Banned Books: Good or Bad?

Books all around the world are banned from schools. According to The Atlantic, this marginalizes children from classic literature. They’re banned for many reasons that range from bad language to conjuring demons. These 7 books were chosen predominantly due to their placements in the Top 10 Banned Books’ List.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K Rowling:

First of all, we have “Harry Potter” (the franchise). The books were said to contain much controversy. The franchise was banned from St. Edward School in Nashville Tennessee by a school pastor (Father Dan Reehil). According to Insider his exact words in the email written to students’ parents read "The curses and spells used in the books are actual curses and spells; which when read by a human being risk conjuring evil spirits into the presence of the person reading the text." Although, this hasn’t been the first time that this particular series of books have been banned. These books were considered challenging for children and their families to read. I reached out to the Pastor of the church for comment, but unfirtunately he did not respond to my emails.

"The curses and spells used in the books are actual curses and spells; which when read by a human being risk conjuring evil spirits into the presence of the person reading the text."

Parent of child (written in email to school)

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

“To Kill a Mockingbird” was considered a great book by those around the globe. Although, this book has been put to the test in curriculums. By containing the use of the N-Word to “Inappropriate” themes of which being sexual intercourse and rape, according to Brentwood Middle School in Tennessee, this book has banned from libraries due to these actions.

“We felt that we could still teach the same standards and expectations through other novels that didn’t require students to feel humiliated or marginalized by the use of racial slurs” quoted Michael Cary (Director of curriculum and instruction at Duluth Public Schools in Minnesota.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

This book like many has been given gratitude and exclaimed as an amazing piece of literature. Whereas it has also been given the opposite.

“Trash and only suitable for slums,” said people only a year after it was published (1855) According to Insider.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

This book, written in 1937. Predominantly about these two laborers who immigrated from their home country to California, U.S.A. According to Britannica.

Like many of the other banned books on this list and a variety of others, obscenity and/ or profanity was just the dilemma for this book said, Insider. It was stated as just another Challenged and Banned book in schools such as High School in Scottsboro, Alabama, in 1983 and George County, Mississippi schools in 2002.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Published in 2007, “Thirteen Reasons Why” by Jay Asher has been challenged because of its content of which revolves around a suicidal girl. The controversial book yet number one bestseller in the New York Times later had a TV show on Netflix based upon the book.

In 2017, the book was placed as the biggest banned book global as stated in the Top 10 Most Challenged Books Lists.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Angie Thomas’ “The Hate U Give” received a minor setback when the superintendent in Katy, Texas banned the book from all district libraries. This was since one parent of a child complained about the book’s profanity. Later, after hearing that the book was banned, Angie Thomas tweets

"I'm saddened to hear that a school district in Texas banned #TheHateUGive, but I'm also empowered — you're basically telling the kids of the Garden Heights of the world that their stories shouldn't be told. Well, I’m going to tell them even louder. Thanks for igniting the fire.”

In spight of the book being taken down and people saying that it marginalizes children a fifteen-year-old- student Ny’ Shira Lundy collected 4,000 signatures to put the book back in its place: the district libraries.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

This book has been challenged on and off ever since it published in 1951. An English teacher was fired due to her action of assigning the book to her 11th grade class of English. After an appeal, the teacher was rehired. This was one of the earliest dates recorded of the book being banned since its publication. This occurred in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1961 as reported by Insider.

Ultimately, there is a large variety of books stated as banned in the world that we live in. These 7 books were guidelines for you to realize what people are doing with literature around our globe. How it’s being treated.