One of my favorite books is "Looking For Alaska" by John Green, Yet, this book has been frequently challenged for a chance to be banned in middle school libraries. This book is about a few kids in high school, Mostly revolving around Miles and Alaska. Throughout the way, Miles and his friends are trying to find Alaska's purpose for doing things. Alaska tangles Miles up in her messed up world, and drags him along when the most painful thing hits her. This book shouldn't be banned because it teaches important lessons, and Looking For Alaska is a heartfelt book that should not be banned for containing "Adult Content".
In "Looking For Alaska," there are many meaningful things that should be taken into proportion with the bad. For example, the fact that Miles sees Alaska so incompletely due to the fact that he is so busy fantasizing about her that he can't see the seriousness of her pain. This teaches Middle Schoolers that you should see people through other perspectives, as someone can be hiding something terrible, yet you can't see it because you are too blinded by your own thoughts. This is really deep and emotional, and many middle schoolers need to learn that because they usually judge people by looks when really you need to find what's underneath.
In "Looking for Alaska", Alaska mentions something really important. "Y'all smoke to enjoy it, I smoke to die". Opponents may argue that this encourages suicide, as Alaska is obviously hinting. But, I don't think so. This quote shows the dangers of smoking plain as day, and Alaska is stating that smoking kills, and that you shouldn't do it. Even though Alaska is hinting that she is suicidal to a point, She also states that she knows the dangers of smoking, yet she does it anyway. "Lung cancer? That's what happens when you smoke. Yet......" This is another quote that proves that Alaska does know the consequences of smoking. And if some one's child Perseus smoking after reading this book, then it would be all on them because they knew the dangers of smoking yet they have done it anyway. Don't blame it on the book. Blame it on your child.
Many people argue that many children or middle schoolers are taking up cursing, and doing things that they shouldn't be after reading these books. They might also say that this book may influence children to do bad things because they may "copy" the book due to the actions done in the book looking "fun" or "rebellious". But I completely disagree. First of all, don't you teach your kids not to curse, smoke, drink, etc? And all the dangers of doing so? So when they read this book, shouldn't they know that this is bad already? And that they shouldn't do it? So if they do bad things like shown in the book, it's not because of the book. It's because they chose to do it on their own. A book is not going to tell you "DO DRUGS! IT IS GOOD FOR YOU!" No. In fact, most books show "How a life can go off rails way too fast" like in "Go Ask Alice" Or that "bullying to be in the 'popular' crowd is not the right way to go", like in "Blubber" by Judy Blume. So if a child decides to do these things, it isn't because of the book. It's because they chose the stupid road. It sometimes, it's actually because of the parents, like Alaska's. Conversation Over.
In conclusion, The book "Looking For Alaska" by John Green, and other books like it should not be banned. Banning a book is pointless, as it would make children go to library's to read the magical book that was so bad it had to be banned. Face it. Banning books won't delete it of it's existence. Unless you burn all of them, which I'm pretty sure is illegal :/. I don't think you should ban this book. It just isn't a good idea.
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