Censorship and Banned Books

In “Terms” of Importance Censorship - an official who examines books, plays, news reports, motion pictures, radio and television programs, letters, cablegrams, etc., for the purpose of suppressing parts deemed objectionable on moral, political, military, or other grounds. Censorship - an official who examines books, plays, news reports, motion pictures, radio and television programs, letters, cablegrams, etc., for the purpose of suppressing parts deemed objectionable on moral, political, military, or other grounds.

Terms continued… To ban (as in book-banning) To ban (as in book-banning) A challenge A challenge A ban A ban

Facts Concerning Censorship Places where censorship can occur: the classroom, the library, school, home… Places where censorship can occur: the classroom, the library, school, home… Literary censorship can include any text. Literary censorship can include any text.

Why Censor?

Who Censors? Legislators (local, state, federal) Legislators (local, state, federal) Members of review boards of any kind (school boards) Members of review boards of any kind (school boards) Clergy (priests, ministers, etc.) Clergy (priests, ministers, etc.) School administrators School administrators Teachers Teachers Librarians Librarians Parents Parents Theaters Theaters Book stores Book stores Television Studios Television Studios

Censorship on the Rise Between the years of 1979 and 1984 (5 years), the number of reported challenges went from 300 to 1,000. Between the years of 1979 and 1984 (5 years), the number of reported challenges went from 300 to 1,000. Such works as: Such works as: Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet Hamlet Hamlet Judy Blume books: Then Again; Maybe I Won’t; Deenie and Blubber Judy Blume books: Then Again; Maybe I Won’t; Deenie and Blubber The Diary of Anne Frank The Diary of Anne Frank Of Mice and Men Of Mice and Men The Catcher in the Rye The Catcher in the Rye Huckleberry Finn Huckleberry Finn An issue of Sports Illustrated An issue of Sports Illustrated *Some copies of these particular books showed up in libraries torn to shreds.

Censorship on the Rise Between the years of , 6,364 texts were challenged. Between the years of , 6,364 texts were challenged. 1,607 – sexually explicit material 1,607 – sexually explicit material 1,427 – inappropriate language 1,427 – inappropriate language 842 – occult theme; promoting occult or Satanism 842 – occult theme; promoting occult or Satanism 737 – Violent material 737 – Violent material 515 – homosexual reference 515 – homosexual reference 419 – religious themes 419 – religious themes

The First Amendment …the basic right to freedom of expression. …the basic right to freedom of expression. Congress Shall Make No Law… “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assembly, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assembly, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Upon formation of the Bill of Rights Thomas Jefferson states, Thomas Jefferson states, “The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers and be capable of reading them.”

Interpreting the First Amendment Supreme Court holds responsibility of interpreting the First Amendment. Supreme Court holds responsibility of interpreting the First Amendment – Court heard cases of freedom of speech, freedom of press, and issues of libel and slander, national security, and obscenity – Court heard cases of freedom of speech, freedom of press, and issues of libel and slander, national security, and obscenity.

Censorship in History – Ancient Greece 5 th Century BC 5 th Century BC Philosophers, poets, other writers (orators) Philosophers, poets, other writers (orators) Banned for straying from political and religious culture. Banned for straying from political and religious culture. Socrates – Think for yourself! Socrates – Think for yourself!

Censorship in History – Middle Ages 400 AD – 1400s 400 AD – 1400s The Church controlled books that were preserved. The Church controlled books that were preserved. Objectionable authors and books burned at stake. Objectionable authors and books burned at stake.

Censorship in History – The American Colonies 17 th – 18 th Century 17 th – 18 th Century Adopted restrictions from England Adopted restrictions from England Puritan, Methodist, Baptist, Quaker of Massachusetts – Blasphemy! Puritan, Methodist, Baptist, Quaker of Massachusetts – Blasphemy!

The Freedom to Read Different than the freedom to write. Different than the freedom to write. Intellectual freedom. Intellectual freedom. “Banned Books Week” – 1985 “Banned Books Week” – 1985 American Library Association, American Booksellers Association, Association of American Publishers. American Library Association, American Booksellers Association, Association of American Publishers. Board of Education v. Pico Board of Education v. Pico 1982.

Why not to Censor…

If all books were banned, or even destroyed for their content, what information or culture would be lost for future generations? Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451. Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451. “It was a pleasure to burn” (3). “It was a pleasure to burn” (3). Bradbury: “You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get them to stop reading.” Bradbury: “You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get them to stop reading.” Knowledge is power. Knowledge is power.

“Through the Looking Glass” -A chapter from BookBanning in America, by William Noble “What’s confusing to some, of course, doesn’t have to be confusing to others” (209). “What’s confusing to some, of course, doesn’t have to be confusing to others” (209).

Banned: “Huckleberry Finn” The novel has often been criticized for its language and characterizations and it is reported to be the fourth most banned book in US schools. The novel has often been criticized for its language and characterizations and it is reported to be the fourth most banned book in US schools.

Controversy For Twain's critics, the novel is racist on the face of it, and for the most obvious reason: many characters use the “N” word throughout. But since the action of the book takes place in the south twenty years before the Civil War, it would be amazing if they didn't use that word. For Twain's critics, the novel is racist on the face of it, and for the most obvious reason: many characters use the “N” word throughout. But since the action of the book takes place in the south twenty years before the Civil War, it would be amazing if they didn't use that word.

The NAACP charged that HUCK FINN contained "racial slurs" and "belittling racial designations.“ The NAACP charged that HUCK FINN contained "racial slurs" and "belittling racial designations.“ Twain used the N-word 219 times. Twain used the N-word 219 times. Huck Finn logged in at #5 in the Top 100 Most Frequently challenged books from 1990 to 1999 and #14 in 2000 to Huck Finn logged in at #5 in the Top 100 Most Frequently challenged books from 1990 to 1999 and #14 in 2000 to 2009.

African Americans and others, led by the NAACP, begin to challenge the book in the 1950s, appalled by the novel's portrayal of the slave Jim and its repeated use of the “N” word. African Americans and others, led by the NAACP, begin to challenge the book in the 1950s, appalled by the novel's portrayal of the slave Jim and its repeated use of the “N” word. But anyone who imagines that Mark Twain meant this literally is missing the point. But anyone who imagines that Mark Twain meant this literally is missing the point.