Critical Research Topic Proposal

By Anonymous -
Essential Question:

In what ways does adolescent literature reinstate the sensitivity to violence lost by the modern day desensitization forms of mainstream mass media development?

Focus Questions:

  1. How does sociopolitical events and reports contribute to desensitizing?
  2. Does the exposure to violence in movies, video games, and television series ultimately desensitize the audience?
  3. Does the perceived low attention span of modern day adolescents contribute to the higher interest in movies (which tend to last 1-2 hours) instead of books (which may take days to read)?
  4. With the increasing amount of violence in mainstream media outlets (i.e. News Channels and Social Media), is desensitization inevitable?
  5. How do adolescent novels (such as the ones listed below) contribute to re-sensitizing those who have become numb to violence?  Is this true for every reader?
  6. With rising racial, social, and political tensions, how does adolescent literature offer sensitivity to other views?  In other words, do these novels provide clarity to the viewpoints of other people?


Overview and What I Know:

Growing up, I always heard that "video games and movies are too violent."  I blew it off because I didn't think it was a big deal.  It's just a game anyways.  However, now that I'm growing up, I'm starting to understand what "too violent" means.  Young adults are able to watch horrible violent acts performed in movies.  Torture, drug use, sexuality, and war has become an attraction in the media.  My topic will discuss how desensitizing occurs in the media and how literature combats it by re-sensitizing adolescents.  Violence is prevalent in our society.  It happens in our homes, our personal lives, our cities, states, countries, and in our world constantly.  Intolerance - from all people - is at an all time high.  My topic comes down to this question:  How does literature combat our callousness created by the media?

Why I Selected My Topic:

 In my past, I have been exposed to many different forms of violence.  This topic touches home for me, and I feel that it is important for people to realize that they are becoming numb to the dangers of the world around them.

Titles of related books:

A Long Way Gone, The World Made Straight, Prisoner B-3087, Crank, and Fallen Angels

Types of Resources:

I plan to use articles that discuss the violence in modern media and its effects on adolescents.  I think that articles that discuss war and its affects on young adults (in relation to A Long Way Gone and Fallen Angels).  I think academic journals will be my aim for these.  I also want to touch on the historical relation of adolescents to war and violence.  In regards to sexual violence, I want to talk about negative coping mechanisms (drug abuse).  In this, I'll use studies done on the relationship between these.  Most of my resources will come from databases and academic journals.

Challenges:

I am easily distracted.  Staying on topic and holding my focus will be a big issue for me.  I like to go off on tangents a lot.  These are internal issues.  Externally, I am under a lot of pressure with all my classes and have a lot due within the next few days.  I'm afraid that with how pressed for time I am that I will not do justice to this topic.  In a rush of papers, finals, and assignments, I may end up leaving off important information due to a lack of focus.  I need to keep this in mind to keep on track.

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