What's an Adult -- Censorship of Children's Reading Material

[Penny & Bryce]

No: HPFGUIDX 25153

Hi --

Bente13 at peoplepc.com wrote:

> 
> Not entirely, but in a way I think it does, yes. More so than simply
> turning 17, 18 or 21, anyway. Wouldn't you agree that an adult is
> someone who behaves like an adult? Someone who takes on adult
> responsibilites and makes adult choices? *After* they have grown up
> chronologically, I mean?

Sure, being an adult means taking on adult responsibilities.  What is it 
though about Percy making a choice to live at home for at least a year 
while beginning his career that is *not* an adult-like action?  Strikes 
me that his choice could have been motivated by finances.  I just didn't 
get that part of your argument.  That's all.  :--)

 > The stronger part of my
> argument, though, was that Cedric and Fleur, both of whom were over
> 17, 'of age' according to Dumbledore, were referred to in GoF
> as 'boy' and 'girl'. This doesn't argue that JKR thinks of them as
> full fledged adults; at least it doesn't seem so to me.

Might be that she used the terms "boy" and "girl" more because they are 
still students rather than a reflection that she still considers them to 
be "children."  There's also Harry's POV to consider.  He sees them as 
students and therefore as a boy and girl rather than a man & woman.

Jennifer K raised some points about adult supervision of childrens' 
reading materials.  I was actually a voracious reader as a child, and I 
read at far beyond my age level.  Like Bente, I read Gone with the Wind 
in the 3rd grade in fact. But, I was the child of non-readers.  My 
parents eventually just let me read whatever I wanted, with little or no 
input from them.  Despite the fact that I am a huge reader, I'd like to 
think that I won't censor my children's reading materials.  My arguments 
about the later volumes of HP maybe not being appropriate for younger 
children is more to point out that I don't agree with the 
characterization of the series as a childrens' series -- not that I am 
in favor of censoring the material from children who are ready to read 
it.  I just don't think that very many children will fully appreciate 
the complexities of the later volumes ... or at least what I expect will 
be the complexities of the later volumes given GoF.  <g>  I will 
absolutely allow my kids to read HP at whatever age they can read the 
words, but I don't imagine that they will fully appreciate it until they 
are older.  I too read books as a child that I appreciate more *now* 
when I re-read them.

I think I rambled a bit above.  But, I did want to clarify that I'm 
absolutely against censorship of reading materials.  I think it's a good 
idea for parents to be actively involved in discussing books with kids 
(but not prohibiting them outright).

Not sure I made any sense at all....

Penny