Censorship and the the Banning of Books is Hurting Our Society

1164 Words3 Pages

What do The Color Purple, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Giver, To Kill a Mockingbird, Brave New World, Summer of My German Soldier, and The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Thing have in common? They are books on the American Library Association’s list of the one hundred most commonly challenged and banned books from the year 2000-2007. For various reasons, these books were found unsuitable for public audiences, and an appeal was made to a court on to ban them. From profanity to sexual content to homosexuality, groups have found reasons to challenge the books presence in libraries. But, the problem with banning books is that they shine a light on issues in our culture that need solved. If those books are banned, then we may not realize what our problem truly is. Some books can be the slap in the face that wakes our culture to a new problem that needs addressed. If those books are banned, how can our culture move on? It is impossible to please everyone. This is a simple fact that cannot be argued. Books are a form of expression, and not everyone will agree with the way an author expresses him or herself. For example, according to Pastor John Hagee, “The books and films teach moral relativism and numb the minds of children to profanity and off color humor. Many of you believe it's just harmless fantasy, but its fantasy laced with witchcraft and demonology,” (2007). This was in response to the Harry Potter series, the number one most challenged book for the years 2000-2007 (ALA). The issue is not about how the books have inspired many children to read, it is that they are saying spells that the author has invented. If books are banned because they offend one group, we will not have any boo... ... middle of paper ... .... As always, young readers will be the real losers.” She is absolutely correct. Chonin, Neva. "Banned Books Week Supports First Amendment Rights." Retrieved on 16 Dec. 2008 from Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale.http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/ infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010489205&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=minf80709&version=1.0 Steffens, Bradley "Library Censorship Is Not Justified.". Retrieved on 16 Dec. 2008 from Opposing Viewpoints GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010090221&source=ga le&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=minf80709&version=1.0> ALA, Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books in 2000-2007. Retrieved on 18 Nov. 2008 http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlists/TOP_100_in_200 0_2007.pdf

Show More
Related

  • How Banning Books Marginalizes Children By Paul Ringel

    390 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the article How Banning Books Marginalizes Children, the author, Paul Ringel, states that approximately fifty-two percent of the books banned in the last ten years illustrate “diverse content”, such as race, religion, gender identity, etc. Ringel believes that attitudes about which books are “appropriate” for kids to read have too often suppressed stories about different cultures and life experiences. He basis his argument around the pretext that when libraries stop the banning it will allow kids to learn how to navigate imaginary worlds filled with differences and apply those lessons to their own lives.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay: Banned Books

    1059 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, The Giver, by Lois Lowry, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Harry Potter, by J.K. Rowlings, The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hossenini, what do these books have in common? They are books on the American Library Association’s list of top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009. For various reasons, these books were found unsuitable for public audiences, and an attempt was made to ban them. From profanity to sexual content to homosexuality, groups have found reasons to challenge the books. Banning books that some people deem inappropriate from high school libraries underrates youthful intelligence, clouds history and dilutes our culture to fit a mold of conformity. Schools, even religiously affiliated ones, should focus on education and actually encouraging their students to read rather than inhibiting them from using their

    Read More

  • Huckleberry Finn in High Schools

    895 Words  | 2 Pages

    Every one hundred years dialects change and what is considered “politically correct”, or socially acceptable, changes. “David Bradley argues that ‘if we'd eradicated the problem of racism in our society, Huckleberry Finn would be the easiest book in the world to teach’” (Zwick, Jim. “Should Huckleberry Finn Be Banned?”). If we, as a nation, make it a point to rule out all books that could possibly offend students, then every hundred years or so our library of American Literature will be completely different. Even today, modern day authors use vulgar language, lurid sexual content, and racial slurs to get their point across. If The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is taken off of required reading lists across the country, then that could create a never-ending cycle of books being taken off of school shelves every time words and ideas become unacceptable. If this is the way that American society is turning then something must be done, and the Superintendents, Deans, and Principals of every High School around the country must take it upon themselves to do it because the students will not.

    Read More

  • Banning Books Essay

    944 Words  | 2 Pages

    Books are banned for many reasons but more times than not it is because of the sensitive information found within the novel that agitates the reader. As long as people have been able to develop their own opinions, others have sought to prevent them from sharing. At some point in time, every idea has ultimately become objectionable to someone. The most frequently challenged and most visible targets of such objection are the very books found in classrooms and public libraries. These controversial novels teach lessons that sometimes can be very sensitive to some but there is much more to challenged books than a controversial topic. What lies within these pages is a wealth of knowledge, such as new perspectives for readers, twisting plots, and expressions that are found nowhere else. For example, To Kill A Mockingbird, contains references to rape, racial content, and profanity that have caused many to challenge the novel in the first place. The book was banned from countless

    Read More

  • The Tyranny of Banned Books

    1070 Words  | 3 Pages

    "Book Banning." Current Issues: Macmillian Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 31 Jan. 2011.

    Read More

  • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Debate

    402 Words  | 1 Pages

    For many years schools have banned books from being taught to their students because of parent complaints. These books have been shunned from the criteria, which may or may not affect the student’s understanding on a specific subject. People have been fighting to have these books banned because of excessive use of profanity, violence, sex, drugs and many other reasons. They do not look further in the books to see exactly what the author is trying to portray. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, is banned in various places in the United States. This book should not be banned because, this book shows an important part in our history, it is not pro-racism, and it shows how far along we have come since then.

    Read More

  • Censorship and Book Banning

    1822 Words  | 4 Pages

    Censorship is a concept with several different meanings. To each individual censorship has its own meaning. Is it a violation of our rights or is it a protection for our well being? Censorship in the generic sense refers to the suppression of information, ideas, or opinions. It occurs in all forms of communication from technological media to print media. Each society, culture, or individual's belief is violated by the codes of censorship that our society instills.

    Read More

  • Censorship - The Negative Consequences of Book Banning

    1495 Words  | 3 Pages

    If you were to ask a teacher what they thought the most important source of knowledge was they would probably answer: reading. When I think back to every classroom I sat in at school, I remember at least one poster on the wall promoting reading. Throughout my school years, teachers have pounded into my head how important it is to read. In high school I had a list of books that I was required to read over my summer break so that I would continuously be educated. What I don’t understand is that if reading is so important to the learning process, then why ban a book? Doesn’t that defeat the whole purpose of reading? If you ask me, all censorship does is prevent a child from learning, it does not protect them from learning about sex, drugs, or violence.

    Read More

  • Banning Books

    4607 Words  | 10 Pages

    Banning Books “It’s not just the books under fire now that worry me. It is the books that will never be written, the books that will never be read. And all due to the fear of censorship. As always, young readers will be the real losers” (Blume 1999). Judy Blume can not explain the problem of book censorship any clearer.

    Read More

  • Is censorship good or bad for our society

    549 Words  | 2 Pages

    Censorship is considered bad for our society in many peoples eyes because it is blocking us from knowing the truth about lots of things. But is blocking us from things always a good result? I believe that censorship does both good and bad for our society. When we get blocked from knowing things because our government doesnt want us to know about certain things, we eventually will know about it becuase of technology now of days. People will hack into certain websites to get things that are supposed to be censored from us, and if one person finds out something then a lot of people will know because things spread around very fast.

    Read More

  • To Ban or Not to Ban books: The Color Purple

    1309 Words  | 3 Pages

    From the years 2000 to 2009, 5,099 books were challenged in school libraries, classrooms, and public libraries. Most of the books on this list were banned because of objectionable content such as sexual references, profanity, violence, and the fact that the book was considered “unsuited to age group” (American Library Association). Even prior to the year 2000, censorship and banned books had become an issue for schools in particular all across the country for these very reasons. While the The Color Purple by Alice Walker does contain the objectionable content mentioned prior, it should not be banned because objectionable content found in the book is accessible through the internet and social media, one person’s complaint should not determine another’s choice, and high school students should be mature enough to handle the adult content.

    Read More

  • Book Censorship: Good or Bad?

    866 Words  | 2 Pages

    From the beginning of modern civilization, books have been an important and revolutionary source of human knowledge. Unfortunately, it has become a growing trend to censor books for a variety of reasons. Several of these reasons, which include protecting children and omitting offensive material, are not only arbitrary but are without merit. This is because sheltering children is not beneficial to the children, and also it is impossible to shelter kids without resorting to isolation. Also, it’s not possible to screen out offensive material in books because all material is potentially offensive. The escalating trend of censoring information in books is not only an impossible task, but it contributes to the declination in the population’s intelligence.

    Read More

  • Censorship In Schools Essay

    1440 Words  | 3 Pages

    The most debatable and controversial form of censorship today is the banning of books in school libraries. Banning books that educate students is wrong and selfish. Censorship of books in school libraries is neither uncommon nor an issue of the past. Books with artistic and cultural worth are still challenged constantly by those who want to control what others read. The roots of bigotry and illiteracy that fuel efforts to censor books and free expression are unacceptable and unconditional. Censoring school books in libraries can often lead to censorship of our basic freedoms guaranteed in the First Amendment. In some cases, a minority ends up dictating the majority in censorship cases. To be told what is permissible reading material and what is not is a direct violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution.

    Read More

  • The Controversy Around Banning Books

    862 Words  | 2 Pages

    The subject of censorship is a very controversial one, especially the banning of books. Many people believe they must protect themselves and others from the "evils" of many classic books and works of art because they can be deemed "indecent" in one way or another. Many believe that this is absurd and censorship in its current form is a violation of our First Amendment right to free speech. Personally, I align myself with the latter, however I do feel there are occasions where censorship is justifiable.

    Read More

  • The Negative Effects of Censorship

    3203 Words  | 7 Pages

    Since the foundation of the United States after a harsh split from Britain, almost 200 years later, an issue that could claim the founding grounds for the country is now being challenged by educators, high-ranking officials, and other countries. Though it is being challenged, many libertarians, democrats, and free-speech thinkers hold the claim that censorship violates our so-called unalienable rights, as it has been proven throughout many court cases. Censorship in the United States is detrimental because it has drastically and negatively altered many significant events.

    Read More

More about Censorship and the the Banning of Books is Hurting Our Society

Open Document