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Reading by the genders
Since time immemorial, the two genders have shared a yin-yang relationship. They are completely different, yet so similar. After intense research, I have come to the conclusion that the world of reading is no different either. While the reading habits of boys and girls may be poles apart, they still come down to the same problems.
While it is common knowledge, that the percentage of adolescents who consider reading as a preferable pastime has no doubt been falling drastically over the past few years, the even more shocking discovery was that segregated researches showed far more female readers than male. A survey conducted in the UK showed that the number of boys who said that they enjoyed reading fell by a third between the ages of five and nine. It was also discovered that at an average, twice as many girls as boys read at home.
A major reason for this is that libraries (especially school libraries) are more likely to stock the kind of books that girls would prefer to read rather than boys. For instance, one is more likely to find the Sweet Valley series, Nancy Drew, Full House, etc. rather than a book on rock music, wrestling or car racing.
While girls seem to be ahead of boys as far as reading habits are concerned, there is also the problem that most girls opt for fairytales or so-called happy-ending stories. These stories portray that all ends well and this phenomenon eventually sinks into their minds. Studies show that such believers are most likely to stay in destructive relationships as adults. Most of the victims of domestic abuse are those who refuse to accept that things have come to an end and keep hoping that their love would be strong enough to change their partners’ behaviour. This doesn’t mean that children should stop reading fantasy stories, but parents should acknowledge their impact — especially if children start relating themselves to the characters in the books.
Boys on the other hand are more interested in reading non-fiction. Twelve-year-old Akber, who is not too fond of reading but if given the choice prefers to read Reader’s Digest and Newsweek instead of a story book says, “There is no point in reading fiction stories when you know it can never be true.” Boys are more likely to utilise their reading skills for material that would be truly useful to them. Most of them tend to prefer reading about particular sports, sports personalities, their hobbies, or sometimes science fiction. Fiction is shown preference only in the form of comic books and adventures and thrillers. Thirteen-year-old Rafeh enjoys reading Agatha Christie novels because “despite being fiction,” he says, “they have a certain element of suspense and the way it’s written evokes a thrill.”
Many boys happen to believe that reading books is not something boys are meant to do. They consider it less interesting compared to sports, video games and television; which are activities popular among other peers and considered “cool”. Many confide, that they would never admit their passion for reading books (especially poetry) openly for fear of social dejection. Fourteen-year-old Kulsum admits, “One of the most persuading methods of encouraging readership is by word of mouth. I am more likely to read a book if my friends recommend it rather than a teacher or librarian.” But if boys are facing the difficulty of communicating about the books they read, there is definitely a large readership that is being lost.
Schools can help out in these matters by encouraging popular boys to read and helping them find interesting material. This will make the others feel good about themselves and proud of a hobby they love.
Most teenagers — whether boys or girls — admit that though they enjoy reading, they are not able to pursue this activity due to several reasons, ranging from not having enough time, preference to watching TV, and lack of good reading material. Many are of the view that in today’s fast paced world, it is more convenient to watch a two to three hour movie based on a 350-page book rather than read it. As 14-year-old Umar, an ardent music lover, who does not read books at all states, “If the book is about a favourite singer or someone, I may read it if it is not too long,” making it very clear that he would not be able to devote too much time to reading.
Most of the children who read books always read before going to sleep at night; whether they read otherwise or not. Omar, a boy in his early teens, says that though he never reads anything except sometimes comics before going to sleep because, as he says, “they are much more interesting with their colourful pictures, and fast paced stories that can easily be comprehended.”
If we want our generations not to lose touch with the habit of reading, we have to first encourage them to read the books that they like, and then, gradually divert their interests towards more meaningful ones, but never expect them to let go off their actual interests. Rida, a teenager who plans to pursue fashion designing as her career, states: “Generally I am not at all fond of reading books, especially thick ones, but if there would be a book on fashions, trends and styles, I would definitely love to read it from cover to cover.”
Regardless of the fact whether they are girls or boys, everybody wants a fun hobby that they can enjoy. So to force one to develop a habit of reading will not arouse a love for books; instead it will drive them away. The best approach is to try introducing these children to books of their interests, and not pushing them too much. For instance, bookstores are lined with books on music, musicians, fashion, sports, sports personalities, cars, make-up and what not. No doubt, anyone can find a book of their choice.
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