Argument Essay:Final Draft:Should The Perks of Being a Wallflower be Banned for Sixth and Seventh Graders?

Argument Essay:Final Draft:Should The Perks of Being a Wallflower be Banned for Sixth and Seventh Graders?

Books containing sexual content, explicit language, drugs, drinking, and rape can

be alarming, especially to sixth and seventh graders. They can cause the reader to do what the character is doing in the book. It can affect them negatively or positively. A specific book that contains inappropriate content is The Perks of Being a Wallflower: By Steven Chbosky. Even though it is a good book containing many morals, sixth and seventh grade students and below should not read it because it contains sexual content, explicit language, drugs, drinking, and rape.

Sixth and seventh graders should not read this book because it contains explicit language and smoking.  “I agreed, but then my brother started saying how my sister was just a bitchy dyke.” (81) This doesn’t just show that there is cursing in the book, but also there is fighting between brothers and sisters.  If siblings fight, they may be influenced by this book to curse when fighting with each other. Another example of why this book should not be read by sixth and seventh graders:

“Can I have a cigarette?” I said. I couldn’t bring myself to say “burn a smoke.”

Not for my first one. I just couldn’t. When I lit it I didn’t cough. It actually felt

soothing. I know that it was bad in a health class way, but it was true.”

The character in the book that is doing this is only a freshman, meaning he is only 14-15 years old. If sixth or seventh graders read this, they may be influenced to do the same when they turn older. They may not understand what is wrong about smoking.

Another reason why sixth and seventh graders should not read this book is because it has sexual content and a rape scene. I think that sixth and seventh graders will not understand what is happening in that part, and they are also not mature enough to read that part of the book. This is a part of the book containing sexual content: “And I opened the door to the basement and my sister and this boy were naked. He was on top of her and her legs were draped on either side of the couch. And she screamed to me in a whisper- “Get out. You pervert.” (12) There are at least 3 more scenes like this in this book.

However, the author of (“The ‘sick-lit’ books aimed at children. It’s a disturbing phenomenon. Tales of teenage cancer, self harm, and suicide...) states: “...these books don’t spare any detail of the harsh realities of terminal illness, depression, and death. Most are also liberally peppered with sex and swearing.”

The author of “Darkness Too Visible,” says “The argument in favor of such novels is that they validate the teen experience, giving voices to tortured adolescents who would otherwise be voiceless.” If they had faced these experiences, they would know they are not alone. Also, if they were to encounter these problems, they would know how to deal with them. They would not feel alone because they would know other people have these problems and issues to deal with too.

I think that sixth and seventh graders should not read this book because it includes sexual content, rape, swearing, underage drinking, and drugs. I believe that sixth and seventh graders would not know what these things are, and what they mean. If they read this, they will learn more about sex, drugs, rape, drugs, and drinking.  They are also not mature enough to read the book, and may be influenced to follow in the main character’s footsteps.