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comment by dublinben
dublinben  ·  4618 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: 10 most challenged books of 2011
I think it's quite different to have a novel include realistic dialogue from colorful characters. It's another thing entirely to attempt to tell a story entirely in the 'dialect' of a half-literate youth. Good literature should foster intellectual growth, not promote the status quo.




riemannman  ·  4618 days ago  ·  link  ·  
This comment sends me ageist vibes. What does youth have to do with it?

Also, following proper English grammar says nothing about literacy. Maybe we should all stop criticizing the text and pick up the book and read it first.

I'm pretty sure Mark Twain's novels are a pretty apt analogy in this situation. (Not the quality of the content, but in the sense that the dialect/writing format it is written in should not directly affect what we think of the work.)

dublinben  ·  4618 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Age has nothing to do with it. Half-literacy is the problem. There are perfectly eloquent young people who would be embarrassed to read TTYL in class.
winston  ·  4618 days ago  ·  link  ·  
Twain's most celebrated character is a half literate youth.
zebra2  ·  4618 days ago  ·  link  ·  
    I think it's quite different to have a novel include realistic dialogue from colorful characters. It's another thing entirely to attempt to tell a story entirely in the 'dialect' of a half-literate youth.

I'm wholly unconvinced that the two cases here are different, especially with the specific examples given.

dublinben  ·  4617 days ago  ·  link  ·  
After reviewing HF, it appears to be entirely in HF's voice, which I didn't remember. He's still using words though.

Judging by many of the reviews from actual young people TTYL is hardly comparable. I stand by b_b's declaration of it as an insulting assault on the English language.