Why Are Books Still Being Banned? – The Controversies of Censorship

Whether fiction or non-fiction, literature has allowed us to communicate different narratives, ideas, and knowledge. While the world advances and promotes accessibility through technology and the Internet, we still live in the past, even in Western countries.

What Are Book Bans?

As defined by PEN America, a book can be banned within a school “based on its content and as a result of parent or community challenges…” If the book is deemed inappropriate and goes through the initial challenge, all copies are made unavailable, or specifically unavailable to a certain school or district.

Early American book censorships were primarily focused on religious content. If a pamphlet or text challenged a certain religious viewpoint, they were burned and banned from public access.

Over time, the sensitive content in books, such as titles that challenged slavery or possessed what the public called ‘immoral’ or ‘indecent’, were subject to bans. Lawmakers criminalized texts that challenged social norms, censoring the public from viewpoints that advocated against what the masses saw as just or appropriate.

However, as taboo content slowly became normalized, issues still arose, mainly within schools and libraries. These were issues that ignited in the early 20th century but are still prevalent today. This opened up an array of complaints and reasoning that work to suppress different viewpoints and learning.

Book Censorship Today

In the 2023-2024 school year, PEN America reported 10,046 instances of individual books banned in the US.

It was found that these books, that were written for young adults, include representation of marginalized groups and portray real-life experiences or instances that can be learned from. The subject matter includes grief, death, substance abuse, mental health concerns, etc.

Censorship, while paraded on maintaining children’s best interests, uses the basic persuasion technique of fear. The targeted texts have the intention of enriching young minds and allowing them to explore different ideologies and real-life situations, but the bans rely on the fear that the topics could be harmful.

In conjunction with fear, book bans also require the technique of extrapolation. Extrapolation is when persuaders (the people challenging specific texts) draw huge conclusions focusing on a few small facts. It ignores complexity, diminishing a book’s value and overall message to focus on things that may be controversial.

Instead of shielding children to harmful content, the bans prevent young people from growing, developing empathy for others, and building the skills they need when they become adults. Book bans restrict critical thinking and understanding life’s challenges.

A Personal Experience…

The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky is a young adult novel I read at 13. It focuses on a character’s introduction to high school, navigating the change along with mental health issues and trauma. I was in the same age range as the main character, struggling with school adjustments and life events that affected my mental health. Through Charlie’s character, I was able to connect with his struggles and it made me feel less alone in my experiences. The book offered me comfort in knowing that others, even fictional characters, go through similar challenges. It helped me process my own struggles and validate my feelings.

To see this title rank #4 on the Most Challenged Books of 2023 list for LGBT+ content, rape/drugs/profanity, and sexual explicit content is surprising. At the surface level, these aspects can be troubling for young readers. However, it is clear that these challenges ignore the book’s true message.

For me, including those sensitive topics was not glorifying them but showing the reality of people’s challenges. It humanized the characters and allowed the storyline to be more real. It helped me empathize with the characters and see that they had a lot of emotional depth.

The Fight Against Book Bans Isn’t Over

The issue with book bans is far from resolved, as seen in the number of bans in the US and the books they target. This reflects the broader issue of censorship. These bans limit access to stories and prevent young people from engaging with complex themes.

The ignorance surrounding book content and its impact on readers is still prevalent today. People continue to censor books by judging isolated scenes or words rather than understanding the context of the story. Challenges against books can stem from conflicts with personal beliefs and, in turn, limit inclusion of alternative identities, like sexual orientation.

Book bans continue to limit access to diverse stories, driven by ignorance and fear. Until we move beyond censorship, the opportunity for growth in thinking, empathy, and inclusion will be limited.