The Controversy of “Book Bans” - What Makes a Book “Classic”

Writer: Lauren LaCalamita
Editor: Angelina Polygenis

Are book bans a profound ambush on human rights, or an attempt to keep the youth sheltered and safe from hostile ideals? Literature has been a tool of communication since the early days of civilization, yet it is abstract and often controversial at best. It is just as easy to weaponize and spread misinformation through books as any other medium.. New books are being churned out every day—what we put into writing can survive decades after the ink has dried. The books that have withstood the tests of time are defined as “classics”. These books continue to resonate in the face of a fast-moving world. So why, more often than not, do classic books absorb most of the onslaught from book bans?  To answer this question, it's crucial to dissect the basis of book bans and why many seem to agree with its principles.  

To begin, it’s stated that a book ban is“ any action taken against a book based on its content and as a result of parent or community challenges, administrative decisions, or in response to direct or threatened action by lawmakers or other governmental officials, that leads to a previously accessible book being either completely removed from availability to students, or where access to a book is restricted or diminished.” (PEN America, 2024). When a book is “diminished” it isn’t completely removed from the country it is banned in. Instead, its access is reduced in libraries, schools, or other institutions, which makes it harder to obtain and read. It could also mean that a book must be reviewed and censored to make it more appropriate for certain readers. These actions simply make the book lose mainstream access, thus reducing its impact on the world around it. However, book bans are not always permanent or absolute For example, they can be age-based—Some books must be accessed only through parental permission. Some books are only made accessible by educators to students in higher grade levels than previously, so the books are still being read, only by a different audience. (PEN America, 2024). Educators are constantly reviewing books in schools, and bans are contingent more on the values of the school community than other outside factors. 

Classic books are known around the world and are unaffected by time and trend changes notable titles that have been banned before are, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott. Fitzgerald, 1984 by George Orwell, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey, Animal Farm by George Orwell, The Color Purple by Alice Walker and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (Wood, 2024). Some of these titles are still circulating in the Havergal curriculum. Yet, why have they been considered threats if their classic demeanours supposedly withstand presentism? For many reasons, parents have found them inappropriate, inducing ideas such as the glorification of criminal activity, or mass revolution in the name of communism. These statements’ seemingly radical nature makes these books appear volatile. Importantly, although the content of many classic books may spark controversy, they also spark conversation and change. Their ideas have had considerable effects on society, their values set in stone, and their lessons often life-altering. 

Despite their educative value, these books become weapons to those interested in policing the political education of youth. From 1990 to 2009, the top reasons books were banned were either sexually explicit content or explicit language. The top challengers were usually parents and schools (Research Guides: Banned Books: Reasons Books Are Challenged, n.d.). This gives us more insight into the perspective of those supporting youth-targeted book bans. Several questions arise here: Many books are too complex or too obscene for certain ages, but does that justify erasing them from a curriculum and denying youth the choice of reading them? Where does one draw the line between autonomy and protection within educational institutions? For some, book bans are more dangerous than the content of the books themselves. It's argued by Sigal-Ben Porath that banning or censoring books raises questions of who belongs and who deserves to be heard. She claims that book bans are a “pushback against these efforts to expand our vision of our community, to try to entrench and limit again the scope of what is appropriate and what is desirable” (On Book Bans and Free Speech | Penn Today, 2022). A censored selection of books that offers a limited variety of opinions will diminish students’ critical thinking skills and make them more vulnerable to accepting outdated notions without skepticism..

In conclusion, book bans are set by authoritative figures in an attempt to protect the youth from violent, explicit or radical content. Classic literature in public and private schools are notably targeted. Yet, by limiting a child’s ability to explore the nature of the world through books, one may limit the child’s freedom to learn as well. When books are written, they become a part of history in the same way treaties do. They document the lives and perspectives of those who came before us and are used as a guidepost to create a world for those who will come after us. Like history, we must read stories that contain uncomfortable themes and messages, as that is the only way to navigate a world filled with moral ambiguity. After all, “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the future controls the past” - George Orwell, “1984”.     

References 

PEN America. (2024, November 15). What is a book ban? and more frequently asked questions - PEN America. https://pen.org/book-bans-frequently-asked-questions/

Wood, V. (2024, August 29). Everything you should know about banned books. BiblioLifestyle. https://bibliolifestyle.com/best-banned-books/#:~:text=In%20most%20cases%2C%20the

Research Guides (LibGuides): Banned Books: Reasons Books are Challenged. (n.d.). https://libguides.butler.edu/bannedbooks?p=217686#:~:text=Violence%20or%20Negativi

On book bans and free speech | Penn Today. (2022, August 4). Penn Today. https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/book-bans-and-free-speech-sigal-ben-porath