9/16/13 A Writing about Writing

Why are so many people afraid of books? Because they carry a strong message that not everyone agrees with, and in this time period, the world, especially America, is afraid to have arguments. If someone suggests his or her favorite book, and someone else reads it but hates it, he does not share his opinion. He politely says it was okay but there were some parts he disagreed with. The best way to learn from books is to discuss them and try to more deeply understand the message of the author. Behind every book there is another story; by banning books, important ideas are being covered up that have a right to be published and need to be seen. America is obviously not nearly as extreme as Nazi Germany, but in The Book Thief  Hitler burns many books because they are not to his liking or go against his ideas. If people would have been able to read them, maybe the Holocaust would have ended sooner. Books expose other points of view that could potentially save thousands of people. Parents naturally want to protect their children, and blatantly, they are not going to allow their six year old to read The Perks of Being a Wallflower, but when they are mature enough, it can teach valuable lessons about the hardships of high school, like drugs and suicide. Children should not see everything right away; as they become more independent and have to make their own decisions, books can help them in ways others cannot teach that same lesson. Characters are relatable and can help just as much or even more than a real person. Their story provides a connection with the reader. Both fiction and nonfiction books can give an audience a mentor or a person that they realize made poor decisions, so that they can learn from those mistakes. If one is not exposed to books, they will be blind to the things happening around them. The influence of certain books makes a person an individual and helps create opinions about a variety of issues. Without books, the world would be sheltered, and the newer generations would be one instead of a group of different personalities.