From Liberals to Vampires :)

Everyone in America has probably heard of Stephanie Myer’s book series “Twilight”. Myer’s fictional books about vampires sold over 22 million copies to various age groups, more than any other author. This is clear evidence of how much literature has changed in the last 60 years. In the article “On Campus, Vampires Are Besting the Beats”, the author comments and compares modern forms of what is considered great literature, with the radical writings of the ‘psychedelic’ 60’s and 70’s. The author compares college students, in particular, who in the 1960’s, were captivated by the liberal literature of Sylvia Plath, Malcolm X, Anaïs Nin, and other radical authors. For college students today, “the best selling titles on college campuses are mostly about hunky vampires or Barack Obama”. The author states, “Here we have a generation of young adults away from home for the first time, free to enjoy the most experimental period of their lives, yet they’re choosing books like 13-year-old girls”. In the 1960’s. students adored polemic authors, whereas now we live in an age where political correctness sets the boundaries in expression of opinion. Nicholas DiSabatino, a senior English major at Kent State, states, “’People think we’re really liberal,’ he says, ‘but we’re really very moderate’”. Others, however, believe that people of our time are still just as liberal but utilize the media, like Facebook and Blogger, to express their views rather than the press and written literature.
As a student, I believe that our age is too advocative of political correctness, rather than allowing students to express their opinions to any extreme in writing and literature. As Americans, we are entitled to freedom of speech and the press, therefore we should be able to convey our thoughts and opinions in writing with no limits. In addition, I think that modern literature has become more for entertainment, rather than provoking thought. Yes, “Twilight” is entertaining and fascinating in the fictionist vampire world, but what we need is entertaining literature that makes us think, that gets us expressing, that makes our minds wander.

On Campus, Vampires Are Besting the Beats

In this article the writer's purpose is to infrom the audience that college students don't read as much liturature as much as they are supposed to. "According to the Chronicle of the Higher Education, the best-selling titles on the college campuses are mostly about hunky vampires or Barack Obama." But it's not just about the vampires and Obama, it's also about new and exciting. "And seen the students snicker when i said that Melville died poor because he couldnt sell books. Then why are we reading him if he wasn't popular." Not only do college students not read liturature but they do it on purpose to escape the real world. "...but thats just for escape." For example what kind of college student would want to read about a girl or boy with cancer rather then reading about vampires and werewolves that takes them away from the stress that's going on in this world.

The intended audience of this article would usually target the college students and maybe even the teachers that teach college. It would be most targeted to them because they would be the most to change their reading habits. This article would also target professiors to help those specific college students to read better liturature in their english classes.

On Campus, Vampires are Besting the Beats

In the article, "On Campus Vampires are Besting the Beats", the author talks about how students' points of views have changed througout the generations. he states that students have shifted their interest away from books because of new technology that provide resources for political news such as twitter or facebook. The audience being addressed may be teachers who assign the students books to rea. He also thinks that students may only read more sophisticated books if they are required to and "easy, childish" books for fun. He mentions Stephanie Meyer's "Twighlight Series" in the article and says that nowadays, children are more interested with vampire books than of history or political books. He also mentions that students are looking at more childish books than those of mature levels. He does not mention in his arguement, though, how many adults have looked into these books and found interest in them. In my opinion, everyone has their own opinions on books and should not be categorized by calling them "childish". As of the technology, students spread the word too on there and people find out news on the internet. Therefore, technology helps better enhance a persons understanding on books along with provide a little entertainment.

On Campus, Vampires Are Besting the Beats

In todays society students have changed from a time when students used to read novels to a generation where everything evolves around technology, in the article "On Campus, Vampires Are Besting the Beats." The Author explains how the generation today doesn't really look much to books to get there information most use internet or other technology to get there political news for example facebook and twitter. His purpose is to show his audience the teachers and students that not many students read novels nowadays they only read novels they are required to and fun books such as Stephanie Meyers Twilight series. He also mentions that students are not reading books according to there age level. For exmaple how adults are obbesssed with the Twilight series just as much as the teens and children. My opinion is that technology advances is a good thing because it helps spread the word faster and for novels people should read what the artcle calls "chilidish" books and try reading mature level novels.

boo Twilight

The author points out that there are people other than middle schoolers that buy such novels like the Twilight series. He's stating that teenagers and college students aren't reading classic literature as they should. Books like Twilight are being placed in top 10 books to read lists. Students are reading what's just popular now. I think this article is aiming towards teenagers because it's our "problem" in our generation. I agree with David Farber and Mike Conney though. Farber was stating that a reasonable explanaiton would be that people, not pre-teens, are trying to hold onto their childhood. People are using the time to just read for pleasure, not really getting real classics. Teenagers are so wrapped into the pop culture and that makes them forget about classics and reading good literature. It's all about the next cool thing. Twilight was a huge thing, a big hype, and so it got people's attention better than something near non-existent these days to alot of people, like a book of Donald Barthelme's.

On Campus, Vampires Are Besting the Beats!

The problem of poor choice in literature is expressed in the article "Oh Campus, Vampires Are Besting the Beats". The author uses a lot of pathos, ethos and logs to engage the reader to prove his point that this generation of young adults are "choosing books like 13-year-old girls--or their parents". He also used rhetorical devices to capture the readers attention. His claim, a claim of value, is "the only specter haunting the groves of American academe seems to be suburban contentment".

The authors use of rhetorical questions emphasize the points he attempts to make. Such as in the fifth paragraph. The writer uses a rhetorical question to enhance his worry that serious literature won't speak to young people.

The writers use of ethos, pathos and logos help prove his point. The author brings in statistics when he tells of a survey of the attitudes of American college students that was published by the University of California at LA. That brings in his logos. Ethos are established when the author brings up Stephanie Meyer. Both reader and writer know of the vampire series and by bringing that up it demonstrates the speakers credibility. His pathos are shown throughout the article to keep the readers attention. An example would be "the blood drains from their shelves". his use of description helps his idea that young people are shifting towards the internet, not books.

On Campus, Vampires are Besting the Beats

Picking up a Stephanie Meyer novel is perfectly adequate and even acceptable for a weekend's light reading, but when this choice is constantly made over books with more intellectual merit- like those of Ernest Hemingway- there is a problem. It seems as though the generation of today only wants meaningless fluff and that fluff in as little words as possible. This is precisely the issue that is dealt with in the article "On Campus, Vampires are Besting the Beats." The author discusses how it is more likely that books by Stephanie Meyer and Barack Obama will creep up in college campuses, rather than those of Eldridge Cleaver or Sylvia Plath. The author credits this partially to the growing age of technology. People are more apt to turn on the computer and tune in to the television to instantaneously receive an infantile version of what a good piece of literature requires several hundred pages to develop. Because of internet developments like Twitter and Facebook statuses, it appears to be the trend to choose watered-down visages of the truly insightful intellect that could otherwise be obtained. Or, in other words, less is more. It is believed that anything you have to work for is not worth your time, when, in fact, it is quite the opposite. Sometimes the things with the most to offer require a little work, like deciphering the controversial metaphors and trudging through the complex structures of higher level authors.

On Campus, Vampires Are Besting the Beats

hmmmm"I'm on Team Jacob." "I'm on Team Edward." This is probably the only book that students talk about at school that is not class related. In the article On Campus, Vampires Are Besting the Beats, many authors and their works are mentioned. These are mentioned as rhetorical questions. Although they are not direct rhetorical questions, the author of the article mentions the authors from earlier generations to ask the readers why those authors are not considered anymore.

An example of the rhetorical question used is "where are...those challenging, annoying, offensive, sometimes silly, always polemic authors whom yound people used to adore to their parents' dismay?" This rhetorical question makes the reader think about how the well-known authors are not considered anymore.

I agree with the author in that the generations are starting to read more fiction books. They are not reading books that encourage them to think in depth. Most of the students read books that entertain them and have fictious plot. Leading to fantasy views in life. We need students to get into books that encourage them to think under the surface of the story plot.

People around the world have seem to completely changed the use of reading books. Now and days people depend on the use of websites in order to gain the information they want to know. In the article the author states that "Young people today express their politics in a very different way. They don't necessarily read their politics but get it through Youtube, blogs, and social networks." The author's purpose of this article is to explain how in this generation we should stray away from reading what is being put on the internet and replace it with bringing back books. He is speaking to students, parents and whomever else use the internet instead of picking up a novel or book.
I say technology and the use of internet websites has taken a great toll into today's generation and we hardly see people using books and rely on using google for answers. I have to agree on the how he says that the next revolution is far more likely to be a well-designed Website than book or poem because the mass use of technology now and days. Everything has become more technology related and books are being less bought probably because the easy accessebility of retrieving information and answers through website use.

On Campus, Vampires Are Besting the Beats Response

Once a product is advertised to a certain point, there exists no way for its popularity not to catch on. Books of today happen to be products more so than being novels of exceptional literary merit. The author of the article "On Campus, Vampires Are Besting the Beats" shows how kids today have been paying more attention to fads, such as Twilight, more than books of lasting appeal. The author brought up the question that a radical book not rise up again in our rage of technology. Therefore, the views presented in a book could not muster the rebellious nature of a new generation if serious literature is not in their interest. Throughout the article, the reader could infer that the author wanted more books with lasting presence in literature rather than the invading force of social networks. The author also concludes that because kids are reading these trivial books, that the next political generation will therefore be less equipped of handling political issues.

The author shares the viewpoint of an older audience, where books are supposed to provide new information and new outlook. Although Twilight will not be remembered in the coming years, its purpose is to entertain the audience rather than to inform them. The Twilight series has become a brand with not only books, but moves and clothing. Like a brand, society sees it advertised everywhere to the point where we perceive it as brainwashing. When the author stated that kids are being influenced by a novel of no merit, he or she feels kids are being brainwashed. In the article, Mike Connery brings up how kids do not get information though reading, but rather through other mediums like Web sites. As time passes by, we will most likely find ourselves using different ways to gather information.

Vegetables, or Candy?

     While children are constantly asked by their elders to eat their vegetables, they would rather snack on sugary candy. Although it is drilled into their heads that eating vegetables can greatly improve their overall health, youth neglect the benefits and continue to crave tasty treats. A similar phenomenon is occurring with this generation's college students. However, the area of concern is not necessarily the eating habits exhibited by these adolescents, but their reading habits. Recent studies have found that college students are choosing to read easier, dramatic, romantic and thrilling tales such as Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series. In the past, students dared themselves to explore challenging literary works that were advanced on a scholastic and intellectual level. Books written by authors such as Richard Brautigan and Germaine Greers served as academic'vegetables,' acting as a source of strength and providing means of building up one's level of knowledge. In the article "On Campus, Vampires are Besting the Beats," the author discusses this generation's trends in reading habits exhibited by college students. The author's purpose is to draw attention to and highlight certain aspects of this new approach college students are taking towards literary works. The author also wishes to motivate students to begin choosing books that are challenging and that make them think.
     According to the article and conducted research, the number of copies of romantic, modern, simpler books such as "Twilight" being purchased by college students greatly exceeds the number of challenging, poetic books being acquired. In paragraph 4 of the article, the author states, "Here we have a generation of young adults...yet they're choosing books like 13-year-old girls." Students are more inclined to read books that are 'treats' for the mind; ones that have a sole purpose of entertaining, and do not provide benefits regarding scholastic 'health' and 'strength.' Professor Eric Williamson declares that "students do not have any shame about reading inferior texts" (para.8). The level of amusement and enjoyment found in easier books seems to give students' minds a 'break.'The author wishes to acknowledge these arising issues and to raise awareness amongst students, professors, authors, etc.
     In the article, the author presents information regarding a lack of knowledgeable books that provide commentary on today's political ambitions in order to encourage writers to publish more advanced works. In paragraph 12, professional Mike Connery says, "I don't think that there is a fiction writer out there who speaks to this generation's political ambitions." There is an absence of fictional texts that presents a challenge to readers, and college students certainly aren't gaining any further knowledge from their literary choices. According to Connery, "People don't necessarily read their politics nowadays..." Our youth gain a majority of their knowledge from technological sources such as the Internet. This shows authors that showing an interest and improving the level of intellect associated with books can put an end to this age of obtaining information from technology alone.
     We are all taught from a very young age that the benefits of eating right outweigh the harm caused by candy and other sweets. However, we still find children spoiling their appetite by raiding the cookie jar. Although scholastic and intellectually advanced books strengthen a student's mind and challenge them to think more, students have developed an evident tendency to read simple books that only entertain. According to the author, this is due to a shortage of books that address political ambitions. In the last paragraph, the author states, "As young people shift...away from exploring their political activism in books, the blood drains from their shelves" (paragraph 13). The author's purpose in writing this article is to address the escalating issue that plagues our colleges, and to motivate authors to begin publishing more challenging works. The author is attempting to successfully call attention to this problem, and to raise awareness in college students as well.

Literature, a cancer

The horrors of modern literature. The cancerous tumor of mediocre fiction is eating away at the weak atrophied muscle of true art. Even though this bulbous tumor may obscure much of what can be called good writing, shinning through we can still see a few pure cells of true writers. I count myself among those who seek these people out and read the greats of our current literary trends.
One example that I shall hold myself by is an amazing author by the name of Terry Pratchett, who wear his political opinion on his sleeve, and it certainly shines through in his writing. Him along with others like Hunt, Steven, etc. They are true writers who still producing good works for all to see.
So I say that Literature is not dead, merely dormant. Overtaken by the current trends of dreary romance and oiled chested werewolves. Waiting for the time where it can come back and take its place as the greatest form of art in out society.

On Campus, Vampires are Besting the Beats

the article was about how college students care more about vampires than the president or things to do with politics. the author wanted to get out this information that he had and maybe wanted to know if others agreed with him or had the same idea, which was his purpose of writing the article. Vampires are honestly more interesting than the president or his political party, a lot of things said to them or about them is negative and some people do not like that or would not prefer it. subjects like vampires often are like an escape from reality and let your mind go on vacation while reading about them. we have the Internet which is also a huge factor in why a lot of people don't read literature. most people keep in contact with their friends this way as another option to cellphones. people who appreciate literature will most likely continue to keep reading it and people who prefer the Internet or electronics will most likely continue to use them.

On Campus, Vampires Are Besting the Beats

Most students in high school reads literature books for their English classes, but majority of the students likes to read fiction books. In the article,On Campus, Vampires Are Besting the Beat, the authors purpose is to illustrate that most people these days are different from before. For example, a rhetorical question that says, “Why can’t they be like we were, / Perfect in every way? / What’s the matter with kids these days?” Essentially, it is saying that people are changing. They like to read fiction books than reading literature books or about politics. Furthermore, people do not necessarily read politics; instead get it through YouTube, Blogs, and Social Networks. This could illuminate that people these days are getting lazy to read books about politics and for the economy. However, they are happier when they read fiction books. For example, the “Twilight” series by Stephenie Meyer, which made many people preoccupied, not only kids but also adults. The intended audience of this article is mostly all people who like reading fiction books than literature or politics. The author is trying to tell the audience that they should start reading about politics especially that our economy is in recession. I agree with the authors’ point of view that people should really start reading about politics. Reading about politics, could help us choose someone who is responsible enough to work in our government. Possibly, if people read more about politics, our country would have a better future.

"On Campus, Vampires Are Besting the Beats"

In the article, "On Campus. Vampires Are Besting the Beats", the author particularly argues that modern college students are at a 13-year-old girl's reading comprehension. He compares reading Stephanie Meyer's book Twilight and Steal This Book by Hoffman, and various other elder literatures. This is a matter of modern literature and it’s connection to the modern world. Twilight has sold over 22 million copies according to the article. There could be some reasoning behind why Twilight is such a phenomenal all over the world.
Twilight is written for all ages and is fairly easy to follow. It does not go off topic of the romance and fear of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen. Compared to other literature I’ve read, for example, Wuthering Heights is completely difficult to follow the story line, where as Twilight is written so basic yet so achieving to comprehend. Also, the characters in Twilight are all out of the ordinary and are illustrated as handsome men in the movie. Half of the fans are supported by the way the movie is rather than how the book is written. Stephanie Meyer created just another classic literature in our generation that people will remember.

On Campus, Vampires Are Beating the Beats

This article was basically about how people are more interested in other things than politics. The author's purpose was to make point or notice that people, typically in college, are interested in books that are for example, vampires, then who care about literature than the Internet.

I personally would choose vampires over politics anytime because that's what interests me. It even was stated in the article that nobody really reads books on politics because we have the Internet. Also, the author is making the Internet sound bad because it kinda makes people focus on other things or attractions such a Twitter and Facebook. Partly why a lot of people do that because politics isn't the number one and upmost important thing to talk about. This is how communities thrive and friends stay connected, and that's important, too. If we all just focus and read books on politics, we all wouldn't have lives. The government gives us rules and what not,but it's not the main focus in life. America is a place for expressing any thoughts and being ourselves, so why are people getting mad because we are interested in other things? Everybody is different and have their own views. It's not like those books on politics are gone; it's right here. These people need to know that while we are going through the years, our interests change as well. So for the people who thinks people who read books like Twilight are forgetting what "real literature" is, let those people be because everybody has their own definition on what "real literature".

On Campus, Vampires Are Besting the Beats

The author’s purpose of this article is to inform the readers such as everyone who enjoys reading. He begins with the topic of why students, college students in particular, choose to read such childish books and fantasy based books, instead of a book that is more intellectual, using a wider based vocabulary, and making you think more. The diction that he uses is quite intelligent, so the target audience can range from middle school students to anyone older that. He asks many rhetorical questions such as why; even though we’re free from out parents, why we choose to read books that a typical middle school student would enjoy reading. He wants his readers and audience to read a deeper level of text and begin to think and understand instead of imagining some impossible fantasy. Present day, no students are picking up an intellectual textbook but they’d rather read Twilight or some book of that nature.
Back then reading was smarter, and students could actually begin to understand the text, but as of today, no student can interpret this text unless they are taught well. It goes on to ask why we don’t read books that were only popular about fifty to sixty years ago. If they were popular then, why aren’t they popular now? Have these books lost their entertaining and informing abilities? He asks, “What’s wrong with kids today?” “Do we not appreciate old literature?” Do we no longer have that same desire for these old books as we once did?”

On Campus, Vampires Are Besting the Beats

The author’s purpose of this article is to inform the readers such as college students that enjoy reading. He begins with the topic of why students, college students in particular, choose to read such childish books and fantasy based books, instead of a book that is more intellectual, using a wider based vocabulary, and making you think more. The diction that he uses is quite intelligent, so the target audience can range from middle school students to anyone older that. He asks many rhetorical questions such as why; even though we’re free from out parents, why we choose to read books that a typical middle school student would enjoy reading. He wants his readers and audience to read a deeper level of text and begin to think and understand instead of imagining some impossible fantasy. Present day, no students are picking up an intellectual textbook but they’d rather read Twilight or some book of that nature.
Back then reading was smarter, and students could actually begin to understand the text, but as of today, no student can interpret this text unless they are taught well. It goes on to ask why we don’t read books that were only popular about fifty to sixty years ago. If they were popular then, why aren’t they popular now? Have these books lost their entertaining and informing abilities? He asks, “What’s wrong with kids today?” “Do we not appreciate old literature?” Do we no longer have that same desire for these old books as we once did?”

"Potato-chip Books"

According to the article, "On Campus, Vampires are Beating the Beats", the author claims that college students today are not reading books that impose radical thoughts of society today. In a way, this statement is true based on popular culture in 2010.

In the '60s and '70s, the author references how college students then read about and participated in the civil rights movement and antiwar protests (during the Vietnam War). Now, college students seem to be more interested in reading "potato-chip books", which are great books to read, but do not help the reader form a more significant opinion other than if they liked the book or not. For instance, during my freshman year, not only I, but my fellow peers, read the Twilight series (by Stephanie Meyer) as the first movie came out. Everyone loved how a young, teenaged girl desperately wanted to become a vampire and lose her virginity to her one vampire lover while her werewolf "friend" still had feelings for her. This clearly shows that Mike Connery's quote is true: "People don't necessarily read their politics nowadays". The way that college students suddenly "act" as children when it comes to reading "mentally-yummy" books displays an effect of how much society cares about politics today. Although the media feeds the public the news on TV and Internet, it is signficant how they do not care.

The author also addresses the fact that books by Greer, Rubin, and Thompson have disappeared from students' hands. It is not a surprise that the public pays more about celebrities today for their "great" acting than government officials for their reforms. This in turn causes the public to be indifferent toward politics once controversial issues are thrust upon them. Last year, in my pathway class, my teacher asked us for solutions to a question: What ways can we can stop world poverty? For the whole 30 minutes of discussion, very few classmates contributed any important solutions to the problem. The rest of us sat quietly, hoping to not be called on to answer. The indifference shown by high school students reflects upon their parents, whether they care about the world they live in today or not.

However, the author believes that books from great authors could take on a different form like Stephanie Meyer's books. Such a statement seems diagreeable to me in that her books are at the reading level of a fourth grader. At first, the series was interesting, but I regret reading them. Compared to classic literature, the books seem like a waste of time. As a result, hopefully by college, other students will see that world issues are more important to solve than figuring out if Vampire Diaries will have a third season.

(On Campus, Vampires are Besting the Beats) article

Kids these days are reading some unpretentious books, like Twilight for example. The article "On Campus, Vampires are Beasting the Beats" elaborates on maturity levels of young people today and compares it to the young people of the 1960s. College students of the '60s read books that were educational and sophisticated, such as Hemingway, books about Malcolm X, and poetry by Sylvia Plath.
College students today would rather read about fictional vampires having love affairs with werewolves, or whatever the plot to Twilight is. Students should read whatever makes them happy, but in my opinion, more appropriate books for this higher level of education should be a necessity. Some of these people will eventually become lawyers and doctors, and maturity will be an essential skill in their daily lives. I wouldn't want to be operated by a doctor who has an obsession with vampires because that is just unprofessional.
The article mentions that a reason why these types of books are chosen over traditional literature is because of people's desire to stay young. But choosing books that thirteen year old girls obsess about seems like a cry for help. People love the Twilight series and use them as an escape from reality. The world sets such high standards for young people today, so these kinds of books are great for students, and people in general, to forget about their current responsibilities. Fictional stories are a good way for people in our society to relax.