The banning of books will always be a controversial and touchy subject in today’s society and world. American citizens pride themselves on the freedoms, liberties, and rights that remain prevalent in their homes, but there have been topics and material deemed unworthy for publication, distribution, or the youth of America. What does it take to join the ranks of those who are or were sanctioned? The elements below are methods and topics used to become a banned author. Then again, they might also be attributed for writing bestsellers.
1. Write about something society can’t decide on- Topics can range from homosexuality, race, religion, abortion, pregnancy, masturbation, to other sexually suggestive material. Better yet, combine them all and there stands Maya Angelou’s, “I Know why the Caged Bird Sings”.
2. Defamation of government currently in power- Governments have a knack for glorifying current regimes, vilifying the past, and striking down opposition. Aleksander Solzhenitsyn was on both ends in the Soviet Union when he was hailed a hero for his contributions during WWII as a soldier and was later ostracized and banned due to anti-Soviet and Stalin elements in his writings like “The Gulag Archipelago” and “One day in the life of Ivan Denisovitch”.
3. How-to’s on violence- This may be common sense, but good luck attempting to find a publisher or avoid being banned by numerous organizations and governments when the content depicts ways to inflict violence on others. For example, Eliezer Flores writes and illustrates how to make use of all sorts of readily available objects such as water bottles and window screens in, “How to make Disposable Silencers”.
4. PROFANITY- Adults (specifically parents and up-tight townsfolk) cannot stand profanity. That is especially the case when the innocent ears of their children who may have never sworn a day in their life could possibly be taking in every word. Mark Twain’s, “Huckleberry Finn”, is an excellent example and was banned by a vast amount of schools and libraries due to use of the ‘n’ word.
5. Blur the line between fiction and reality- There seems to be a constant and real fear of people (particularly children) being persuaded, influenced, and brainwashed to believe in fantastical illusions. Just ask J.K. Rowling how many angry letters and e-mails she gets for causing children to believe in witchcraft and sorcery.
