Final Thoughts
14 years ago
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Forever
"Forever," by Judy Blume, was a novel about two teenagers falling in love and deciding when was the right moment to have sex. It is amazing how Blume wrote the novel in the seventies and yet how true it still rings to adolescents. The characters were mostly believable, Michael being a hornball, and, my favorite, naming his "manhood" and Katherine by going to planned parenthood and taking the necessary precautions. Of course, not all boys and girls are like these two, but to describe the typical adolescents, Blume did a decent job. If the novel connects with teenagers, then why is it banned from many high schools? Many people believe that the novel is not a romance, but more so explicit and too sexual. But let me ask you this, who in high school REALLY experiences romance? I know in my high school, dating a boy was mostly going to parties or more likely, going to the movies. There are no candle light dinners that many parents wished to see in this novel. If Blume was trying to write a novel that teenagers could relate to, why beat around the bush? Instead of girls reading books about having sex and the girl either a) gets pregnant, b) gets an STD, or c) dies, it is more beneficial for them to realize the feelings and complications that come with sex. Although more girls are having sex at a much younger age then when we were all in middle and high school (hell when I was in tenth grade a seventh grader was pregnant), there are still some girls who think before doing, and I think that the more books based upon the feelings that come along with sex that they read, the more informed they will be when the time comes. So to ban "Forever," does not protect the kids, but instead lessons their knowledge about it. Now why would parents want that?
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I agree with what you have to say about Forever being banned. It does seemed like it could be beneficial in a classroom. It does provide students with the complications and consequences of sex.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason parents do not want their children to read things like that is that they may somehow feel that this could encourage their child to have sex at an earlier age then they like. It's hard to say, because I don't know what it's like to be a parent, but that could be the case.
Like I said, though, I do agree with your point about how it should not be banned from schools. I think that it is something that should be taught at the teacher's discretion.
I also agree with Blume's depiction of young characters here, but think there is probably more realistic text out there to teach. I mention a few items I found difficult to believe in my posting...check it out.
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