Despite many important criticisms coming to light, book banning has been practiced for centuries and is still practiced today. Book banning is not a singular phenomenon but merely an extension of censorship, as evidenced by the state-sanctioned book banning that is currently afflicting American school systems, the book burning that occurred in Nazi Germany, or the numerous instances of colonial empires destroying indigenous archives dating back centuries.
Some of the most well-known books are currently restricted from publication, while others have enjoyed success and have been adapted for the big screen. There are some excellent movies based on forbidden texts.
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A Wrinkle in Time
With A Wrinkle in Time, Oprah Winfrey is included on the list once more. Winfrey joins actors like Mindy Kaling, Storm Reid, Chris Pine, and Reese Witherspoon in recapturing the beauty of the original novel in Ava DuVernay’s production. A Wrinkle in Time, a 1962 novel by Madeleine L’Engle, follows 13-year-old Meg Murry and her brother Charles Wallace as they travel through time and space after being thrown into the unknown by their new, strange neighbors. By helping the kids locate their father, Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which broaden their perspectives on self-worth, family, and individuality.
Due to its religious controversy—some people believed it to be anti-Christian and anti-religious—the book was previously prohibited in classrooms. In one paragraph, Jesus Christ is included with well-known artists, leading scientists, and other religious figures, which infuriated many fundamentalists. The presence of Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which has also drawn criticism for the book’s purported promotion of witchcraft.
Beloved
The amazing thing that There are numerous literary classics by Toni Morrison. After writing her way into the canon of literature, one of her books, Beloved, was adapted for the big screen. Beloved, starring Oprah Winfrey, Thandiwe Newton, and Kimberly Elise, is the story of Seethe (Winfrey), a former slave whose journey through grief and pain leads to a genuinely disturbing experience. Positive reviews of the movie have been given, particularly to Elise for her portrayal of Denver, Seethe’s daughter.
Due of the source material’s “violent character,” it was forbidden. It seems sense that concerned parents are concerned about the material their children are reading. Recent hyper-focus on the book’s violence by dubious politicians, who ignored the circumstances in which it was written, has reduced it to another terrible work that sensationalizes needless violence. The critics, like Seethe, “erase the past and hope it will go away on its own,” as Princess Weekes poignantly puts it in PBS’ It’s Lit series.
Forever…
Forever…, a lavish Judy Blume novel first published in 1975, had a 1978 film version shortly after. The movie, which stars Dean Butler and Stephanie Zimbalist, is based on the book’s examination of an 18-year-old Katherine. High school seniors Katherine and Michael (Butler) talk about their intentions for intimacy. The innocence of the marriage is highlighted by everything, including Michael’s phallic pet name “Ralph” and the jewelry Katherine receives from him.
In addition to discussing concepts of innocence and sex, Forever… also discusses homophobia, contraception, and the fallacy that sex is the be-all, end-all. It was fascinating to see Katherine develop both mentally and emotionally. However, the inclusion of the novel’s discussion of descriptive pre-marital sex and contraception did not sit well with some religious groups. The consequence is that the novel, which came in behind The Chocolate War and I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings on the list of the 100 most often prohibited works between 1990 and 1999, is ranked seventh overall.
Persepolis
Persepolis, a critically acclaimed graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, details the author’s early years. During the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War, the autobiographical novel and its companion movie show how she, her family, and her native Iran change. The animation’s style has received praise for capturing an apparently simple yet common vibe. There are no identifiable signs or landmarks that highlight the fact that they are in Iran other than the veils that are introduced later in the book.
This choice challenges xenophobic and Islamophobic preconceptions while employing simplicity to speak to her audience’s fundamental knowledge of art. One of the most innate forms of art that every one may learn when they are young is black and white sketches. Additionally, the selection of drawings devoid of national symbols demonstrates how secularism is not restricted to any one culture or place, unlike what the media would have you believe.
The novel’s themes of dual identity, immigration, and the awkward paradox of perplexity, internalized hatred, and struggle-love that results from being reduced to the idea of having one foot in each of the East and the West are further developed in the movie.
The Color Purple
Oprah Winfrey rejoins Whoopi Goldberg in The Color Purple, and she and Danny Glover are added to the roster. The lives of Celie and Nettie Harris are chronicled in the adaptation of Alice Walker’s masterwork from 1982. The two sisters’ enthralling story involves many separations and reunions, with their relationship serving as a glimmer of hope in the shadow of their tragic existence. The Steven Spielberg-directed movie is an unvarnished account of the suffering, love, and self-discovery that the two sisters go through. Despite the differences in their stories, Celie and Nettie’s individual lives show the horrors of “misogynoir” in the early 1900s and finally portray the shared bond of sisterhood and camaraderie that they both feel.
The novel has been prohibited in numerous American schools due to instances of child abuse, violent racism, sexual assault, and LGBT relationships. The book debuted at number 17 on the American Library Association’s top 100 list of challenged and banned books in the 1990s and 2000s before falling to number 50.
The Great Gatsby
At this point, the masterpiece by F. Scott Fitzgerald and the related Baz Luhrmann movie are revered masterpieces in the American canon. Both books feature Nick Carraway, a Yale alumnus and narrator, and his new life in 1920s New York City, particularly Jay Gatsby, the man he is infatuated with. The self-made businessman is one of the city’s shining stars, and he has socialite Daisy Buchanan in his sights. The story develops into a complex reflection on social class, excessive consumption, desire, and gender in his attempt to court Daisy despite the fact that she is married to Tom Buchanan.
Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, and Carey Mulligan star in Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptation of the book (which follows the regrettably subpar 1974 version). The three appears in the elaborately decorated movie dressed in opulent attire, residing in opulent manors, and hosting expensive events. The cinematography elaborates on the novel’s critique of class and wealth in addition to capturing the flamboyant aesthetic of the Roaring Twenties. Luhrmann summarizes the themes of the book while presenting his own take on a well-known classic by taking his characters from the highest of highs to a terrible low.
Despite being considered a classic work of literature, the book has faced criticism in a number of schools, with some citing its discussion of sex, adultery, violence, and explicit language.
The Hate U Give
The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas’ 2017 debut book, is being reimagined with the help of the critically acclaimed Amandla Stenberg, the incredibly accomplished Issa Rae, and the incredibly flexible Anthony Mackie. Starr Carter, a character in the movie who is seventeen, provides a first-person account of life. While attending an exclusive secondary school with a majority of white students, Starr lives in a neighborhood that is primarily black. After Khalil (Algee Smith), a boyhood friend, is killed by police violence, Starr rapidly assumes the role of the leader of the community movement calling for his justice.
Similar to the novel, the movie follows Starr’s journey of self-discovery while simultaneously dispelling stereotypes that continue to justify and justify racism in regards to Black Americans and their dealings with the police, the media, and eventually the state.
Due to scenes including substance abuse, murder, and inappropriate circumstances, the book was banned from numerous American classrooms. The pushback, according to students in school districts like North Allegheny, was caused more, they claim, by talks on race, police brutality, and white fragility.
The Kite Runner
The Kite Runner, a moving book by Khaled Hosseini, got a movie adaptation in 2007. The movie, which doesn’t veer too far from the book, follows an adult Amir as he returns to the Afghanistan of his youth. The narrative effectively conveys the sadness and complex beauty of Amir’s memories of Afghanistan. By focusing on his friendship with Hassan, the film not only introduces readers to the endearing but complex friendship that is depicted in the book but also places the oppression of the Hazara people in historical perspective, leading to the bitter and tragic conclusion of Amir and Hasan’s friendship.
Amir returns to Afghanistan in an effort to make amends for his treachery, where he discovers the ideal scenario for doing the right thing. But upon his return, he quickly discovers crucial realities about himself, his family, and his relationship to Hassan, as well as how broader and more intricate networks of oppression also had a role in the creation of the new world that awaits him as an adult.
Similar to Beloved, the work has drawn criticism for the realistic violence it emphasizes, which led to several American classrooms banning it. The violence in question is however set within the framework of a series of historical occurrences. Afghanistan has experienced numerous invasions by forces both inside and outside of its borders, making the 2007 movie incredibly timely and moving.
The severe portrayal of violence in fiction, like Beloved, is not a sensationalist choice, nor is it meant to applaud said brutality. Instead, the scenes reflect the very real suffering that exists outside of caring homes and investigate what specifically permits that suffering to spread over a few decades.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky is a well-known young adult book about growing up that follows Charlie Kelmeckis, an introverted kid who makes friends with Patrick and Sam. The two aforementioned seniors want to help Charlie come out of his shell, and even though the group encounters unexpected challenges, the movie as a whole highlights the strength of their friendship while gradually addressing Charlie’s social anxieties.
The benefit of having Chbosky himself direct the movie was available. As the titular wallflower played by Logan Lerman, Charlie’s journey through high school is brought to life for viewers as his new friends and family members encourage him to open up and promise to support him despite his ingrained insecurities.
Parents and school administrators are concerned that the book may glorify drugs and introduce children to sexuality-related topics. As a result, the book has at least six times been listed on the American Library Association’s list of books that are frequently contested.
Why Are Books Banned, and Why Is That Bad
As was alluded to previously in the piece, the original material and the movies listed here have both been critiqued out of context. Instead of making a spectacle out of their characters’ trauma, both the authors and the creatives behind the movie have incorporated dark and traumatic sequences to further emphasize existing themes in their work. Although these works are imaginary, the sad reality is that they were inspired by true events.
Whether it’s the sexual abuse depicted in The Kite Runner and The Perks of A Wallflower or the enslavement portrayed in movies like Beloved and The Color Purple, these works bring to light the unfortunate fact that children in this country and around the world suffer from abhorrent treatment.
In addition to preventing kids from identifying with fictional characters and their real-life equivalents, banning the source material from schools also keeps kids from putting a name to the kind of abuse they are going through. It would be preferable to encourage a community where kids can openly talk to adults about the books they are reading and how they relate to their own lives.
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