Non-Fiction Critical Analysis

           In "Has Young adult fiction become too dark?" Mary Elizabeth Williams refutes against Meghan Cox Gurdon's argument and inform readers on how YA books provides a safer environment while also giving life experience through literature that can rip open some scars. One thing the author does is by including her own childhood experience with YA books, such as "Flowers in the Attic". She relates how not all teen readers do things described in the books. She also refute against Gurdon by suggesting she is the mother of two children and that she cares about the books her children read. But she says, "you can't compare what's crowding the shelves now with a tiny handful of classics that have endured." She then include opinions from young readers around the world, such as Emma and her own daughter. By doing all this, she shows how YA books may have change over the time, but teen readers enjoy reading about the characters, and to learn things that scared and fascinate us.

        Mary Elizabeth Williams wants to persuade readers that YA books provides good experience, and can feel things people deemed too inappropriate in the safety and comfort of literature. One way she achieves her purpose is by only including the perspectives of teens, for example, "good literature rips open all the private parts of us-and then they stitch it all back together again before we even realize they're not talking about us." She argues that good literature are meant to influence readers in ways without actually writing about them. She encourage readers to feel sympathetic toward herself, a mother who wants the best for her children. Also, she purposefully include the perspective of her daughter, because kids know what they want for themselves.
 
        The way Mary Elizabeth Williams have written about YA books changed my perspective. She made me think that YA books are good for teens and can actually help them in some way. By carefully picking certain quotes, she convinced me YA books heal the scars of troubled teens.