The Perks Of Being A Wallflower Research Paper

483 Words2 Pages

In 1967, the novel The Outsiders was published and launched a whole new industry. Children’s and young adult’s literature have made a shift from fantasy to modern-day issues. These issues include peer pressure, rape, suicide, self-harm, racism, violence, family relationships, sexuality, and much more. Most of these books do not have a happy ending. Many people believe that these novels are great for this generation’s teens. They say that they give a voice to tortured adolescents that would otherwise be voiceless. It might help the teen know that they are not alone, which can be somewhat comforting. It can eventually lead to the teen learning to manage their problems. However, it can also spread the likelihood to other young people who might otherwise never even imagine such extreme measures. …show more content…

I have never read a book with self-harm, suicide, or rape. Most books these days do include peer pressure, family issues, and violence. Over the summer, I read my first real book, The Perks of Being A Wallflower. It included peer pressure, violence, sexuality, family issues, and much more. I didn’t even read the whole book. I returned it. I didn’t feel the need to find out what was happening next. All of the problems just became too much and they didn’t relate to me. RAINN says that 12% of girls in grades 9-12 said they had been sexually abused. Reading a book that includes intense issues can bring out bad memories in girls that have been sexually abused. They probably do not want their entire class knowing. However, I haven’t been sexually abused. I do not need to be reading in class about rape. My parents can have me read it to prepare or comfort me if such circumstances happen. Also, I can go to the library and read it on my own. Novels with intense topics should be read by