Matthew Nemetz
Media and Society
Monday, June 18, 2012
5 Banned Books
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain was banned for the protection of children in 1885 in The Concord Public Library, and in 1902 in The Brooklyn Public Library. Esther Lombardi said that the language of the book was objected to on social grounds, and derogatory meanings such as “slave or servant.” I don’t agree with the banning of the book because I grew up reading the book in school as a requirement and it was educational. Aside from slang terms and derogatory language, Huckleberry Finn is a part of adolescent history.
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown was banned for religious and political reasons on September 16th, 2004. According to Austin Cline “it depicted Christ marrying Mary Magdalene and fathering a child.” I don’t agree with the banning of The Da Vinci Code because the novel is a fictional plot that doesn’t reflect reality. Dan brown also didn’t depict actual history in the plot so it doesn’t refute religion.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley was banned by the Board of Curriculum in Seattle schools, and in schools in Glen Burnie for sexual content. According to Alexandra Petri “in Glen Burnie the issue was too much sexual content in Seattle, there were complaints of racially offensive or derogatory language, misinformation, and stereotypes.” I do not agree with the banning of a Brave New World because it is a depiction of a society through Huxley’s fictional and creative perspective.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck was banned in 1997 in Peru, Illinois for race and gender conflictions. Ron Titus from the Marshal University said the of Mice and Men had offensive language, racism, violence, unsuitable to its age group, bad presentation of traditional values, derogatory towards African Americans, women, and developmentally challenged. I do not think that of Mice and Men should be banned. The readers’ age group of the novel should be more mature than that of which it is being shown too in my eyes. Steinbeck’s novel was an educational portrayal of past times and American history.
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote was banned for multiple reasons in Windsor Forrest High School in Savannah, GA in 2000, by the Glendale School Board. The American Library Association said that In Cold Blood had an audience exposed to sex, violence, and profanity, but I don’t agree with the actual banning of the book. Capote demonstrated a fictional novel that generated suspense based off of his vision of American violence.