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Culture August 5, 2016
Imagine torching every book – no matter how inspirational – that chafed against someone’s ideal of what the world should be.
Who is that someone? The concept of Person A eliminating access to a piece of literature because Person B felt it was “inappropriate” is an archaic, if not horrifying concept.
Yet, it used to happen … and it still does. A lot.
In fact, the following books were banned for everything from profanity to excessive vulgarity. Nonetheless, they are, not surprisingly, some of the greatest literary works of all time.
Some books should not be set aside lightly, such as the following 13 banned novels, which should be on your list of good books to read.
This semi-autobiographical science-fiction novel recounts the experiences of Billy Pilgrim, who gets “unstuck in time” as a result of trauma experienced during World War II. This novel was originally touted as “depraved” and “vulgar” and has been banned on 18 different occasions; however, is now regarded as one of the greatest war literature novels ever written.
This novel tells the inspirational story of Janie – an African-American woman living in early 20th century South – as she attempts to keep her dreams and ambitions alive throughout her three marriages. Challenged in 1997 for its sexual explicitness, “Their Eyes Were Watching God” has been named by TIME as one of the top 100 English-language novels published since 1923.
The Kite Runner tells the story of an unlikely friendship between two boys, Amir and Hassan, during their time in Afghanistan and after they lose contact with each other decades later. This book has been banned for its sexual explicitness and profanity but still appears on many school reading lists.
This novel details approximately one year of Miller’s life while he was living in Paris. Rife with explicit language, prostitution, sex and long philosophical anecdotes, this novel was banned in the United States before it was declared non-obscene by the Supreme Court in 1964.
This novel, a classic in literature, tells the story of Scout and Jem as their father defends a black man accused of rape. When first published, the novel sparked controversy for its adult themes, like rape and racial tension, and is considered one of the top banned classic novels.
A best-selling story of love, family and faith, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” is credited as helping spark the abolitionist movement in the mid-19th century. Because of the anti-slavery themes present in the novel, many Southern states banned the book for its “abolitionist propaganda.”
Holden Caulfield is the perfect representation of modernism and youth in this book. He seems to float around in life with few ambitions after he is expelled from the latest boarding school. Although this novel is on the reading lists of most high schools, it was once banned in a small town in 1989 because of the use of profane language, which many men and women considered excessive.
“All Quiet on the Western Front” tells the story of Paul Bäumer, a German soldier fighting to stay alive during the violence of WWI. Although an international best-seller, the book’s “utter lack of pro-German propaganda and honest, downbeat look at war made the book a Nazi target,” according to the Smithsonian.
This novel tells the emotional story of Pecola, a black young woman living in the Midwest United Sates who struggles to accept her skin and eye color. Challenged because of the explicit scenes of rape and child molestation, this novel is still widely read both inside and outside of schools.
A woman character known as Constance, or Lady Chatterley, finds her sexual awakening after her husband is paralyzed below the waist. Feeling disconnected, she seeks physical and emotional comfort in the arms of gamekeeper Oliver Mellors. This novel has been banned for its sexually explicit scenes and use of obscene language.
“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” is about Junior, a 14 year old American Indian who leaves his current school on the Spokane Reservation to attend school outside the reservation. This book has sparked controversy because of its violence, sexually explicit scenes and profanity, though it is hugely popular among young men and women.
A story of love, technology, censorship and dystopia, “Brave New World” is relevant to this day. One of the most frequently challenged books in schools, in 1980, this book “was removed from classrooms for making promiscuous sex ‘look like fun,” according to The Guardian.
This novel tells the story of Scarlett O’Hara, a young woman and daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, in the years during and after the Civil War. Although having won the Pulitzer Prize, this novel has been banned for its portrayal of slavery and the use of racial slurs.
