The Truth Behind

Banned Books

Pinnapa (Pinny) Phetcharatana

English 10 CH
Mr. Dave Herold
April 30, 2009

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 The Truth Behind Banned Books

Joseph Henry Jackson once asked, “Did you ever hear anyone say that ‘a work had better

be banned because I might read it and it might be very damaging to me’?” This rhetorical

question brings up an excellent point; but to really respond, the answer would probably be no.

People write and publish works in order to communicate ideas and messages to the world,

particularly the younger generations. Yet, the censorship of novels acts as an obstacle to this

right. Forbidding children to read certain literature novels that seem to be “too obscene or

sexual”, or in other words, “too real”, without being entitled to their say could be considered an

act of patronization towards them. To ban a book is much similar to banning an idea. Since

literature offers all kinds of knowledge, preventing a child from reading a particular book is

basically preventing them from learning about life. The purpose of acquainting children with

novels that contain uncomfortable topics is not to corrupt their minds, but to allow them a head

start of learning how to deal with problems in life and to accept differences in a transforming

society. The famous cliché, “Parents always want what’s best for their children,” can no longer

justify censorship. What would a child become if he or she were able to master difficult

academic-related subjects but know nothing of alcohol, drugs, or sex? Censoring novels imposes

harmful effects on children, insults their intelligence, blocks out meaningful themes that can be

explored, and prevents the flow of new and diverse ideas. Children, therefore, have every right to

explore life freely through a variety of literature, and book censorship must not interfere with this

freedom.

Professor Kevin W. Saunders at Michigan State University, College of Law, argues that

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society has failed to nurture its youth properly (Nakaya, 26). To explain this idea, he presents

statistics relating to teenage violence, pregnancy, and drug and alcohol abuse and associates it

with explicitness and obscenity being exposed to children through literature. However, there has

been no evidence to support the fact that the explicitness of children’s novels actually leads to

acts of wrongdoings. In reality, censorship of literature is what causes misunderstandings among

the youth. When one is banned from reading a book, he/she will be driven to search for facts

somewhere else. The reliability of other sources may not be guaranteed, which may lead to an

uncertainty of the topic. Furthermore, censorship causes children to become ignorant of reality.

Avoiding so-called “uncomfortable topics” such as sex and homosexuality will cause

unawareness of STD’s, birth control, and same-sex marriages among teens (“Censorship In

Schools and the Effects on Our Children”). For example, Michael Willhoite’s Daddy’s

Roommate tells the story of a young boy whose father moves in with his boyfriend, and the

couple is shown cleaning, eating, and sleeping together throughout the story (McGwire). This

novel immediately sparked a controversy among critics, namely, adults who are attached to

traditional lifestyles of a parent with the mother and father following the usual roles (McGwire).

Other parents who are more liberal do not mind sharing the idea with their children. Similarly,

preventing children from being exposed to obscenity will make them naïve to the outside world.

Jean Karl explains, “If we try to hide information relating to sexual explorations, teenage drug

abuse or violence, it’s like keeping children in a box, trapped and blinded from what is real (Day,

36).” Additionally, censorship causes blank gaps to form on children’s life knowledge, for it

restricts children from being able to grow mentally and independently. Rebellious qualities may

also be the result of book banning if children are aware that authentic information is out of their

reach (Gottfried). Accordingly, children must steer away from unhealthy results that book

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censorship brings about.

Literature, no matter how obscene or violent, opens doors that will allow new concepts to

flow through. It is a parent’s duty to discuss uneasy topics with their children rather than

ignoring them completely and sweeping those ideas under a rug (Olson). Using a novel’s content

to guide children, parents can explain how particular techniques such as brutal scenes have an

effect on readers. Parents should make clear to their children why many adults are afraid to

expose the following contents to children (“Parents, Kids, and Banned Books: Young Readers

Benefit From Guidance, Not Censorship”). Feedbacks should be encouraged from children since

it allows them to have a say on the matter. Discussing banned books with children and allowing

them to respond will initiate open and honest discussions, which would improve parent-to-child

relationships. Giving feedbacks also help children understand the connection between a novel

and real-life issues, such as differences in culture and sexuality among society (Olson). In-depth

thinking skills will develop once they are familiar with new ideas. Additionally, both their

interpretation and analysis skills will progress as they use their prior knowledge to find

significance in different point of views (Richards). Novels that cover uncomfortable topics

launch children into a realm of imagination, giving them an opportunity to develop new insights

on the world around them.

Unbelievably, meaningful life lessons are taught through the so-called

“inappropriateness”. For instance, Robert Cromier’s The Chocolate War contains highly explicit

contents that many parents disapprove of, which includes sweating, urination, bad language,

daydreaming about girls’ breasts, and other sexual desires. Briefly, the characters in this book are

just like real kids, but perhaps too real for some adults (Day, 34). Adults often feel

uncomfortable and doubt their children can handle such “realism” (Olson). In Mark Twain’s The

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Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the fact that the term “nigger” is being used several times in the

novel disturbs many parents (Shupe). However, Twain uses this term to point out the evilness of

slave trade and how racial conflicts took place in the past. This point may as well be used to

teach students to not be racist and to accept differences in ethnicities. Another example includes

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter, which contains adultery in its plot. Many parents consider

this as unacceptable to their children (Shupe). Again, the element of adultery could be explained

to children as a crime. A meaningful discussion on how adultery is handled differently in Scarlet

Letter’s Puritan culture than in the world today teaches children how traditions evolved over a

period of time, showing us the revolutionized world that everyone lives in today. Thus, profanity

and explicit materials should not be misinterpreted as an unapproachable element of fiction, for

they actually clarify the themes that are being explored in the novel.

To censor or place ratings on a novel is an insult to a child’s intelligence. Society must

accept the fact that different children have ranging maturity levels; some are more mature than

others (Olson). Jane Breskin Zalben comments, “Children I find are so open and open-hearted,

and it is terrible to see an uptight person close that mind to the possibilities out there (“The Kids

Right to Read Project”).” Moreover, who is it to decide which books are being censored and

which are not (Scales)? First of all, there is no consistent standard or definition of what is

“proper.” J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Series, for example, have caused disputes among

literature critics. Critics argue whether the series introduce harsh anti-family themes through the

protagonist’s dislike for his aunt and uncle, or, on the other hand, feelings of love and admiration

towards his deceased parents (Casares). Another matter to consider is the theme of

supernaturalism and wizardry that many parents believe is inappropriate (“Who Should Censor

Your Children’s Books?”). Once again, literature critics insist that the wizardry theme is an asset

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to the novel that allows children to be able to draw the line between fantasy and reality (Casares).

Another example of the inconsistency of censoring standards is the varying viewpoints of each

censorship regulator. How is it possible to know whether censorship regulators actually represent

an individual’s own interest (Scales)? One topic could have different meanings on different

people. Furthermore, most books that are most highly regarded among the youth are the ones that

raise suspicions among adults, leading parents to make uncertain assumptions in order to keep

their children away from inappropriate material. Charles Taylor quotes that censorship is “an

insult to kids, a presumption that they are too stupid or fragile to be given information about the

real world (Nakaya).” Parents, teachers, or librarians should not ban books from the young in

order to feel more in control of their lives; they must understand that their minds hold great

intellect and a thirst for new knowledge.

Children, if given the chance, will definitely opt for having the privilege to adopt new

and unknown ideas. There is no “right age” for them to finally learn about reality; teaching and

guiding them upon their curiosity is the best option, and it will easily allow them to

independently grow mature. “How do children who have been so stringently shielded be well-

prepared for life (especially at age eighteen- ‘poof!’- They magically become ‘adults’)?” quoted

Charles Taylor (Nakaya). It must be accepted that seemingly offensive materials are placed in a

novel with a purpose, and, as mentioned, it is an adult’s responsibility to guide young readers

through it. Thus, certain literature should not be censored, for this stands in the way of students’

right to investigate the natures of life. If the negative impacts that censorship imposes everyday

continue to worsen, our youth’s minds will suffer. Who knows what will become of their futures

and, on a larger scale, the world’s future?

Wordcount: 1610

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