The cause
The website bannedbooks.org tell us that the banned books week is an annual event held celebrating the freedom to read – it highlights the value of free and open access to information.
Ever since books came into being, there have been challenges to the distribution and readership of some. In countries across the world, at one time or another, one book or many have been banned, criticised or challenged, generally for political or religious reasons.
Some books have been banned for a short period of time, the publication of others has been challenged in court, and in some cases, certain books are not allowed as reading material in schools.
Why books?
Why books, you may wonder. After all, what harm can a mere book do? Books can influence people and the way they think. They can challenge popular beliefs. Or they could hurt the sentiments of a particular community. They could contain material that is not considered suitable to be read.
All these may sound like valid reasons, but if you take a look at some of the books that have banned or challenged in places around the globe, you may be surprised. For instance, did you know that Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was banned? Surprising, isn’t it? It was prohibited in a US school in 1900, and later in a province in China.
Censored & challenged
The Catcher in the Rye, a book that now makes it to most recommended reading lists, was one of the most censored books in schools in the US in the 1960s and 1970s. The Diary of Anne Frank and Harry Potter are some of the other books that have got into trouble!
If all this sounds like it only happens abroad, think again! In our own country too, books have been banned – both in certain states, and in the country as a whole.
Don’t break the law!
So should we then be reading any of these books? As long as you are not violating the laws of your country or any country you happen to be in, there are some good reasons to read books that have been criticised.
A book that has been banned years ago for instance, may seem completely tame to you! Remember, attitudes to life and society are changing all the time. Something that was shocking 100 years ago, may seem completely normal now. And so, a book that was once controversial could give you an insight into cultural mores of the past and how they have evolved over time.
Sometimes, it’s hard to discuss certain topics – whether it’s with your parents, teachers or friends. Books that delve into subjects that are not often talked about – such as sexuality or substance abuse – may allow you to think about these subjects and perhaps help you from opinions about them, or incite you to find out more.
Discover for yourself
There are some books of course that are definitely not appropriate for children – and you should always be guided by your parents, teachers and librarians when it comes to this. But in other cases, wouldn’t you like to decide? After all, it’s boring, you could always stop reading. And if it’s not, it gives you something to think about, doesn’t it?
Picture Credit : Google