This past week, I was reading an article titled "Against YA" written by Ruth Graham. In the article, it discussed why only teenagers should read young adult novels and how adults should feel "ashamed" if they read that genre.
When reading Graham's article, I thought about Disney movies and how they are made for children, yet many adults head to theaters to watch them as well. I mean, two weeks ago, I considered pushing a child down so they wouldn't be able to steal my seat for "Finding Dory." Disney is similar to the idea of young adult vs. adult literature because Disney fare is also geared for a younger audience.
Do I feel ashamed for watching something made for children? No. Do I "feel embarrassed when what you're reading was written for children?" (Graham) Not at all. I still thoroughly enjoy it, but in a different way. Yes, some of the things that once made me love young adult literature no longer apply to me, but that doesn't mean none of it applies. Think of it this way. When I was younger I used to love princess movies because I thought about how one day I would meet my true love and become a princess. However, when I watch these movies and hear the main character say she is in love with the prince I think, How can you be in love with him? You just met him, like, two days ago! However, that doesn't stop my love for these films. My favorite Disney movie, to this day, is "Aladdin." I love the music, I love the humor (RIP Robin Williams) and I love the way Jasmine refuses to marry a man she isn't in love with.
Do I feel as though, because these books and movies are made for children, we should be ashamed of reading and watching them? Not at all. However, the reasons we read are different than when we were younger. We are not trying to relive our youth. Rather, we have learned things now that would have been different when we were younger. As Julie Beck said in her response essay, The Adult Lessons of YA Fiction, "Just because you learn something once at 16, doesn’t mean you won’t have to re-learn it over and over again throughout your life."
We grow up, we get jobs, we mature, we change, but not everything about us is different. Some of the morals and life lessons of young adult literature still apply to us even as adults. Even as an adult I enjoy reading of make believe places and unrealistic worlds. I know they're fake, I know they're completely unreal, but they take you to a place of "What-if?"
Is young adult literature aimed for a teen audience? Maybe, but should that stop adults from reading and enjoying these books as well? Absolutely not.
