FREE ESSAY ON UNJUST CENSORSHIP

UNJUST CENSORSHIP

Benninger, James E.
Mr. Bernard
Thinking & Writing
Paper 3 / 4
Unjust Censorship
One of the greatest inventions of modern times was the printing press. With it, the
painstaking process of copying books by hand was abolished, and the circulation of books
on a large scale began. With this circulation came the banning of many books that
religious leaders felt were inappropriate (ACLU 1). Today, in an age when free speech and
press are guaranteed by the Constitution, censorship of books is still occurring.
Although the methods may have changed, many of today's literary masterpieces are still
being banned from schoolrooms and libraries on the premise that they may be
inappropriate.
When books are challenged, restricted, removed, or banned, an atmosphere of suppression
exists (ACLU 1). There are many ways in which this can occur. For an author who is
currently writing to have banned books, that author may make revisions to their work,
less for artistic reasons, but simply to avoid controversy. The editor or publisher may
alter the text themselves or elect not to publish a book simply because of marketing
reasons. Staff in bookstores may remove a book from their shelves that has been deemed
too controversial to avoid any negative consequences. When literary classics become
banned, students are left out from something far greater than over 
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zealous and conservative educators think they are protecting them from. The positive
aspects a student picks up from a literary masterpiece are far greater than the few
negative aspects of the book, which may be a few obscenities or sexual connotation. These
few negatives are arbitrary arguments for banning a book when compared to the positive
ideas, methods of thinking, and literary background a student can receive.
One of the most widely banned books is Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Known for its detailed look into Southern life and human consanguinity, Huckleberry Finn
is also known for its use of the word nigger. Although it may be a horrible word to use,
no other word would have done to describe the feelings of some of the southern characters
in the book. Had Mark Twain used African Americans, negros, or blacks, the point of
unjustified hate by some towards the blacks would not have been as strong. If the novel
were to be changed to make a few educators happy, much of the meaning of the book would
be lost. 
Another book that is infamous because of its absence from classrooms is Alice Walker's
The Color Purple-a novel about the courage and strength of a poor southern Black girl
named Celie. Many schools have banned The Color Purple because of its sexual content (ALA
2). Much of the controversy surrounding the book is due to a rape scene in the first
chapter in which Celie is raped by her father. Although not appropriate for younger
readers, there is no reason that Celie's story of a woman's struggle through life should
not be read by more mature audiences. What the first chapter
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does is set the tone for the rest of the novel and is essential to the idea of Celie
being a survivor. 
Another notable novel that has been posted on many schools' banned books list is The Lord
of the Flies by William Golding. The book describes in detail the horrific exploits of a
band of young children who make a striking transition from civilized to barbaric. The
Lord of the Flies commands a pessimistic outlook that seems to show that man is
inherently tied to society, and without it, would likely return to savagery (Gerenser
223). The book contains many incidences of violence, two of which result in the death of
two boys. However, these scenes of violence are essential to the author's argument of
man's dependence on society. Furthermore, these scenes are nothing in comparison to many
of the shows and movies that students watch on television or at theatres. 
An author that has received much undue criticism recently is J. K. Rowling and her Harry
Potter series. Proponents of its banning in elementary schools argue that its focus on
wizardry and magic (ALA 2) may have an evil impression on children. Some goes as far as
calling it satanic. But what basis do these people really have? The Harry Potter series
is about fantasy and imagination. What would be of fantasy without magic? Do these people
really think J. K. Rowling is writing these stories to turn children to the dark side?
Fairytales and nursery rhymes have always been about mysticism. Many of the most popular
fairytales like Hansel and Gretel--the story of two children, abandoned by their father
in the woods, who find a witch and gingerbread house-has 
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never received criticism like J. K. Rowling's books. Her stories are modern day
fairytales. They offer children a new world to explore, not a symbolic gateway into
witchcraft and demonism. Parents advocating the banning of Harry Potter simply need
lighten up.
The consequences of book banning in schools can be much farther reaching than the
conservative groups that justify its practice understand. Book banning is the censorship
of learning. Literature broadens the horizons of a student, and without it, some schools
are producing students that have a smaller understanding of the world around them. People
that are for book banning need to understand that they are limiting the resources a pupil
has to use. A person with a limited educational background is less likely to succeed than
someone who has never been restricted in their search for knowledge. Although some
materials are not be befitting for the average classroom setting, such as texts
explaining how to make a bomb, masterful writers such as Mark Twain and William Golding
should never be struck from the classroom. Restriction of free thought and free speech is
the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most
easily defeat us (Douglas 1). 
Bibliography
Works Cited
American Civil Liberties Union. Why Banned Books. Internet.
www.aclu.org/features/f092200a.html. 1.
American Library Association. Banned Books Week. Fish in the River of Knowledge.
Internet. www.ala.org/bbooks. 1,2.
Douglas, Supreme Court Justice William O. Interview w/ American Library
Association. Internet. www.ala.org/bbooks. 1.
Gerenser, Scott. Humanity in Lord of the Flies Essays on English Literature.
Ed. Jonathan E. Miller. Vol X. Oxford Press, 1987. 223.