Shel Silverstein is the author of a book of poems called Light in the Attic. And out of the tens of poems that Silverstein features in this book, “Monster’s I’ve Met” is one of them. The poem, like all the poems in the book, is for an audience of younger children. Several of the poems that he has written in the book are considered as silly to kids, as they are supposed to be. But, a majority of the poems contain themes that promote behavior that is not encouraged in children. Specifically to “Monster’s I’ve met”, the theme that Silverstein displays in the poem influences parents and teachers to challenge that children cannot be able to read the poem. Through the various components of the poem, Shel Silverstein introduces the concept of monsters and uses it to depict the narrator’s thoughts as disturbing with his unusual interest in them.
To begin with, Silverstein uses the meaning of the poem to show the narrator’s thought as being disturbing with his unusual interest in meeting monsters. Just the fact that Silverstein takes the concept of monsters creates a reason for schools and parents to challenge the poem. One banned book awareness website even says that when it comes to why this poem causes people to want to challenge or ban it, “objections [include] the mention of supernatural themes such as demons, devils, and ghosts,”(Baldassarro, 1). Schools just do not want children introduced to the topic of monsters that have the potential of scaring them, giving them a reason to challenge the poem, and even the whole book itself. And then to give another reason, Silverstein goes and makes the narrator have disturbing thoughts as seen in the meaning of the words,” I keep meeting all the right people,”(Silverstein, 7). By people, the...
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...hallenge and ban due to the disturbing thoughts of the narrator on the topic of monsters that are not encouraged in the young children it is for.
Works Cited
1. "Shel Silverstein Poems." Shel Silverstein Poems. Word Press, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2014. .
2. Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1967. Ebookbrowse. 10 July 2012. Web. 6 Jan. 2014. .
3. Mikhalevsky, Nina. "Banned & Dangerous Art." » Dangerous American Poets. Word Press, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2014. .
4. Baldassarro, Wolf R. "Banned Books Awareness." Banned Books Awareness. N.p., 2011. Web. 23 Jan. 2014. .
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. 60th Anniversary Edition. New York, NY: A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1951. 001-158. Print.
.... Fahrenheit 451. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1967. Ebookbrowse. 10 July 2012. Web. 6 Jan. 2014. .
An icon in the writing of science fiction, Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 in a style that shows a dystopian world where books are burned, and many people are living for satisfaction and fun. This shows the digression/regression of the intellect of a future society. This world he created is likely partially inspired by Bradbury 's observations of how the society of his day and age is turning out with some extremities and imagination added in. Fahrenheit 451 first appeared as a short story with the name "The Fireman" in Galaxy Science Fiction in 1950. Three years later it was expanded and re-edited and made into the book, Fahrenheit 451, published in 1953. Being re-copyrighted in 1979 (47th printing). Ray Bradbury has an attractive life of
Although this book uses offensive words, it is such an important part of this time period. Some adults may not want their kids reading these stories in school because they can repeat the words and use them offensively. People could also feel that this book isn’t appropriate because it was written so long ago and uses old-fashioned phrases that don't teach students proper English. People will always have their own opinions.
High school students in many American schools first read this book in an English class, which has been a staple for many schools. A required reading assignment exposes many more people to the book. Even though the book is considered to be a children’s book by many, it is still enjoyed by people of all ages.
In these cases, parents protesting against the book have called it "dangerous" because of vulgarity, occultism, violence and sexual content. A quick look at the book shows the emptiness of these charges. It does however give insight into why a certain type of parent would object to this book.
In the novels Grendel and Frankenstein, two characters are presented as one of, or the, isolated and alienated main character. Both experience rejection by the hands of man, and are pushed into roles by the actions of man. Their relation to man, or their state as man’s, “otherkin” magnifies their rejection, but again their status as being “other” justifies their rejection in spite of the harshly negative results. Their status in these novels reflects much of how contemporary authors write about monsters. Out of ignorance, humans rejected their otherkin, Grendel, and the creature from Frankenstein, and as a result the rejected became violent and wreaked retribution on humanity.
The overview of this issue is why are books being challenged and banned? It makes no sense at all. In the article, “Excerpt from Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories ...
Monsters are one of the most difficult things to define. They lack a black and white definition and as result they are open to many interpretations. Monsters are capable of imposing fear on certain groups of people, but not on others. In his story, “Beautiful Monsters,” Eric Puchner creates a scenario where unlikely groups of people are considered monsters. Similarly, Jonathan Swift’s satirical essay, “A Modest Proposal,” creates a variety of different monsters in one troubled society. Both pieces of literature, however, are not simply just descriptions of different monsters; instead their underlying themes serve as a message about how monstrosity is defined. Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” clearly supports Puchner’s message that monstrosity is a matter of perspective by exploiting the differences in society and how different people living in those societies are viewed.
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Ballantine Books, 1953. Print. - See more at: http://www.chacha.com/question/what-is-the-mla-citation-for-fahrenheit-451-by-ray-bradbury#sthash.AIHUTFBv.dpuf
There are many books that have been put on a list for many years that has been banned or is banned from people or more likely children under the age of 17. These books were banned because one of the many officials, pare...
Nine patriarchs found a town. Four women flee a life. Only one paradise is attained. Toni Morrison's novel Paradise revolves around the concept of "paradise," and those who believe they have it and those who actually do. Morrison uses a town and a former convent, each with its own religious center, to tell her tale about finding solace in an oppressive world. Whether fleeing inter- and intra-racial conflict or emotional hurt, the characters travel a path of self-isolation and eventual redemption. In her novel Paradise, Toni Morrison uses the town of Ruby and four broken women to demonstrate how "paradise" can not be achieved through isolation, but rather only through understanding and acceptance.
Monsters have always been depicted as some atrocious beings that were created to inflict fear into whoever it could, in anyway possible. Monsters vary from culture to culture but never do they vary in the havoc they wreak and the fear they inflict in some. Three authors have shown a more advanced definition of what society sees as a monster.Three greatly written novels “Parasites and Perverts: An Introduction to Gothic Monstrosity” “Gothic Realities: The Impact of Horror Fiction on Modern Culture” “Civilized Vampires versus Savage Werewolves: Race and Ethnicity in the Twilight series” show clearly the theories in novels that depict others as the monster.
These school boards and parents can claim that banning this classic will protect their children from these subjects and these thoughts, and that by doing so, they can create the world to be a perfect place with love and harmony. The religious can claim all the righteousness they want, that God made the civilized man and that without religion, we wouldn’t be where we are today. However, the true nature of these subjects isn’t in that they exist, but the fact that we simply just don’t want to think or admit that they exist within ourselves. We need to use this book as a textbook to life, or a sort of guiding hand that tells us we need to realize that without our civilizations and without our rules, the world would be a much ruthless place than it is today.
Telgen, Diane, ed. "Fahrenheit 451: Ray Bradbury 1953." Novels for Students. Vol. 1. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1997. 138-57. Print.