Aronson - What is Real About Realism?

 "So the next time anyone asks you, "Is it realistic" or "What message does it send," answer, "No, it is profound, and because of that the teenagers who read it will find their own messages, which they will receive in their own ways." (Aronson, 2011).

Teenagers are smarter than we give them credit for.

If one is given a book that clearly defines its morals and its message, it is not a guarantee that the reader will agree with that message. Teenagers can form their own opinions regardless of what they are told they should think and believe. Of course, they are influenced by what they read, see on tv, read on the internet, hear their parents and teachers say. But if one believes that teenagers will only blindly repeat these things, one would be mistaken. Sure that many happen at times, but really what is happening is that the teen is forming their own views based upon those around them. They may repeat what they her the most and think that it is what they believe, but in reality they are just repeating someone else point of view. When a teen actually cares about and begins to think about a situation or idea, they will form their own opinion and may realize the opinion they repeated was not at all what they believe in.

By giving them books that push a moral but fake reality will not necessarily turn a teenager against adults as Aronson implies, because teenagers are smarter than many adults are willing to believe. They are not yet full fledged, responsible adults but they are not young, carefree children either. They have thoughts and beliefs of their own, even if they do not know how to vocalize or explain them well or at all.

Giving them access to books that make them think and come to their own moral beliefs is where I agree with Aronson. Teenagers will come to their own conclusions. however, I believe that they will do so no matter what book they are given. They can see through a fake reality that is being pushed upon them to press a moral belief into their mind. A good portion of their life is within a fake reality. There are reality television shows that are not all that "real" to begin with. Anyone can go on the internet and create a new image of themselves for show. So what is real for a teenager? That is for them to decide.

Sources

Aronson, M. What is real about realism? All the wrong questions about ya literature." Exploding
             the myths: The truth about teenagers and reading, 79-84. Latham, MD. Scarecrow Press,
             2001.