OK--so can you think of any novels without violence? Without injury or death? I'm sure you can--but I can think of many more that have some sort of violence. Even some of the short stories we have read have violence. For example, in The Chaser we know eventually there will be violence.
If any of you have read The Lord of the Flies, you would probably agree that the author thinks most humans are violent when given the chance and in the absence of rules.
What do you think about this? What books have you read that include violence? What kind of violence was it? What does it say about human nature? How did it impact the novel? Is violence in literature necessary? Why?
I think that most human are really violent when they have the chance. A lot of what keeps us from taking out our anger in a violent way are laws and rules that will produce consequences. The book Perfect Chemistry that i am reading right now has violence in it. There is gang violence and violence between two boys competing for one girl. Its human nature to want to be violent sometimes even if we don't actually do it. The violence in the novel just makes it realistic and true. It also just makes it more interesting. I think violence is sometimes necessary in literature depending upon the story.
ReplyDeleteIn Harry Potter there is a lot of violence that goes on not only between humans but also the wizards. During the last book a lot of death occurs in Harrys circle of friends. The way they talk about humans and each other makes you think that humans have the choice to be good or evil. In the end it up to the person. It helped progress the novel and open new doors. I dont think violence is necessary though because there are many other things that can help drive the story other than fighting and death.
ReplyDeleteI think that violence is almost necessary to keep the attention and interest from the audience. Probably the book that i've read that the violence stood out to me was The Boy In the Striped Pajamas. There was an intense amount of violence in it because it was during the Holocaust. It made the novel a lot more realistic because thats really how it was in real life during that time span. It just says how racist human nature was originally and how power hungry we were. It impacted the novel by showing how serious the issue was and how it was affecting a lot of innocent people. Violence is necessary in SOME cases. Just to prove a point. Authors really need to draw the reader in and feel like they are really a part of the action. This is done in many ways and just one of the ways is violence.
ReplyDeleteMany of todays books are focusing or relating to violence. For example I think of the "It" books. The violence in this related to abuse, and how child abuse is in todays society. WIth the violent books, the author shows the corrupt side of human nature. It can show this in two ways. A whole novel based on violence must be by a slightly corrupt author, and the readers who buy the book must be interested in violence. I believe there should be some violence in literature because it makes the reader interested. Just like a movie, when there are exciting, violent parts, the crowd gets really into the movie, just like a book or novel.
ReplyDeleteIn the book I just read called Because I am Furniture there is a ton of violence. A father of three beats up on two out of his three kids. I think violence is included in literature because humans(as a whole) love violence. Violence has been a part of our society since ancient times when they had men fight in colosseums. It shouldn't be necessary in literature but, to some people it is. I know a few people who won't even read a book unless it has something violent in it.
ReplyDeleteI agree that humans will be violent if given the chance and had no consequences of causing harm to someone. Most of the books that I have read have some sort of violence in them, usually being caused by something in the past or something that they feel enclosed about and don't want to talk about which makes them feel trapped. Humans being violent mainly just says that we have flaws and that we don't know how to handle situations sometimes. I'm not going to say that violence in literature is necessary but it's more of a reflection of real life to have violence and so without it you would be reading more of a fantasy.
ReplyDeleteThough it is sad, I believe that humans are naturally evil. I think that authors include violence in books because of that. In the book im reading now, The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult it includes violence of a girl getting raped. I think Jodi centered a book around rape because it happens almost every day to teenage girls. I do think violence is necessary to include in books because that is what makes it interesting and I think most people would agree with that. Violence is a bad thing yes but its when you can overcome it that it creates a good story.
ReplyDeleteIn the Bourne series, an ex agent of a secret branch in the U.S. government is shot and gets amnesia. Throughout the entire book he is running from his former employers and an assassin that is out to finish his job, which was to kill hi instead of wounding him. The entire time Bourne is searching for answers and no one will stop shooting long enough to give him a chance to ask questions, instead they are worried he knows to much and must be put down. This says that humans are naturally violent and will eventually destroy themselves if they continue with it. The violence in the Bourne series drives the entire novel, Bourne has to be violent to survive but the other characters are violent to kill him. I think Literature has to have some sort of violence in it so certain conflicts can be resolved.
ReplyDeleteI don't think violence should be used as a sole motivator for someone to read a book. Mindless, unintelligible violence is exactly that, and I don't think that it makes for a good read. I think it's necessity in books is conditional. If the violence is an essential part of the PLOT, I think it should definitely be in there, but if the violence is unnecessary and randomly thrown in, it should be omitted. Violence is a part of being human, and simply a part of life. I don't believe violence should be omitted from literature just because people think it's bad. If you want your book to reflect life, you shouldn't omit anything that comes from life.
ReplyDeleteI thihnk humans are violent because they think they can get away with it, which is terrible. Like allie said, we have laws and rules that motivate us to not be violent and keep us from doing bad things because we know we will get punished if we get caught.In the book "Killing Mr. Griffin" that we are currently reading in young adult literature, the character Mark is just plain evil. The kids want to prank their teach and make him think they are going to kill him, which to me is a horrible prank. Usually you just want to make someone mad by messing with their head by doing funny unusal stuff but kidnapping and pretending to kill, now that is taking it a little too far anyways.So Mark, being the pure mean one, manipulates his peers to help his with this violent prank and of course it gets carried too far and you can just guess what happens by the title of the book.Mark wanted to be violent because he had the chance to and didn't thnk he would get caught, which as I stated earlier is the reason people are violent.
ReplyDeleteIn just about every book that you come across or that you read will have some form of violence included in it. I believe that most people are and have the chance to be violent. If you could read the minds of people around you, many will have violent thoughts about one person or the other. With rules and laws in effect, many people will not show their violence due to the consequences that can result from it. Most of the books that I have read have some sort of violence or the potential for violence in them, even if it doesn't appear to be violence. In many books, the violence sets the stage and keeps the story in motion. I don't believe that every novel requires violence, but it does show the true human nature of people.
ReplyDeleteThe One movie/book that always comes to my mind when i think of human nature and the violence in it would be the Lord of the Rings series, especially the first and second movie. When they (the main characters) are in Riven dale and they are trying to figure out who needs to carry the ring and in the 2nd movie when the story is in Gondor, the Humans in the group are so concerned with trying to get the ring into their cities to give them power, instead of trying to destroy the ring, that it results in boromir dying and a lot of other people dying also
ReplyDeleteI believe that all humans are naturally evil, but the rules and laws of our society force them to be civil. In Harry Potter, you get to see the true side of his Uncle and Aunt when he lives with them during the summer. He is forced to live inside a small room under a staircase and is only allowed to have a room, when his cousin finally gets a new bedroom. He is treated very unfairly and has does nothing to deserve it. This drives Harry to go to Hogwarts every summer, and to eventually move in with the Weasleys.
ReplyDeleteI think that almost all novels have some sort of violence whether it be physical or mental. The book we are reading in Young Adult Lit right now, Killing Mr. Griffin, is full of physical and mental violence. The violence includes what they actually do to Mr. Griffin and how Mark uses mental violence to get his friends to help him 'Kill' Mr. Griffin. Violence basically says that our modern day world isn't satisfied with our own lives. We want to feed off of other's drama and pain. If the book "killing mr. griffin" didn't have the violence it wouldn't be "killing mr. griffin" it wouldn't be suspenseful. I think that some violence is somewhat necessary in literature to make the story intriguing and suspenseful.
ReplyDeleteThe book that I just finished reading was, Killing Mr. Griffin," this book from the title is about students "accidentally" killing their teacher they only meant to scare him. There is obviously violence in this book. The students took their anger anger on the teacher and kidnapped him, this included some violence. Most humans like to read about the torture of others, because it gives them a sense of wow someone else is hurting besides me and can give them some insight.
ReplyDeleteI think everyone is evil, not because they choose to be but because it is human nature. I will have to say some are more evil than others, but i also think that is a series of choices that one makes. In the book "A million little pieces" there many different events that lead to violence in his life because of his drug addiction. This just goes to just because of HIS choice to do drugs lead him to do violent things he normally wouldn't.
ReplyDeleteIve been reading this saga of books youd know them as Eragon. I CANT WAIT FOR THE LAST ONE. but any way in these stories Eagon has had to fight his way threw problems with his sword magic and dragon. Theres lots of conflict in these stories. Emotional hes in love with a woman who wont have him. He has o defeat the evil king and save the world. while also theres a war between the empire and the varden so lots of blood death and pain. Ithink its good for the story Eragon hates killing people but hes forced to in the wars and battles. so it provides a good moral struggle for the main guy. In this story it shows human nature by fighting for what you stand for and also fighting for power and greed. I think violence is necessary in certain stories like this epic tale in a big world with lots of problems. But in other stories its not needed . it seems to me in every good and evil story there will be some sort of conflict. But i really enjoy watching the change form pansy farm boy to epic knight in shiny armor
ReplyDeleteI think that just about every book i have ever read as some sort of violence in it. Some of the books that have violence are all of the Harry Potter books and the Chronicles of Narnia. The way the writers put violence in there writings suggests that humans are just naturally violent. In both on the series I named there is a war throughout the whole thing. If you think about it our country wouldn't be what it is today without violence. There are many wars in humanity. I think that violence is necessary in literature because it shows a conflict between the main character and usually his enemy. It shows the way that he tries to overcome his problems to defeat his enemy. It shows a kind of maturing of the characters.
ReplyDeleteHumans are evil and cruel, its a rare thing to find someone who is genuinely nice. I have just finished the series the hunger game and they show how evil the human population. In the books the government creates the Hunger Games because they are made at its citizens. The kill innocent children as young as 12 years old because the main people in the government are mad and they think its good entertainment. I believe violence is something that has to happen in books because otherwise it would not be realistic. Violence is a part of our world so it has to be a part of literature.
ReplyDeleteNovel without violence? BORING... I'm a guy if I was reading something without it it would be weird. All the Harry Potter, Alex Rider, Lord of the Rings books plus every World War II book I've read and I honestly don't think I've ever read a book that doesn't have violence of some sort in it. Most of what I've read has been War violence or spies killing each other that sort of violence, It's interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat. I think that it's part of society, there has always been violence even in the biblical times. I don't think it's a negative thing, it's engrained in us and even those against violence can say that they've never been violent at one point or another. I always thought that the book was interesting if it had violence it keeps it from being dull and uninteresting. I don't think it's always necessary in literature ( or in life at certain points I mean sometimes it's the only way ) but if a book is going to keep my attention it is.
ReplyDeletehumans are naturally violent because we see violence as conflict, wether it be physical violence or verbal violence. I can't think of a book without violence because, and i hate to say this but, violence makes things interesting. You've never walked by some people that are about to get violet and didn't give them any attention.
ReplyDeleteIn the book that i am reading called "Prep", A boy dates a series of girls who don't ever seem to be as good as the one he loves. So eventually he starts trying to get the girl to notice him by doing things such as violent conflict. So through this example i'm trying to convey the message that not everyone is evil, but things such as lust, and drugs can make us out to be evil.
ReplyDeleteI think that humans are naturally evil and violent. Most stories have violence in them or even like in the chaser you know there is going to be violence in the end and i think is because people are violent and that is how we deal with a lot of our emotion. Literature where u know what the main character is thinking can really show u human nature, its how they live their life when no one is watching.
ReplyDeleteI have read many books that include violence. Now that i look back and think about it, most books that i read have violence in them. This is because of the fact that my favorite genre of literature is Science Fiction. Almost all of Sci-Fi contains violence of some sort in it. This makes me think about our society. What i come to see is that violence is a big part in our culture. If you were to check, almost every movie nowadays has violence imbedded in it. It is even found in movies directed toward children, such as Tarzan, The Little Mermaid, The Incredibles, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I believe that this is shame. We should not expose our children to such wrongdoings as violence. I don't believe it is necessary anywhere. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy reading violence, but that does not mean it should be put into books and movies for kids. Nor should it be necessary in creating a story. I believe it is just one of many different applications authors can use to tell a story. One of their many weapons to choose from, one might say.
ReplyDeletePeople are naturally cruel and revengeful at some point. Even the nicest people become violent when someone the care about is in danger. I don't know that violence in necessary in literature, but it definitely makes literature more interesting. Most people can relate to feeling angry about something, even if they don't become violent in their actions they probably have violent thoughts toward whoever/whatever has made them angry. Even Disney stories have violence in them. Arol said that he doesn't agree with showing violence to children, but I remember when I was little I didn't think of it as "being mean," I thought of it as "saving the princess, or the good guy."
ReplyDeletei dont read many books but i think that there is violence in every book i have read. and i agree, i think deep down humans are violent from nature. thats why it is put in books. our society is violence prone and there really is no stopping in it so might as well put it in books
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of the crucible. I think the violence in literature draws more peoples attention and like in this story, it was just a way of living back then. If you were accused of something they killed you back then. So the story/movie was just stating what really happens. Humans do what they need to do or feel they should do, even if it has to do with harming something or someone else.
ReplyDeleteFirst thing that comes to mind is Watchmen (one of the BEST graphic novels). I'll use the film for example though. It seemingly ends, and all the bad guys have been put to sleep. Forever. Then they start showing the world, people working at newsstands, offices for journalism. There's nothing. The world exist because of darkness. Pain. Hate. Anger. Without it, we wouldn't know what to do.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I think of is the intense vampire fascination our society has. They're strong, they're dark, they kill, murder, maim, all of it. We keep going back though. We can't help it. We watch X-Men and we're fascinated. We watch Jason Bourne, James Bond or Evelyn Salt kill people, and we're on the edge of our seat. Sweeney Todd slits throats that spill near fluorescent blood while he sings and we find it beautiful. Maybe it has something to do with some subconscious realization that pain is proof we're alive. I mean, most vampire interpretations either can't feel pain or are just about invincible. One of the eternal debates, right next to world peace and which way to flip the toilet paper, is undead or living dead. Point is, pain amuses us. The Jackass preview where he gets hit with the hand the size of his body and is slapped onto his ground? I laughed as did everyone in the theater. Fight scenes in Scott Pilgrim vs the World? I was amazing.
I think this violence is necessary because it's apart of human nature, and while a book which ignores one aspect of human nature is intensely interesting and I may have to write someday, books are about life. Even if they have unicorns. Another book I can use (other than Watchmen) would be The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. They fight for their life. Without the fight, those books wouldn't exist, and they're some of the best books of our age. In my opinion, at least.