I was excited to have the opportunity to read Forever again and hoped I'd have a very different perspective this time around than I did when I first encountered the text. I wasn't disappointed. Even though I'm older now, I found myself still drawn into the character of Katherine and the decisions she made regarding sex and love. The largest change this time around was that I didn't want to advise her as a high school friend would, but rather as a teacher. I kept questioning myself as I became more involved in the story, "Would any of my 7th grade girls be struggling with this same issue?" The answer is, of course, yes.
I'm continuously amazed at the depth of decisions that young girls are making now compared to my own teenage years. Being 12 years old isn't quite what it used to be and kids seem to be experimenting with sex at a much younger age. One issue that comes to mind from last school year involved cell phone pictures. My building had to ban the use of cell phones on school grounds because kids were sending sexually inappropriate photos to each other and forwarding them to friends while in school. What may have started as a photo meant only to be seen by a boyfriend or girlfriend was suddenly passed around an entire grade level. Teachers used to think cell phones should be banned so kids wouldn't cheat on exams...oh, how the tables have turned.
As I read Forever, there was one item that just didn't ring true with me - the fact that Katherine's parents were so "trusting" of her and her sexual decisions. The use of the den for make-out sessions is laughable to me - what parent would think they weren't providing the opportunity for sex with a rule like that? Whenever Katherine and Michael found themselves alone, I kept expecting the next section to read:
The phone rang and Michael reached over to answer it. I heard high-pitched screeching from the other end of the line; one so high and loud that Michael had to pull the phone away from his ear. He made a face that left no question. I heard a sudden click, and Michael dropped the receiver into its cradle. "Your mom requests your presence at home," he said, untangling his body from mine.
One point that Trites made that I found interesting was when she said, "Many YA novels seem to assume that the reader has a sexual naivete in need of correction" (85). Just because Katherine was new to sex, does that mean all of the readers who pick up Forever are too? My guess is most aren't new to the idea of sex, especially based on the conversations I overhear from middle school students. I guess the question I have is this: what type of material should schools direct students to read that involve sex? Material that depicts accounts from the character's point of view or more researched material? It's undeniable that young girls (and perhaps boys) want to read books that demonstrate the feelings involved with sex and love - not just a description of the act itself.
One other item I thought worth mentioning in Trites was the quote she pulled from Forever: "I think it's just that I'm not ready for forever" (220). The view here is that having sex means forever, as many young adults believe it does. It takes life experience to know whether that's true or not, and while some teenagers are willing to experience it for themselves, others would rather live vicariously through the experiences of others.
I am amazed by what younger kids are getting into these days. I have a similar story to the picture texting but that was in high school. 12 year olds having cell phones is weird enough for me, let alone worrying about what he/she is doing with their boy/girlfriend in between recess and storytime.
ReplyDeleteIt was tough for me, the lonely male in the class, to read. The information was solely from a girl's standpoint, and frankly, none of that stuff was real interesting.