The Catcher in the Rye
“Yes, books are dangerous. They should be dangerous — they contain ideas.”
— Pete Hautman
It’s time again for Banned Books Week, the nationwide celebration of great literature and condemnation of censorship. Compiling a list of the “best banned books” is pretty daunting because almost every great work of literature has been banned or challenged at some point in history. It’s a testament to the power of literature that the best and most vital ideas have been repressed and denigrated so much, only to emerge again, unscathed. Instead, we’ll take a look at several notable banned books and the poor excuses people have reasoned for their banning.
1984 — George Orwell’s classic about a totalitarian government controlling every facet of societal life only becomes more powerful every time it’s challenged. Challeneged, as always, by people with no idea of the actual purpose of the book. It was challenged for pro-communist ideas. Anyone who’s read Animal Farm knows that communism is not what Orwell’s espousing here. It’s a dark and frightening novel, but it’s a staple of literary fiction for a reason.
The Catcher in the Rye — Many teenagers smoke. Many teenagers drink. Most teenagers curse. Not many live exactly like Holden Caulfield, but for the most part, The Catcher in the Rye is one of the first widely known novels to explicitly take the point of view of a rather rebellious yet deeply sensitive teenage kid. Teenagers weren’t usually the subject of fiction until this point. Kid stories were for kids and great literature was in the hands of the adults. This book was often banned to prevent teenagers from being exposed to a world that many of them were already living in. Even if the kids at the time weren’t as rebellious or aimless as Caulfield, he spoke in a language that connected with them. To some it seems dated now, but there’s a spirit of teenage-ness that still makes Caulfield a relatable character for many.
Catch-22 — Still one of the funniest books ever, Catch-22 was banned in Strongsville, Ohio, for language. That’s it. A hilarious and deeply powerful anti-war novel that points out the absurdity of armed conflict is banned because it says a few words that some people find offensive? It’s insulting and, frankly, an attitude that exists today at a frightening level. Catch-22 remains one of the best ways to get newer readers into the world of classic literature. Give this to a high schooler with a least a passing interest in reading and watch them crack up, even more than 50 years after its publication.
Harry Potter series – The scandal over the banning of the immensely popular Harry Potter series is perhaps the most salient of these controversies to our generation. Many schools and religious institutions banned the series, claiming the books promoted witchcraft. Evidentially they also had a problem with themes of friendship, love, self-sacrifice and acceptance. Banned or challenged in many countries but also published in most countries, Harry Potter just goes to show that the most banned books are usually some of the most read, too.
Fahrenheit 451 — This classic dystopian novel is the crown jewel of the entire banned books list for one simple reason: It’s about the government banning and burning books for inspiring critical thought! The sheer, infuriating idiocy of book banning is so glaringly obvious when you take a look at this novel’s history. Further interviews by author Ray Bradbury claim that the novel might have been more against the encroaching rise of television at the expense of books, but regardless, the book has gone down in history as an indictment against censorship. Books have been and continue to be burned by people who want to stop the spread of any ideas that could challenge their ideological grip on society.
These are just a small fraction of the whole catalog of banned and challenged books. That honorary list includes other notable classics such as Ulysses, The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, Brave New World and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Yes, there are books out there that might espouse some awful ideas, but banning them only makes it more justifiable to ban anything else. So go ahead, read a book that someone says you shouldn’t. Chances are, it’ll be a good read.
