Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan Essay

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Judy Blume

The title of Judy Blume's novel Forever is ironic. On one hand, it refers to the fact that although the teenage protagonists believe that their love is 'forever' this is far from the case and Katherine's affections shift over the course of the novel from one boy (Michael, a high school senior) to another boy (Theo, an older tennis instructor). On the other hand, the title also underlines the fact that sexuality changes things forever and once it is initiated there is no going back.

The healthiest attitude towards sexuality seems to be expressed by Katherine's grandmother. Katherine's grandmother sends her granddaughter frank, accurate information about sexuality. "If you ever need to talk, I'm available. I don't judge, I just advise" (Blume 1975: 118). However, Katherine and Michael's relationship also seems to be healthy. True, it is not permanent and does not last forever. But as Blume makes clear, sexual experimentation is a normal part of adolescence. This relatively open attitude towards sexuality is one of the reasons that Katherine seems to be able to regard sexual experimentation in a mature fashion (including preventing unplanned pregnancies).

In terms of the standards of an adult relationship, Katherine's priorities regarding her relationship with Michael might not be in order (she seems motivated by sexual curiosity more so than love), Blume makes this clear that this is normal and hardly unusual for a girl of Katherine's age. For Blume, the healthiest relationships are built on honesty, mutual respect, and trust.

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Katherine and Michael can be open about their needs, wants and fears with one another, in contrast to Katherine's friend Erica, who is dating a boy who is probably gay named Artie and who is convinced she can 'change' him. Even though Michael and Katherine are not together at the end of the book, they have still learned from the experience: they are not in love, but they have learned about relationships.

Boy Meets Boy

Many books about gay teens, even positive ones, portray being gay as something that is a source of anxiety and ostracism for the gay central characters. Even if the homophobia the characters experience is not validated, it can be frightening and saddening for gay teens to read about a world in which they fear they will inevitably be persecuted. In contrast, Boy Meets Boy portrays a town in which Paul can focus on navigating….....

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