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My question is similar to this thread, though nudity wasn't discussed:
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-259457.html
Is nudity in upper MG books fine if it serves a historical and symbolic purpose, its description and symbolicalness being similar to the book Lord of the Flies? There is no sex, no romance, and there’s no other purpose than being historically accurate and symbolizing innocence in a child labored environment in history, and how such labor needs to be abolished. Nudity was required in some cases of the work, and this occurs in two scenes. For descriptions, I leave it up to the reader to imagine with visual clues (showing), which I like personally (aka "his skin was coated in soil from top to bottom" as a poor example here), and in one fast pace line it simply states one is naked (telling). So, in slow pace there's visual clues, fast pace it just states it and moves on. This story is being seen through the young MC’s eyes using the same writing style my MG readers have enjoyed in an earlier work. This second book does take a step further with brief nudity, a scarier tale like HP getting darker, but there’s nothing that would suggest YA. An adventure unfolds and it's still very MG-oriented with a message of hope. I also feel it’s a coming of age book (like Oliver Twist's world), as the MC is about to turn 12—the working adult age in his world, and he's trying to live up to what's expected of him. Thanks.
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-259457.html
Is nudity in upper MG books fine if it serves a historical and symbolic purpose, its description and symbolicalness being similar to the book Lord of the Flies? There is no sex, no romance, and there’s no other purpose than being historically accurate and symbolizing innocence in a child labored environment in history, and how such labor needs to be abolished. Nudity was required in some cases of the work, and this occurs in two scenes. For descriptions, I leave it up to the reader to imagine with visual clues (showing), which I like personally (aka "his skin was coated in soil from top to bottom" as a poor example here), and in one fast pace line it simply states one is naked (telling). So, in slow pace there's visual clues, fast pace it just states it and moves on. This story is being seen through the young MC’s eyes using the same writing style my MG readers have enjoyed in an earlier work. This second book does take a step further with brief nudity, a scarier tale like HP getting darker, but there’s nothing that would suggest YA. An adventure unfolds and it's still very MG-oriented with a message of hope. I also feel it’s a coming of age book (like Oliver Twist's world), as the MC is about to turn 12—the working adult age in his world, and he's trying to live up to what's expected of him. Thanks.
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