Profanity in Literature

How do kids react when their literature contains mature content

Students+encounter+many+books+that+feature+mature+content%2C+and+they+react+in+a+variety+of+ways.

Ethan McGee

Students encounter many books that feature mature content, and they react in a variety of ways.

Phoebe Potter, Local News Editor

Coming back to school after summer vacation seems like torture for most students. You have to get used to waking up early and there’s all the paperwork you and your parents have to sign.

One of the papers you have to sign is a permission slip to read recreational books in English class. This permission slip says you and your parents are aware that there may be mature content in the books that the English teachers have available to students.

The use of profanity and vulgarity in literature has been an ongoing topic for many years and might never end. Many people do not realize that even if you take profanity and vulgarity out of books you still have the news, you still have people that use that kind of language and demeanor on a daily basis, and you still have movies that depict profanity all the time and are praised.

Literature that contains profanity is usually accused of being offensive, and it can be sometimes. However, when it comes to classic literature it provides a REAL and ACCURATE portrayal of how people act. Let’s be honest here, most students are aware of curse words and probably use them as well, so to say that they don’t need to hear that language is absurd when if they aren’t hearing in from their friends they’re probably hearing it at home.

According to teenink.com teenagers use swear words too often and in unnecessary situations, which makes them appear uneducated and immature. Teenagers that use swear words constantly, show a lack of respect for themselves and others. They do this usually because they really don’t think about what they are saying and most of the time they don’t know what they are actually saying means.

To swear literately means to take/proclaim an oath, while a curse calls upon a deity to imply harm on another or a thing. While most of those words used to express those terms are minor as compared to “the f-word” or other vulgar terms, they are still up for debate as to whether or not we should continue to allow them in books.

Teacher Matthew McNaul said, “If you decide to take profanity out of literature, how can you determine what words can be considered right from wrong?”

McNaul also commented on how profanity in literature provides an accurate portrayal to show how people really act and talk, and historical literature that may contain profanity could be beneficial for us to gain more knowledge on our past.

People use curse words all of the time. If you don’t like it you don’t have to read it.

— Ali McCaulley

With that said, should we allow high school students to read these pieces of literature that contain profanity?

Sophomore Allison McCaulley expressed her views on the matter, “It’s not a big issue to me. People use curse words all of the time. If you don’t like it you don’t have to read it.”

However much we’d all want to think that the world is a caring and loving place where everyone succeeds at life, it’s not. And the reality of it is that the majority of people (at least in the US) use curse/swear words on a daily basis.

As much as we would like to control the use of profanity in literature, it is ultimately up to the author to decide whether to use profanity and what words to use.

Teacher Kim Trostle stated, “It is a difficult subject to challenge or defend. However, I am not big on censorship.”

In addition, we allow music to use extremely profane language and most of the people that sing and write those songs aren’t as educated as authors like Mark Twain, Norman Mailer, Jack Kerouac and more.

Singers like Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and A$AP Rocky are praised for singing songs that contain extremely offense and unnecessary language. But when an author expresses how people of a certain time period were racist and sexist (and America was like that at one point) they are seen as offense and vulgar.

Junior Noah Burns stated that it’s not a big deal and that it adds to the story when talking about profanity in literature. When talking about the use of profanity in music and movies Burns said, “It’s fine. It’s a part of daily life.”

Most of it is personal opinion, however, banning literature that contains profanity would be idiotic because where would we draw the line? People use these words on a daily and most people learn these words from your parents.

Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel had an employee go onto Hollywood Boulevard and ask young children if they knew any bad words. Most of the kids said words like stupid and shut up. On the other hand some kids knew words like the f-word and other derogatory terms.

What do you think about this? If you are interested in this topic and want to read more click here.