Young adult literature is clouded by misunderstandings and prejudices. The genre is seen as a negative influence on young adults or is seen as a stepping stone through which teenagers make their way to the "classics". Stories in YA novels are seen just as stories; rather than reading the text critically like a classic novel, YA texts are read to get young adults to read. The common thought is that critical thinking should be left to the classics because they are literature with a capital L. Reading a novel for the story is perfectly acceptable but limiting a text is wrong. Young adult literature should be treated the same as classics, meaning it should be read with critical thinking and diverse critical theories. I can't read a novel without wanting to know the historical moment in which the novel was written: what was happening at the time this author was writing and why did he write about this topic? Shouldn't we do the same by investigating today's novels? They will surely long after you and I leave this world. Literature is steeped in history. Current literature is full of present history and current events. So, what is the harm of thinking critically and applying critical theory to young adult literature? This genre resonates with teens and adults for a reason, and it's imperative that readers think critically about all literature, not just literature with a capital L. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Uglies by Scot Westerfeld is the first book in his trilogy, the Uglies series. The protagonist, Tally, lives in a dystopian world where everyone is "the same". Everyone gets surgery on their 16th birthday that makes them beautiful. If everyone is beautiful then everyone is equal. There are three phases in this world. At first it's ugly, pre-op, then it turns into cute, then into middle cute where you "choose" your career, and the last phase crumbles. Tally becomes friends with a girl named Shay who runs away from the city to be with a group living in nature; Smoking, a place where everyone is ugly because they run away from the doctor's office. Shay's escape has led to Tally being interrogated by the Specials who are the hand of the force in the city; they threaten not to let Tally have surgery unless she helps find the group where Shay escaped. Tally, regretting her decision, agrees to the terms. Once Tally gets to Smoke, her feelings begin to change and she decides to hold off on notifying the authorities of her whereabouts. Tally begins to develop feelings for David; however, Shay also has a crush on David and this comes between the two friends. Tally notices beauty in things she never thought could have beauty; he sees the beauty in working with his hands; sees the beauty in David's smile, even if it is ugly, because it shows kindness and love; he sees the beauty in nature and begins to question the entire system in the city. After learning from David's parents, who are the previous doctors who administered the surgeries, that the surgery literally changes inhibitions and lesions become present that were not present before, Tally understands why people would run away. She comes to the camp as a traitor but begins to embrace the bad lifestyle. Tally's version of beauty is shattered and she must choose which version to embrace. ScotWesterfeld creates a world in which everyone becomes beautiful and therefore equal. In this world there are no diseases, no eating disorders because there is no need to look better than anyone else because everyone is already beautiful, and there are no wars or arguments over the appearance of others or the color of people's skin. Individuality is taken out of the equation. Looking at Brutti through political criticism we can find many arguments that the author calls into question. In this, citizens must renounce their individuality; this creates a peaceful world without selfishness, but the loss of individuality occurs without consensus; but as I said, harmony and peace are achieved. So, what's the harm in giving up a little personal freedom for the sake of harmony? Looking through the lens of political criticism, this novel is able to challenge the issues facing society today, an appreciation that can apply to many other novels in the YA genre. Westfield not only shows the dangers of its dystopian world, but also complicates matters by showing that perhaps not everything about an oppressive government is bad. On one hand there is the thought that people should have the choice to have surgery, but on the other hand it is for the greater good that people don't have the choice to have surgery. With Big Brother and NSA leaks in the news today, looking at this text through the lens of political criticism seems like a good idea. Maybe that's why dystopian novels are so popular, because they deal with current issues. If I had read the novel just for the story I wouldn't have gained so much from the novel. Furthermore, I would have done the author a disservice. Throughout the novel, the ugly are kept separated from the beautiful by a river and a clear physical difference. They live in two different cities. Since the uglies are pre-op, their inhibitions were not removed, but the lesions inserted. Keeping the two separate ensures that the ugly cannot have influence over the beautiful. The river represents power. Separation is a form of power that the government uses. If someone has to run away, he does it when he is ugly, when he is young; this has significant meaning for me. Once a bad guy makes his way through the system, he doesn't have the willpower to change; they were indoctrinated and literally brainwashed after the operation; they are tied to the system for life and can no longer escape it. Tally and Shay talk about hoverboarding; they see no reason why they can't sneak out and hover aboard once they get cute. However, they finish their thought, Tally says, "Besides... just because we get the surgery doesn't mean we can't do stuff like that" and Shay replies, "But beauties never do that, Tally. Never;" I believe this scene helps Tally later in the novel understand that the operation really changes a person (Westerfeld 49). Separation gives the impression that getting nice is the only choice; thus, even if they are voluntarily forced into an operation, Westerfeld shows that the government may give the appearance of free choice but in reality has simply deprived them of all other choices. Another power seen through the lens of political criticism is the power of individuality or the absence of individuality. The operation makes you the same but takes away individual physical characteristics. No person is more beautiful than another person. In the action of stripping away individuality Westerfeld shows how important and powerful individuality is. Shay talks to Tally about how rusties lived: “Everyone judged everyone else based on appearance. Taller people got better jobs and people even voted for somepoliticians just because they weren't as ugly as everyone else” (43). An individual might be more successful based on their individual physical characteristics. The society that Shay and Tally are a part of has an obsession with beauty, but highlights the flaws of the old system. Those flaws in the rusty society resemble today's society. Although the great criticism seems to focus on Tally's society, through the lens of political criticism I am able to stop and contemplate the above quote. I would say that we are not at the point where someone is elected because they are better looking; However, our society thrives on what is beautiful and popular. Is Westerfeld implying that our society is going in this direction? There is nothing wrong with being beautiful, but letting beauty influence your every decision can lead to destruction; It says something when people are so willing to give up individuality for peace and how bad things must have been. The only beauties mentioned who have ever escaped are David's parents. After the second surgery in adulthood, some people have lesions removed based on their profession, "Every negative worked in the same type of profession... firefighters, guards, doctors, politicians and everyone who worked for special circumstances" (252). David's parents explain to the beauties whose jobs require quick reactions or face danger if the lesions were cured, but everyone else still has lesions on their brains. The powers that be are limiting some brain functions to some people. David's parents no longer wanted to help an oppressive system that essentially kidnaps a person's mind and thus cages them in the system for life. In the minds of David's parents and everyone who lives in Smoke, the government has overstepped its bounds. Having students read this text can spark valuable class discussions. The intentions of the operation were created and implemented as a result of extreme war and chaos; people will take advantage of such circumstances. Students can engage in a discussion about government. Do they believe the operation is justified if it brings peace? Would society be the same if they hadn't placed lesions in the brain? Otherwise, those in power have lied about cosmetic surgery being performed to achieve harmony; cosmetic surgery means nothing but is a catalyst to take away people's free will. This particular YA novel sheds light on a society that does not promote critical thinking and is controlled by the government. Critical thinking is power. Uglies may be willing to undergo the surgery, but could it be the result of being told it's the best thing to do? Are the ugly ones really making their choice of their own free will? High school students might go to college because they sincerely want to, but many go because it is what is expected. They have been taught that if they want to be successful and get a good-paying job they must attend college, so many high school students happily enroll in college because "it's the thing to do." They are told they will figure out what they want to do in college, but why is college the catalyst of choice? Once Tally is presented with another thought, another way, she is able to think and begins to think critically. Teaching a point of view does not promote critical thinking. Although ugly, Tally still has the ability to think critically. Those who have undergone surgery can think, but in a sense they become ethnocentric; they only think about their way of life and all thatbecomes harmful. Without perspectives that challenge our views, critical thinking as a form of power and as a resource remains untapped and becomes useless. If only academia thought critically about YA novels; they would come to the conclusion that these books are rich and oozing with pertinent issues and potential, untapped potential. Unfortunately right now, many of these potential romances will remain just that, potential and untapped. Westerfeld challenges an omnipresent government and highlights that the government keeps secrets. From a political point of view it is obvious that Westerfeld criticizes this form of government, but at the same time the secrecy and control can be justified. He wonders what secrets the government should keep, if any. While the government in the city keeps the Special Circumstances Division secret; many don't even believe they exist, but have that fear that they might be real; this keeps everyone in check. Through the political lens we see Tally and the rest catwalks are thought-provoking, critical and highlight the dangers in a society where there is an omnipresent, all-seeing, all-knowing Big Brother. Is the reader challenged to think critically about their own society and government? It's difficult to read a novel and not take anything away from it. The Special Circumstances Division works similarly to how the panopticon works; people do not know whether they are present or not but only the possibility that the CS exists maintains order. Westerfeld creates a system in which Big Brother works best; however, Tally and the fugitives question and rebel against this form of government. Does the scientific committee, in its actions, oppress people to keep the injuries a secret or are its actions carried out to keep people safe? Even if the scientific committee keeps the peace, does that justify caging an individual's free will? Westerfeld portrays a society that functions under these conditions and everything seems to run smoothly. Young adult novels like The Uglies challenge readers to contemplate these issues that are so relevant in today's society. Is a society without personal freedom really that bad? Tally wanted the surgery because it was all she could think about while growing up; she legitimately wanted to be pretty, but if she had known all along that her brain would be riddled with lesions that would remove her inhibitions, would she have wanted the surgery? Is Westerfeld showing the power of education/indoctrination? The fact that surgery is necessary is overlooked by the populous people and they willingly accept surgery where they have no say in their appearance; surgery is their only “choice.” Thus, some freedoms are given up for the common good. At what point should people say enough is enough? I think Westerfeld shows that educating people in a certain way, as well as a sense of fear, can continue to push the line even further back. If the media and government continue to paint some people as terrorists, then almost everyone will ultimately see no problem in taking away those people's freedoms to ensure that their own freedoms remain safe; the same thing is happening, but people are giving up their freedoms. I can't help but think about the education system and the fact that if someone doesn't finish high school or college their chances of success decrease; essentially, if a person doesn't go through the system completely, they are considered useless to society. To be a functional member of society a person needs education. The Specials raided Smoke and brought nearly everyone back to town.