Ryan answers “Am I the only person who was really...”

Elias asked this question about Feed:

Am I the only person who was really bothered by all the explicit content? I wouldn't have minded if it was an adult book (I adore A Song of Ice and Fire, for instance) but in a YA book, it really bugged me. And there was so much of it!

Ryan The (over)use of the explicit language is meant as a way to alienate the reader from the main characters. We read this in college years ago and the co…moreThe (over)use of the explicit language is meant as a way to alienate the reader from the main characters. We read this in college years ago and the consensus was that the grandparents or great grandparents in the story are supposed to represent the kids and adults of today. And that you're supposed to be repulsed by their language because its systematic for the younger generation to "morph" language into to suit their needs. They invent new words and phrases (truthiness, fake news), give old words new meanings (Cool, faggot) or label some words as archaic/obsolete entirely (Twattle, telephone). Eventually the language morphs so much that in 300 years it no longer resembles what it once was. The author just exaggerated the younger generation's penchant for naughty words to emphasize how the English language morphs over time.(less)

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