We are What We Read By Ashley Lasko

While this phrase is heavily inspired by the phrase, “you are what you it eat”, I say it in the opposite context. Rather that the books shaping our image, our books are shaped by who we are as a society.

We have recently finished finished our second unit in English, and one focal point during the unit was how heroes in a culture’s story reflected the values of the culture. We focused on Beowulf, who was described to be strong, brave, honorable, and wise. These traits, naturally, reflected the values of the Geats; Beowulf being a Geat himself. We were tasked with an essay, in which we analyzed how a myth of our choice embodied its country of origin’s values.

As I began analyzing the values of my myth to the values of its country, I began to grow curious. I hypothesized that, just as myths had reflected the cultures of centuries ago, modern books, TV, shows, and movies likely represented our society today.

Popular stories these past years, such as The Hunger Games, Lord of The Rings, and Harry Potter reflect our society's emphasis on individuality and overachievement. Stories such as Pitch Perfect represent our society's views of the importance of having a good laugh, being unique, and never abandoning dreams. Novels and fantasies such as The Fault in Our Stars place significance on loyalty, mental endurance, and pure love.

This blog may not open your mind to a completely new concept, or teach you something you’ll apply everyday. However, it is intriguing to think of how the stories we wish to tell as a society reveal our values. Simply, it’s compelling to think, next time you pick up a book or sit down to watch a movie or TV show, that the story you are experiencing is the values of world today translated for enjoyment.