In just the past couple years, book bans have risen dramatically across the U.S., targeting all types of literature. Eight states have experienced their school districts withdraw Jay Asher’s young adult novel Thirteen Reasons Why from their libraries. This step comes largely as a result of the controversial issues brought to light due to its 2017 Netflix adaptation. This novel, along with others like Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” and Vladimir Nabokov’s “Lolita,” has sparked significant debate about censorship, freedom of expression, and the role of literature in education.
This growing wave of censorship has sparked public protests and book bannings around the country, prompting an important national conversation about the effects of these dramatic book bans. As many of these authors and advocates have noted, such actions erase powerful stories that connect with young readers. The public debate surrounding these bans has ever-so-wonkily turned up several notches. Students, artists and educators are speaking out and pushing against this chilling effect on education and creative expression.
Notable Bans and Their Impact
Jay Asher’s “Thirteen Reasons Why” experienced overwhelming censorship after it was adapted into a Netflix series. Critics argued about its depiction of difficult issues like teen suicide and sexual assault. Additionally, Asher maintains that banning the book only conveys to teens that what they’re dealing with isn’t valid.
“If we say issues of teen suicide, drinking, sex or sexual assaults are inappropriate, we’re telling teens who may identify with those themes that there isn’t a safe space for them.” – Jay Asher
This was how students at Georgia Southern University decided to portray their anger back in 2019. They protested and burned Jennine Capó Crucet’s book, Make Your Home Among Strangers. This incident pointed to a greater cause for concern. That literature is now being removed and even erased in protests aimed at works that some consider to be problematic or even offensive.
Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, despite its challenges, remains one of the most commonly banned books in American schools. Its incisive critique of women’s rights and government overreach rings especially true today, as we witness unprecedented attacks on gender equality and personal freedoms.
Historical Context of Book Bans
The censorship practice of banning books is hardly a new phenomenon. Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita made its original debut in France in 1955. No American publisher had the courage to take on its controversial subject, and the media firestorm that would ensue. Fast forward to the 2022-23 school year, and “Lolita” ranked joint-ninth as the most-banned book in US school districts. Today, to many, it remains a deeply offensive thing to do. It engages with topics that we are all collectively struggling to have real conversations about.
Today, “Lolita” is still banned in three American school districts and unavailable in eight states. Its ban signals a cultural movement against censorship of classic literature that raises difficult moral questions and issues of society.
We would have Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses go up under a fatwa and assassinate Salman Rushdie for its dreadful hurtful content. Over thirty-five years later, this book is still at the center of debates over free speech and the boundaries of literary art.
The Rise of Organized Movements Against Literature
For example, recent analysis by the American Library Association shows that even three-quarters of the time organized movements are the main force behind these censorship attempts. In fact, pressure groups—including elected officials and school board members—initiated 72% of demands to censor books in school and public libraries.
For example, some advocates believe that when books remove books from library or bookstore shelves, they do greater harm than the benefit provided. Angie Thomas, author of the Hate U Give and other works focused on race and injustice, took to social media to voice her anger over these censorship attempts.
“You’re basically telling the kids … that their stories shouldn’t be told.” – Angie Thomas
Thomas seemed a firm answer to her commitment to elevating these stories, even when threatened with silencing them. She announced, “I’m going to tell them even louder. Thanks for igniting the fire.”
This year, Rupi Kaur’s Milk and Honey was banned in Texas and Florida. This book, originally self-published in 2014, has sold more than 11 million copies. Supporters argue that Kaur’s art fearlessly confronts romanticism and traumatic culture. This impervious stance has put her squarely in the crosshairs of those who seek to chill discussion on hot button issues, including race.
The Broader Implications of Censorship
These book bans have sparked inflammatory and volatile discussions in local communities. There’s no shortage of parents willing to show their outrage over titles considered improper for children. As one parent complained when a book about Muslims was assigned on September 11, illustrating a wider culture clash.
Foes of censorship like elimination receipts have pointed out that banning these books does nothing to address the real problems. Rather, it just pushes them further underground. Only delving into literature gives students the space to tackle difficult topics in a healing way.
Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five” was banned in Oakland, Michigan schools back in 1972 for being deemed “depraved, immoral, psychotic, vulgar and anti-Christian.” One college professor took issue with its explicit language, asserting it “would make a sailor blush for shame.” These kinds of statements show how personal deviations and interpretations of the literature result in its sidelining.
The banning of Roald Dahl’s “The Witches” across 67 US school districts further emphasizes how classic children’s literature is not immune to scrutiny. Critics have accused it of teaching witchcraft—a theme familiar to those who would aim similar firebombs at other pieces of culture such as the Harry Potter franchise.