You would think as people we would learn, but apparently we don't. I am amazed that Fifty Shades of Grey is causing the controversy that it is and that people are actually debating if it is true literature or not. I mean seriously, haven't we figured it out by now that literature is art and all art is subjective?
I will admit that while the book is on my list of books to read this summer, I haven't gotten to it yet, but that's not the point. I just don't understand how we can still be arguing this.
I look through the reviews and it seems that most people either love or hate this book, there doesn't seem to be an in between. People on the street are no different, complaining that this novel glorifies the abuse of women. Just because you read that a certain character acts a certain way, doesn't mean that you agree. Have you ever read a book about a crime? What about a western? Since people aren't riding around on horses through down town Manhattan, I'm assuming that people can separate fiction from reality. So this really just comes down to a moral question.
I will admit that while the book is on my list of books to read this summer, I haven't gotten to it yet, but that's not the point. I just don't understand how we can still be arguing this.
I look through the reviews and it seems that most people either love or hate this book, there doesn't seem to be an in between. People on the street are no different, complaining that this novel glorifies the abuse of women. Just because you read that a certain character acts a certain way, doesn't mean that you agree. Have you ever read a book about a crime? What about a western? Since people aren't riding around on horses through down town Manhattan, I'm assuming that people can separate fiction from reality. So this really just comes down to a moral question.
When I was in high school, I got caught reading Lolita and was sent to the principal's office. The principal berated me for reading "smut" and polluting my mind. I argued that Lolita was a great work of literature and that most people in the literary world agreed even if they didn't like the circumstances in the book. I also mentioned that it was a prize winning novel.
This educated man informed me that trash like that should never be considered literature and that I should be ashamed of myself for read pornography. He threatened to call my parents (who were the ones that bought me the book) and inform them of what a disgrace I was.
Now, back in the day, I was a little bit of a smartass (can you believe that?). I told him that I wanted him to call my parents, make them leave work, and come down to his office so that he could tell them how I got caught reading a (gasp) book.
He decided against it and sent me on to my next class, but not before warning me that I best change my ways if I wanted to amount to anything. Oh, and he also kept my book.
Now that was twenty years ago. It's sad to think that so many people still hold the same opinion as that public high school principal. What separates smut from literature and who decides? Me personally, I'm looking forward to reading the book, but if I did find it offensive, I would take the strongest stand possible for one person by not buying it.
What are your thoughts? Are we intelligent enough to make our own choices? Do erotica novels such as Fifty Shades or Grey and Lolita deserve a place in literary history? And my own personal question
This educated man informed me that trash like that should never be considered literature and that I should be ashamed of myself for read pornography. He threatened to call my parents (who were the ones that bought me the book) and inform them of what a disgrace I was.
Now, back in the day, I was a little bit of a smartass (can you believe that?). I told him that I wanted him to call my parents, make them leave work, and come down to his office so that he could tell them how I got caught reading a (gasp) book.
He decided against it and sent me on to my next class, but not before warning me that I best change my ways if I wanted to amount to anything. Oh, and he also kept my book.
Now that was twenty years ago. It's sad to think that so many people still hold the same opinion as that public high school principal. What separates smut from literature and who decides? Me personally, I'm looking forward to reading the book, but if I did find it offensive, I would take the strongest stand possible for one person by not buying it.
What are your thoughts? Are we intelligent enough to make our own choices? Do erotica novels such as Fifty Shades or Grey and Lolita deserve a place in literary history? And my own personal question
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