Providentially, committed teachers, students, parents, librarians, among other individuals have evolved to challenge the existing ideologies on book banning (Niccolini and Alyssa 22). According to the American Library Association (ALA), a good percentage of these challenges are steered by parents. Public libraries, school and university libraries, businesses as well as classrooms across the world have made great attempts of trying to ban literature on quite a regular basis. According to the executive director of the National Coalition Against Censorship, attempts steered towards book-banning or censorship are encountered on a weekly basis. Banned books and articles range from centuries-old classics to contemporary bestsellers, from historical and biographical nonfiction to fictional narratives and finally from adults’ erotica to children fairy tales. This paper, therefore, seeks to highlight circumstances that a book should be banned or challenges and the considerations to be put into the account in such decisions.
Some reasons create circumstances that can result in banning of a book or novel. One among the many are issues regarding racism especially when the book author is either encouraging or about to encourage racism on a defined group of people (Niccolini and Alyssa 22). Several sources of books that explore such themes or tend to depict racism directed to particular groups of interests secure a one-way ticket towards book bonfires, regardless of whether the entire point is condemning or deconstructing racism (Ringel and Paul). Based on political bias, related incidences happen in cases when books either support or examine philosophies or political parties including anarchism, fascism as well as communism.
An alternative lifestyle is another fact of consideration. Lest a certain book publication or article strictly contains conservative values and conduct or is considered strictly conventional, it holds a great probability of being banned in several places. The commonly regarded as deviant behaviors or alternative human lifestyles are known to prompt schools, businesses, and libraries to banning this written literature include homosexuality, co-habitation without marriage, drug use and fornication (Ringel amd Paul). This defines the content of the book or any literature known for encouraging "Damaging" Lifestyles choices opposite from the cultural norms or considered potentially dangerous, threatening or damaging.
Most literature books contenting sexual situations and dialogue are entirely censored and banned. Any graphic displaying sexual content references directing to reproductive actions as well as dialogue of a sexual nature and approved sensuality is another matter of concern. A Farewell to Arms was banned sometime back by school officials in the entire New York, South California and Texas. It was labelled as a sex novel even regardless of the absence of explicit scenes of any sexual nature (Niccolini and Alyssa 22). Sexual content is regarded the topmost reason most literature cite as a major challenge in the past few decades. Categorically, sexual practices and topics are considered the most self-destructive and dangerous weapon any society could be exposed to.
Books that contain acts of violence and related negativities are banned because most of them have been deemed extremely depressing need for censoring. The complaints regarding challengers are considered quite long yet varied that come down to violence (Niccolini and Alyssa 22). Such literature is considered to entirely glorify criminal activity with an extreme tendency of corrupting juveniles, torture, death, dismemberment, bizarre violence human elimination as well as containing descriptions of bestiality (Ringel and Paul). Most institutions relate such ideologies to an endorsement of secular humanism.
There is often a presence of witchcraft depicted in books reflecting either witchcraft or magic related themes. An excellent example of this includes the bracket of books like K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series. After reading the book mentioned above, people pick up the witchcraft phases hence limiting them from moving on with their lives. Most individuals perceive fictional witchcraft as a harmful theme that should be eliminated since it is a matter of great concern in most societies (Niccolini and Alyssa 22). This book is among the millions of texts currently banned in America. Basically, most cultures depict magic to be inherently evil even when used for the good of human.
Following the existing unpopular religions and related religious affiliations, several books have been censored and banned. This equally relates the unpopular cultural, religious views and opinions generated from the book content. Such ideologies are associated with witchcraft and satanic themes found within the texts (Niccolini and Alyssa 22). Generally, it might not coincide directly with the public view. The books that belong to this category include any content generated from the Da Vinci Code that analyses controversial issues in Christianity. Any Satanic Verses that was perceived as a biased criticism of the Islamic culture and later led to attempts of assassination. Such incidences are often blamed on bot authors and their assigned translators.
Age inappropriate books are categorized after identification of any theme judged to be unsuitable for a specific age group. Books in this category are deemed essentially inappropriate for a specified age group of readers. Any text with
darkish themes are diversely challenged as being unsuitable for both young adults and children. Books such as Are You Their God? is entirely based on unsuitability for the particular targeted young age group.
Age inappropriate themes are considered inappropriate, hence banned following their age level they are aimed at and the extreme of content in it. In some instances, children based books are perceived as having inappropriate themes for their bracket under which such texts were written for.
Moreover, several books have either been censored or further completely banned after falling in either a single or more categories following the misunderstanding and misjudgments generated from the entire book messages and contents. Despite a book having been either labeled or further banned in a given way, it is considerably essential for any reader to settle for is now judgments on the themes of the book. Most of the texts entirely banned were dropped completely from the lists of prohibited books hence, no longer considered controversial. As a result, banned books week is scheduled to occur on a yearly basis to rant readers a chance to make revisits on either past or recently banned books (Niccolini and Alyssa 22). This encourages a fresh start to look deeper into controversies the book faced.
However, in such conditions, some considerations need to be put into the account. Books are ideologically and historically the best teachers. Books enlighten people on history in context as well as compassion. They educate individuals on social skills and related vocabulary hence developing new skills of thinking. Regardless of world based not-so-casual saunter to achieving tech-based learning and innovative models, the old-fashioned forms of reading are still the best cannel towards improving intelligence. There is need to embrace books as opposed to banning them boldly. Books are unique and provocative hence need for preservation.
Another contemplation that needs to be put into account is the fact that if one does not necessarily like something, it is not a reason enough to take it away from every other individual. Following the quote put across by Noam Chomsky, Phil Kerby and John Stuart Mill from Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan in Texas, “If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable”. At a broader context, following matters regarding censorship and widespread related issues, any idea or form of expression put across does not necessarily justify the restriction of direct access for other parties over the very same information. As a matter of facts, most opponents trading against the case of book banning categorically understand all parental preferences regarding their kids’ sources of references in academics (Niccolini and Alyssa 22). However, they tend to be reluctant in granting them the right to come up with a decision on behalf of their guardians and parents on wat is regarded appropriate, and what is not. Following the consistent bans ad challenges across states, books need more safeguarding that children do. Giving children protection from the actual realities of the world is a form of futility and privilege.
Books and related literature can change the entire world. Terminating such sources of information, stifling ideas as well as silencing such voices restricts growth and shelter. Quoting ALA’s words, “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.” It would take centuries and a whole lot of global population’s fingers to settle the current global issues of importance and enlighten people on the same” (Niccolini and Alyssa 22). Free expression is regarded the weapon towards achieving global. It is the axe for frozen sea on the actual earth. There is need to acknowledge the fact that daring writers sharpen our planet and states as they contain the confidence to personally battle existing monsters, dating from mundane to the epic by use of their mind (Niccolini and Alyssa 22). They create quality exposure for our upcoming young generations on life-based uncertainties that they need to overcome.
Many of the frequently banned books touch on issues of great importance to the current world. They act as a direct cause of knowledge to diverse communities. Following their very nature, such classics serve as a directory for confronting philosophical, social, moral and political issues of our current times. It instills people the most appropriate critical thinking regimes considered necessary in helping all individuals diversify and progress at the societal basis and even as individuals.
In conclusion, the banning of books is a procedure that conforms to different rules. Several books have been banned within the United States following serious issues of type of language used, direct exposure to themes of great concern as well as violations of the law. These, among many factors, to regulate the kind of texts processed and to limit the kind of literature people are exposed to. However, there are particular considerations that need to be executed or put into concern wen strategizing on such bans.
Works Cited
Niccolini, Alyssa D. "Precocious Knowledge: Using Banned Books to Engage in a Youth Lens." English Journal, 104.3, 2015, p. 22.
Ringel, Paul. "How Banning Books Marginalizes Children." The Atlantic, 2016.
