Putting Warning Labels On Literature

In the music world, albums get warning labels if there is anything graphic.  TV shows, movies, and video games all have a rating system for the same reason.  Books don't have anything like this.  Books can be just as graphic as all those other mediums, because unlike everything else, graphic acts happen in books for a bigger reason than themselves.  There's symbolism in every act in great literature, and this is even more true when it comes to violence.  That is the precise reason why books don't have warning labels, everything in the story contributes to the overall message of the book, to lose the violence would be losing something from the story.

Colleges have been discussing whether or not classic works taught should have warning labels on them.  That article is not in favor of warning labels, and laid out a very well-thought out, reasonable argument stating that the the burden of warning students about graphic content should rest on the professor and their ability to adequately prepare their students for anything unsettling.  In other words, teaching properly.  I agree with the author, and it really is the best course of action.

I'd be willing to bet money that isn't what happens.  Nothing is going to happen with this until somebody gets sued, a college gets found guilty, and we get warning labels on our books.  I can't believe it's taken this long, actually.  Maybe it isn't that big of a deal, but books are supposed to challenge the reader into thinking new thoughts, and slapping a warning label on a big ruins the book a bit.  You know that there will be something upsetting in the book, and it loses some of its impact when you get to it.  It also isn't good news for younger people, who are going to be discouraged from reading any sort of challenging literature because the rating isn't appropriate.  They'll get stuck reading books that are below them, get bored with books, and potentially stop reading altogether.  It may seem reasonable to give books ratings, but I just don't think it is.

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