"Has Young Adult Fiction Become to Dark?" By Mary Elizabeth Williams

 In, "Has Young Adult Fiction Become to Dark?" By Mary Elizabeth Williams, the author wants us to know that YA books, unlike Meghan Cox Gurdon suggests, hold an essential position in society and should not, in any way be banned or limited by schools or libraries. Williams states that YA books can't be compared with the past to prove a point, that although YA books have grim topics, misery is already presented in teens' lives and that they are named young adult books for a reason whether that's to experience complicated situations safely or to learn about the reality of society.  To prove her points, Williams quotes Gurdon and counters her opinions with Gurdon's mistakes. For example, she quotes Gordon saying that some YA fiction is suitable for teens and that no book can drastically change a person, then faults her for saying that all YA literature should be banned. Williams go so far as to say that Gordon's only valid point is that YA books don't contain desirable topics, Another thing she does is, unlike Gordon, include the perspectives of actual young adult. For example she quotes one of her daughters who explains that they are not called children books, but young adult books for a reason. Williams also quotes teen blogger, Emma, who explains that books are the only safe way for young adults to feel and experience otherwise dangerous situations. Williams' examples show that Gurdon's plea to ban YA books is invalidly supported and that these books have a useful and already limited-to-inappropriate-age-groups position in the world.
                     
 Williams strives to persuade readers that Gurdon's argument is invalid and that YA books present more good than bad, therefore have no colossal reason to be banned because of their ability to suggest solutions and bring comfort to already suffering teens. One way she achieves this is by using condescending language to show Gurdon as naïve or inexperienced, For example, " Do we really have to have this argument again? All right, fine. Here goes. Contemporary literature has too much sex violence, and our kids need to be protected from its depravity. So says critic Meghan Cox Gurdon, in a scorching Saturday editorial about Young Adult lit for the Wall Street Journal titled "Darkness Too Visible." Let's roll up our sleeves and get to it, shall we?" This opening is intended to show readers that the controversy of YA books is something the author is well versed in and that by Gurdon writing another negative article about the books just adds to the endless amount of articles. This suggests that Gurdon is beneath Williams and she is foolish to present an argument that is so easily refutted that responding just becomes busy work. She also persuades readers by selectively quoting teens to show the perspectives of who these books would effect. For example teen blogger, Emma, expresses reading YA lit as it ripping apart all the private parts of us and then stitching them all back together again before w even realize they aren't talking about us. This shows that the people being affected by these books are eloquent understanding teens who just want to feel and experience. This gives Williams an advantage because most everyone can relate or empathize for this teen's wants and feelings.

Mary Elizabeth Williams' article has made it so that I feel as if even some of the best critics leave mistakes in their work and anyone can argue with them. It also has made me feel that YA books actually have a slight positive effect on teens because the ones Williams quoted seem more realistic and well-spoken. One thing i'd like to see however is more pro-YA book adult perspectives so that I can get a feel for how past YA books affected other adults and what they think certain topics are useful for (i.e. a former cutting character can help a still suffering teen cutter). Overall Williams really disproves Gurdon and succeeds in persuading me that YA books have a useful purpose for teens.