Argument Essay Draft #2

Grace Bugler 809

Argument Essay Draft #2

Banned Book: Looking for Alaska by John Green

When I was little, I used to cover my face when the characters kissed in movies. I would never want to see it because I thought it was gross. In the book, Looking For Alaska by John Green, I found myself wanting to turn away from certain scenes like I did when I was younger. This book should be banned from middle school libraries because it may influence the reader to do bad things, it may make the reader uncomfortable, and it conveys a dark message that might upset some readers.

            In Looking for Alaska there are scenes that may influence some vulnerable readers to start or continue doing bad things. Some bad things the characters take part in are smoking, drinking, pulling pranks, having sex, reckless driving, considering suicide, and more. For example, when Alaska, Pudge (Miles), The Colonel (Chip), and Takumi are all smoking cigarettes by the lake where no one can see them, Pudge asks why Alaska smokes so fast. She responds with: “Y’all smoke to enjoy it. I smoke to die.” (Green 45) When Alaska, one of the main characters, says this, it shows how she has dark issues. She is thinking about dying and possibly suicide. This might make readers think that dying is an easy way out of pain and suffering, and that it’s okay to kill yourself. On the other hand, some people might say that Alaska has had a really rough childhood and that this might be her way of joking around. However, suicide is nothing to joke around about. When Alaska says this in such a light tone it makes suicide seem desirable. This sort of tone has an effect on readers. For instance, in an article a young girl claims that she would start cutting herself after reading a book about cutting. The girl exclaimed: “ ‘I’d finish reading and immediately reached for my blade.’ ” (Carey 2) This shows that books can affect readers. A vulnerable reader might read this scene in LFA and might consider suicide since Alaska was. Authors need to be careful how they express these statements.

            In Looking For Alaska, there is a lot of graphic content that may make readers uncomfortable. For example, when Pudge and his girlfriend Lara are in a room together alone, she asks: “Just as the Bradys were getting locked in jail, Lara randomly asked me, ‘Have you ever gotten a blow job?’… And then with me sitting watching The Brady Bunch, watching Marcia Marcia Marcia up to her Brady antics, Lara unbuttoned my pants and pulled down my boxers a little and pulled out my penis” (Green 126-127). This scene made me want to put the book down and walk away. I got the same feeling I had when I was little. I just didn’t want to read or hear about it anymore because it made me feel really uncomfortable. This might make other readers, especially middle school readers, feel grossed out. There are other scenes in the book as well. On pages 87-88 the characters watch a porn movie, describing in detail what the characters in the movie are doing, and on pages 130-131 the characters have more sex while they were drunk. Some people might argue that it is only 3 brief scenes, but they are very graphic and are not appropriate for 10-13 year-olds.  

            In the book there is a dark message that may upset some readers who are trying to find a way to deal with a tragedy like death. I think that the message is to never take anything for granted. This message can be supported by the fact that the Colonel took his girlfriend, Sara, for granted and then she left him. Also, the most obvious reason is that the Colonel and Pudge and the rest of the camp all took Alaska for granted, and then she died. For example, “I cannot stop thinking that she is dead, I cannot stop thinking that she cannot possibly be dead. People do not just die.” (Green, 142) This shows how upset Pudge is and that he is in a state of shock. I know how Pudge feels; I have been through it before. It reminded me of my loss and it was a little hard to read. Once I finished the book and looked back on the message, it made me feel really sad. For 10-13 year-olds I think the message is too strong. It might put some certain readers into a depression. The opposing side might say that it is a lesson that will be learned in life anyway. This statement is true, however children between the ages of 10-13 are very vulnerable and may become depressed.

            Looking for Alaska is not very appropriate for middle school readers. I know that it made me feel really uncomfortable and I didn’t want to continue reading certain scenes. Overall, it is a good book with interesting characters; I just don’t think that middle school kids should be reading this particular book.