Bullying As True Drama Analysis

In “Bullying as True Drama,” writers Danah Boyd and Alice Marwick describe how adults need to listen more to the dialect of young people during discussions of bullying. Upon hearing the story of a 14-year old boy committing suicide after being mercilessly bullied, they felt compelled to write the article for the New York Times in 2011. Their desire was to communicate toward concerned adults the differences between their thoughts and the teenagers. By sharing their research, they wanted adults to see the need to listen more carefully to what was being said by teenagers.
For instance, this young man requested help but many teenagers will not, since “It requires acknowledging oneself as either powerless or abusive.” (Boyd and Marwick 362). Boyd and Marwick spent time questioning and watching different teenagers for their study, and throughout the years, the teenagers would say “there’s no bullying at this school” and would often use the
Furthermore, Boyd and Marwick believe that adults should not only provide the resources but realize “recovery is a long and difficult process.” (363). A great deal of thought, preparation, and understanding needs to take place to help stop the bullying situation. “The key is to help young people feel independently strong, confident and capable without first requiring them to see themselves as either an oppressed person or an oppressor.” (Boyd and Marwick 363). The language teenagers use to describe the events of their life will not be the same language as the concerned adults. Cited Works
Boyd, Danah, and Alice Marwick, “Bullying as True Drama.” The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers, Stephen Reid, 10th ed., Pearson, 2014, pp.