Comments on: Should we be concerned?

By: D. A. Hosek

D. A. Hosek — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 18:34:52 +0000

I’ve long had a tendency to take on personality characteristics of characters in novels I’ve read. It left me afraid to read Lolita for years.

By: Gilbert J. Avila

Gilbert J. Avila — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 07:47:53 +0000

I believe “shank” is a verb form and “shiv” is a noun–“I took out my shiv and shanked that rotten stoolie.”

By: Mike Mullin

Mike Mullin — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 05:12:47 +0000

Well let’s see… if reading caused violent behavior, our prisons would be highly literate places. In fact, the opposite is true: http://justice.uaa.alaska.edu/forum/24/2summer2007/b_literacyinmates.html

By: Laurie Marbas

Laurie Marbas — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 04:40:43 +0000

Interesting thought…I guess I should put down my murder mystery before seeing my noncompliant patients. But then again it might be helpful…

By: Jessi

Jessi — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 22:20:36 +0000

I do wonder how much is due to the actual violence and how much is due to the exciting climax. If the climax is exciting, it could get the students more aggressive because they’re excited. (Maybe an action packed climax about two people racing would have the same effect as the two people fighting?)
I know books can influence my actions, since when I started reading books about heroes, I wanted to be brave, like those heroes. This might have caused a little more aggression since I didn’t want to back down since that wouldn’t be heroic. In the long run, I think it influenced me for the better since it made me more willing to stand up for others.
I don’t think aggression, in itself, is the problem. For example, a man who stops a kidnapper from kidnapping a child might be more aggressive than a man who cowers in fear and lets it happen. None of the studies I’ve seen show if books are making kids more villainous or more heroic.

By: RamseyH

RamseyH — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 21:24:56 +0000

I don’t find this surprising in the least. If the Brothers Karamazov could change the way I relate to the world in a positive way, I’m sure there are many negative examples. The key, as you said, is being open to the change. Most of us are not open to becoming “more violent.” But if we read with the right mindset, books can change us in wonderful, powerful ways.