What disturbs me is that they are reading fifth-rate junk like this instead of the classics that used to be read in our schools.
When I was in ninth grade we read "Anna Karenina." It also has some disturbing ideas in it. But it's a great novel, with a serious moral point of view, revealing what the consequences of adultery are.
"Girl Interrupted" is just plain junk.
But this junk is written by a woman. "Anna Karenina" was written by a man.
I could not agree with you more. There are countless great novels that kids could read.
A few years ago I read a couple of Harry Potter books, wanted to see what all the fuss was about (plus for research on style as I have some writing plans). What amazed me as much as the nasty content was the two dimensional shallow junk writing. Like comic books without pictures.
Certainly sparks an interest in trains.
Wow, in the ninth grade? Where did you go to school?
I didn't read Anna Karenina until I was well into my 20s. And it certainly was never required reading anywhere I went to school!
But I agree, "it's a great novel, with a serious moral point of view, revealing what the consequences of adultery are."
"When I was in ninth grade we read "Anna Karenina.""
I tried to read a Russian novel once. As far as I can tell, people with unpronounceable names talked to each other for 750 pages, and then someone's aunt died.