hope the discussion begins and will continue.” Sheff echoed that sentiment in his Vanity Fair piece: “I’m proud to be a part of a television series that is forcing us to have these conversations, because silence really does equal death.” The TV show and book are forcing people to have conversations about suicide, which is helping society because as Sheff put it, silence equals death. With this in mind, making students talk about it at school could break down imaginary walls that divide students and mold schools into a more encouraging place for kids to go to. Also, Based off of the article ‘13 Reasons Why Controversial Depiction of Teen Suicide Has School Counselors Picking Up the Pieces’, The book Thirteen Reasons Why “has also been lauded for starting a conversation about suicide, which is the second leading cause of death among teens.” The quote clearly states that suicide is the second leading cause of death among teens, so this topic is very relevant to the school and the students inside of it. This
The argument that Francine Prose makes is valid with the way she supports it. The importance of books is most likely know by looking at the diction and the style of writing. However, some high school teachers prevent their students from knowing the importance by the way the teach. Using literary works to teach values makes it difficult for the students in the future, like in college. By teaching students the right way in the first place or in this case, in high school, will help them
Did you know that the second leading deaths in 13 to 19 year olds in the United States is suicide besides homicides! The author, Barbara Mantel who wrote the article “Teen Suicide” may have focus more on logos and pathos and not enough on ethos. Her main idea was stating that new studies such as school prevention programs, therapy and medicine or even screenings will have an effect on suicidal victims. Thinking that these studies, will increase understanding of teen suicides and lead to a better identification and treatment of high risk teens. Although she may have been lacking ethos in her article, her other rhetorical reasons are very effective
The children are the real losers because they are the ones that are not able to read the classic works of literature, which are the backbone of classroom discussions all across the United States. The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) defines censorship as: “The removal, suppression, or restricted circulation of literary, artistic, or educational materials. of images, ideas, and information.on the grounds that these are morally or otherwise objectionable in light of standards applied by the censor” (Miner 1998). In schools there are three types of censorship, one type is a “parent” who doesn’t want their child to read a particular book. Another is a parent, teacher, administrator, or school board member who argues that no one in the class, or school, should read the book in dispute.
Writing is an art form, and one that should not be restricted to fit the whims of a few delusional parents and adults. Censorship of books in the United States dates back to Puritan New England in 1650, when William Pynchon’s The Meritorious Price of Redemption was banned from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The novel discussed a viewpoint that was against what Puritan ministers usually taught, which naturally made this book labeled as heretical. He then moved back to England because he thought New England had little religious freedom. Clearly, Pynchon understood that a piece of writing should not be banned for a town solely because it challenged some social norms in his highly-religious society. The Catcher in the Rye currently ranks at nineteen on the American Library Association’s list of the 100 most banned books in the United States. Although this is the case, The Catcher in the Rye should not be banned from schools. This is not just because the censorship of novels is morally wrong, but because the students reading it can relate to the main character’s, Holden’s, “inappropriate” scenes, can learn to form the relationships that Holden desperately lacks, and can learn that they are not alone in their feelings.
Almost every day we hear about someone attempting or committing suicide. Whether it is on the internet, television, newspaper, or even by word, suicide is a harsh reality that is overlooked and undermined. According to one online article, “Teen Suicide Statistics,”
As it is inevitable that children will grow up to be exposed to the world's evils, which are shown in novels like Fahrenheit 451, teaching the context and meaning of those evils in a learning environment allows for more of a educated understanding and a fuller grasp on the issues within. By reading controversial novels in schools, students in middle and high school will benefit tremendously by being exposed to them in a learning environment. Although teachers and parents have control as to what the students are exposed to at a young age, Fahrenheit 451 should not be banned from middle and high schools as it depicts the effects of censorship on a dystopian society through use of controversial material which doubles as
Teen suicide should never be on the minds of our youth. It’s a dreadful circumstance that happens almost on a daily basis. I chose this topic for my core assessment because I can relate to this topic. My cousin committed suicide when he was 19 years old. The pain and suffering that we as a family went through can’t even be described. Some say that people who commit suicide are selfish cowards who don’t think of their families when they act. Others say that the individual isn’t in their right mind to comprehend what is going on. I usually tend to lean towards the last assumption because personally, I feel that my cousin never committed suicide, his state of mind did. Teen suicide is one of the leading causes of death for adolescents in addition to accidents such as vehicles and drugs. My future career in law enforcement will deal with teen suicides. It’s inevitable. In addition, it’s the police officers responsibility as well as the families, and schools to detect the risk and prevent these suicidal behaviors by these teenagers. Yet, how are people supposed to know what teens are feeling deep down inside? Most teenagers can hide or act their feelings like professionals. Personally the best way to know what your teens are thinking or going through is talk to them on a daily basis; whether it’s at the dinner table or even while watching television. These measures will change your teenager’s life because he/she will know that someone cares and loves them.
The social issue in Thirteen Reasons Why is bullying. This is a very important issue to address in the classroom because almost every student is surrounded by this type of behavior at school. As stated in the article Bullying and Suicide Statistics written by Matt Dickinson “ 10 to 14 year old girls may be at an even higher risk for suicide.” This is one of the many examples of fictional stories that should be taught at school or be incorporated in the curriculum. Bullying is the act of hurting someone mentally or physically on purpose. In the book Clay Jensen says “I know who Hannah is talking about. I've seen his wrist-grabbing stunt before”. This quote shows the reader that she was assaulted physically and it was common. This could impact the reader in several
Suicide, a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Why are so many kids to sorting to this horrid decision? Is it really necessary? Do they know that there are better options? Many organizations have been made to help kids with getting through rough times. The Yellow Ribbon project has been very successful by getting this very point across. Therefor this is why it's one of the best organizations out there for suicidal prevention
In the novel Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, the main character is a young girl named Hannah. This novel was written for young adults that feel the same way that Hannah did and that have the ability to understand her point of view. In the novel Hannah makes thirteen cassette voice recordings explaining the reasons why she committed suicide. She did this to speak about the people that lead her to commit that drastic decision in her life. In the novel Hannah uses the simile of “Like driving along a bumpy road and losing control of the steering wheel…Yet no matter how hard you try to drive straight, something keeps jerking you to the side.” Hannah uses that example in order to demonstrate to her audience that sometimes finding the meaning of
Dear Local Board of Educators, Did you know that books like How to Kill a Mockingbird, Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, and The Catcher in the Rye, have been banned in some schools as have many other books that students can use for class. Books have been around for hundreds of years and they have helped educate many individuals throughout their lifetime. By banning books, we are limiting education and dictating what students should and shouldn’t learn. Banning books causes students' grades to drop, and it also causes a negative impact on kids who love and need books.
Suicide is a decision one makes to end his or her own life. People who make the decision to end their own life have often experienced depression, guilt, emptiness, or a combination of those, and many more negative things. Hannah Baker is a character in the book Thirteen Reasons Why By: Jay Asher who has lost hope in all aspects of her life. In this story, a boy who contributed to Hannah’s suicide receives tapes of her explaining the reasons why she did it. The tapes take him throughout the city they live in and help him understand further how and why she did this to herself. In this journal, I will be predicting that Clay will help Skye, questioning why both Justin and Hannah said nothing about what happened to Jessica, and connecting Hannah
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds, and the sixth leading cause for 5 to 14 year olds. Suicide accounts for twelve percent of the mortality in the adolescent and young adult group. Young males are more common than young woman suicides. These are only children who followed through with the suicide. For every successful suicide there are fifty to one hundred adolescent suicide attempts. In other words, more than five percent of all teenagers tried to commit suicide, and the number is still rising. It is scary to think that four percent of high school students have made a suicide attempt within the previous twelve months. In a small safe town like Avon, in the Avon High School where you and I practically live, you can see the faces of 22 students that have tried to commit suicide. That is enough to fill a classroom.
A young, teenage girl sits with her friends, talking, laughing, and making jokes. She seems completely normal and happy, even. What people don’t know is that this is nothing but a mask covering the loneliness that seems to run through her veins, and the unexplainable sadness that never goes away. She fears speaking of it, of admitting the uncontrollable hatred she feels for everything about herself, so much that she contemplates ending it all. The fact is, suicide is the third leading cause for death in people under the age of twenty-five. Our country needs to stop seeing this as a casual thing. Depression, anxiety, and suicide in youth are real and serious issues that we need to be more aware of in today’s society.
Being a student, young people have many chances and opportunities to either prevent or cause suicide. People are pushed past their limits everyday. Out of all high school students, seven percent have attempted suicide, meaning they didn't succeed (Bullying Statistics, n.d.). Maybe they had someone who tried helping them. Knowing the facts and being aware does make a difference. One person could be the difference between life and death.