Sorry it's been so long, I've been crazy busy, but more on that later. Right now I want to talk about something that's been bugging me for a while.
In early February, I think it was, I saw a preview on YouTube for a movie called "The Fault in Our Stars." From what I could tell in those few short minutes it was a movie I'd like to see. Later that day, while I was at a friend's house, she showed me a book that she had recently read and really enjoyed. It was, coincidentally, The Fault in Our Stars. Later that evening I asked my mom if could buy The Fault in Our Stars on Kindle. She looked up reviews (not actual segments of the book) and said yes. I got it and started reading it.
Now, let me tell you something about me. Language bothers me more than the average person. I don't really know why, but it does, and language in a book is worse than in a movie or TV show. There's something about reading it that makes it that much worse.
When I started the book, I hadn't even finished the first chapter before I asked my mom if she was sure it was okay for me to read it. I had already encountered the s-word, b*****d, and several misuses of God's name. She said she hadn't read any of the actual book, but that now days more and more young adult books were beginning to be like that. She said it was my choice to keep reading or not, she wasn't going to tell me I had to stop.
I should have stopped then, but I kept thinking maybe it would get better. Besides, I was into the story at that point, and I figured it didn't matter. There were other not-so-great things in it, premarital sex, Augustus's view of oblivion, a two wrongs make a right view of revenge, to name some.
It took me me till' sometime in April to finish it, because I had to read it in small bites, too much and the language got to me. When I finished it, there were more trailers out and everyone was was excited for the movie. I was too, and I hoped the language wouldn't be as bad as the book.
Yesterday I looked up the Common Sense Media review and the Plugged In review of the movie. I was disappointed by the amount of language it had. "One f-word, six s-words and a smattering of other bad words, including "a‑‑," "b‑‑ch," "b‑‑tard" and "h‑‑‑." God's name is used as an expletive about 30 times, twice paired with "d‑‑n." " (Plugged In's list of the language)
My first thought was: "Why does it matter? I read the book full of language, why shouldn't I see the movie?" But the more I thought about, the more wrong it felt. I'm not saying I can make a list of reasons why it's bad to go see the movie. I can't and I'm not going to try. What I am saying is that it felt wrong. Thinking about going to the movie just didn't feel right. I wondered why. If anything, the language in the movie should be easier to take.
I still don't totally get it, but what I do get is this:
1. I shouldn't be doing any thing I wouldn't God be there with me for. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to watch a movie with God where His name was used as an expletive around 30 times. I realize nothing is perfect, and it is completely unrealistic to avoid anything that takes the Lord's name in vain, but 30 times in 125 minutes, among other bad language, is what I consider to far the other extreme.
2. You aren't the only one paying attention to your choices. I have to friends who are almost 11, and 12, and one day they asked if I had read the book. I said yes and asked if they had. They said no, and the conversation, which always moves rapidly with them, kept going. Later, on a different day, their mom asked me about the book. I told her about the language, and other stuff. *Bella, who is only like, 8 moths older than my sister, said "But Kat has read it, why can't we?" Now, I am several year older than they are, but it sorta hit me that everyone sees what I read, and regardless of how old I am, I still should be setting a good example.
So that's what I have to say about "The Fault in Our Stars". My goal in writing this was not to convince you not to go see it. I honestly don't care whether or not you go. My goal is to educate about the book, and my reasons for not seeing the movie. I really do wish that my friend had told my about the language in the book, because I wouldn't have started it, and "The Fault in Our Stars" would be nothing more than a movie with too much language.
*Not her real name
Peace Out!
well said.
ReplyDeleteGreat job!
ReplyDelete