As Melville skillfully reminds us in her last post “To LoL or not to Lol?” technology doesn’t merely operate as a distraction from self-improvement and the like. If used properly and moderately, it can offer a world of learning and enhancement. “Line-by-line online” by Chuck Furlong http://www.kansascity.com/2010/08/06/2134175/young-writers-spin-on-the-web.html illustrates an instance of how beneficial technology and the Internet can be, specifically for teenage writers. Sites like www.inkpop.com allow young writers to self publish their work, allowing them to expose their writing to their peers. In addition, “Inkpop’s owner, HarperCollins, keeps a close eye out for potentially publishable titles”—titles which ultimately end up being the most popular with the most online viewings. So, everyone benefits, right? Aspiring young writers, interested readers, and big-time publishers? And pretty much all for free because of the beauty of the Web.
But is there a cost for doing this? Is there a cost for rewarding young writers for being popular? Obviously, popularity doesn’t always necessitate superficiality and mediocrity if viewed through a literary lens, but a lot of times it does. Don’t get me wrong; I think sites like Inkpop that encourage young people to use their creativity to write and read is a good thing, especially considering other mischievous things they could be getting into. But at the same time, most of their topics revolve around romance, relationships, suicide, and vampires; these are all worthy topics, and they’re obviously meaningful to teenagers, but from the snippets and summaries I’ve read, they seem to be explored in a self-indulgent way, similar to a lot of popular adult fiction. As someone who values the impact literature can have, I am now a bit worried about what American teens find popular in “literature.” I don’t want to be a downer, or anything; I’m not above the “pleasure” read once in a while; I love mixing a silly romantic comedy into my bowl of films that tend to be epic, complex, and artsy. But as Melville points out in her previous post, does a healthy balance exist in terms of what teens are reading these days? Beyond school requirements, are many teens interested in well-structured forms of “literature,” or no? (Shout out to my Mom, who made my sister and I read a classic text in between our unhealthy appetite for the Baby-Sitters Club books back in the fourth grade. Thanks, Mom!)
Obviously, there is always the exception; I’m sure there are some young readers who prefer less indulgent texts, but hopefully those in touch with young adult literature out there can help me out: can young adult literature really be considered “literature?” Do you think what they’re reading now will eventually develop into a taste for more complex texts, or do you think this audience will just continue to read popular adult fiction when they grow older? Considering that they are developing their critical reading skills and such, is it okay for teen fiction to be more superficial in nature? Will popularity always reign? In a country where we think we are progressive, will popularity always be the way of the world? Can authentic literature ever be popular?
As per my first post, I definitely think there is a lot of young adult fiction that can be considered "Literature." I think YA is a rather superfluous title, and Ya can have the complexity of adult lit and often without the cynicism and unhappy endings.
ReplyDeleteBut yes there is tons of YA lit that is disappointing, but a lot of adult lit is too on the bestseller list. Let's not forget that a lot of adults read Twilight as well as tweens.
To answer your question about whether a kid's taste can develop, I think definitely. However, like any other talent, skill, or desire, it needs to be encouraged and nurtured. How many parents do you think actually read literature? Not many, and kids follow what the adults in their lives do. I think if there is someone leading them to the right texts, then they will get there.