Welcome back to my blog. This post is for the second Action Project in the Humanities class, Forbidden Books. In this class we have been discussing how books can become banned or censored. A few large reasons that may cause a book to be banned is challenging religion, politics, and diversity. Books can also be banned for having violent or graphic scenes, age-appropriate language, and the negative setting of the book. In this unit we read the novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian which is another book that has been banned. This book has many passages that can be deemed controversial. The book does contain some language that may cause parents to forbid their children from reading it. After having read the book for the first time in eighth grade, I didn't think it was too bad for someone my age to be reading it which made me question why it was banned in this class. For this Action Project we were asked to choose a book that had been banned or censored at some time and create a research paper that would argue if we thought the book should be banned or not. I chose to read the book, 1984 by George Orwell which has been banned for many reasons. I think that 1984 is a great book and should definitely be read. I hope you enjoy reading this paper.
GS
Forbidden Books
18 March 2021
A man gets off the train and looks around. Two cameras are in front of him, and high government officials are coming off the train behind him. On the wall is a big poster with a man staring at him constantly. The caption reads, “Big Brother is Watching You.” In his briefcase contains a slice of history that would be burned in an instant in this society. If he were found with this in possession, he would cease to exist. What hope is there for rebellion? The novel 1984 by George Orwell is about a man who is a low ranking member for the Party being controlled by one of three superstates, Oceania. The Party likes to keep watch over almost all of its citizens no matter where anyone is. Big Brother, known to be the leading figure of the Party is seen everywhere Winston, the protagonist, looks. The Party controls everything in Oceania like the people and their language which is referred to as Newspeak. Newspeak is implemented to eliminate the words that are associated with rebellion to enhance the ruling of the Party. Winston struggles with facing the state in his search for breaking free of isolation. The main issue in the book is politics. With the Party controlling everything in London, it is very difficult to have any thoughts of rebellion. Along with the totalitarian ideals, 1984 can be challenged because of its violent, sexually charged language. Regardless of the content in 1984, the book should not be banned or censored but merely read by more mature audiences who can understand the text.
1984 has been banned in many places and school districts around the United States and in other countries. The reasons for this range from political views to extreme violence and graphic scenes. In 2017, in Eastern Idaho, a high school banned the novel from their two senior government classes after many parents voiced their concern over the book’s content. The challenge made by the school focuses on one of the book's themes. This theme is about 1984’s sexual language and nature which can be seen from a highlighted passage which reads, “He would flog her to death with a rubber truncheon. He would tie her naked to a stake and shoot her full of arrows like Saint Sebastian. He would ravish her and cut her throat at the moment of climax” (Orwell 15). The Jefferson County School District superintendent Lisa Sherick questioned this passage from 1984. She wondered if 1984, “contradicts district policy requiring academics to align with the ‘basic ideals, goals and institutions of the local community” (Bodkin). The school administration chose to censor or ban the book from their classes because of these violent themes despite the students reading it to learn about politics which is important in a government class. Although 1984 does contain violent or graphic language, only taking one small passage from the book and leaving the main content of the book behind for educational purposes is quite unfavorable as seen by the students at the high school.
1984 contains many passages that can be deemed controversial. These passages can challenge politics, religion, diversity, and more. 1984 has been banned because of its views on certain government systems, its language towards different religious beliefs, and its separation of people based on class and usefulness. To understand why many people or large parties would think this book should be censored, one needs to observe a few controversial passages. The first one says, “Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. History has stopped” (Orwell 155). This passage can be problematic to some people because it shows the true power of the government and this can be threatening to current government systems. This quote is a reference to Stalinism which was the effort of rewriting history by destroying any historical documents or propaganda that could possibly be a challenge to the government system. The well described Party that can strike fear into the reader can be translated to governments that may try to ban 1984 for the reason of eliminating the possibility of their citizens thinking their executives are trying to control history or limit the challenge of power. The second passage says, “We do not destroy the heretic because he resists us; so long as he resists us we never destroy him. We convert him, we capture his inner mind, we reshape him. We burn all evil and illusion out of him; we bring him over to our side, not in appearance but genuinely, heart and soul. We make him one of ourselves before we kill him” (Orwell 255). This quote can be controversial because of its description of mind control and the destroying of free thought. Psychological manipulation isn’t favored in many parts of the world and the quote reflects on the power of government and the wording of religion. In the context of this passage someone who resists the government is a heretic but is not executed as one for then they will become a martyr. They are converted into a believer of the Party’s views and a disciple of Big Brother. When they are killed, they are no longer a martyr, but one who wished to be shot before their minds were filled with heresy once more. The passage challenges religion from the connection of manipulation and control of the mind to it. Religion can also be thought of as mind control because of accepting a certain figure and believing in their doctrines but not accepting anything else. The link that has been formed between these two topics can be threatening to groups with certain religious beliefs which may result in the censoring of the novel. In response to the banning of 1984 in the previously mentioned high school, students say they understand and recognize the violent nature of the scene and are prepared to see it in more of the novel. One student also mentioned how the censoring of this book from their classes is foolish because parents believe their children who are at the time legal adults cannot handle the imagery and wording.
Despite people having what they think are reasonable arguments to support its banning, 1984 should not be banned or age restricted under any circumstances. First, Winston struggles to find who he is or who he should be. Many people do not know who they want to be later in their lives. 1984 also promotes the idea that the government shouldn’t be involved in your private lives by making the reader feel discomfort living under totalitarian rule. Another reason for this book should not be banned is because 1984 is the author’s prediction of what would happen at the time. This dystopian world combines what is good and evil to make the main character and the reader have mixed thoughts about the government throughout the novel. Finally, the sexual language and violent scenes are not very graphic to most people. Where there are these points in the book, it is brief and there isn’t an overreaction of it. In this world, sex is meant to be a rebellion of law and the government. Any mature teenager and above could read this book and be fine reading it. There isn’t a need for age restriction for 1984, merely a warning that the book can be read and understood best by mature young adults. Orwell did not speak on the banning of 1984 due to his death a year later but one of his earlier books, Animal Farm, was also banned in which a response from him was given. He said, “The chief danger to freedom of thought and speech at this moment is not the direct interference of … any official body. If publishers and editors exert themselves to keep certain topics out of print, it is not because they are frightened of prosecution but because they are frightened of public opinion.” Orwell is correct. People cannot be pleased all of the time and you cannot censor yourself based on the beliefs of others.
A book can be banned or challenged because it is against or for a certain government, has racial issues, sexual or graphic content, following or not following religious beliefs, political biases, and more. Sometimes the setting of the book can be considered harmful for young people to read. 1984 has been banned in many places. It was said to be anticommunist and also pro communist. The book has been challenged for having sexual and violent wording and the mind manipulation executed by the government in the novel. 1984 should not be banned for any reason because it teaches readers against totalitarianism, promotes the idea that the government shouldn’t be involved in the private lives of others, and does not contain overly described graphic scenes. If a book is being considered to be banned or censored it should be carefully reviewed on how it is challenging the system that is trying to silence it.
I hope the paper was informative and enjoyable. 1984 was a fantastic book to read and I loved all of it. I can understand why the book might be considered to be banned but I think the book shouldn't be on that list. This Action Project was a lot of fun to do and it expanded my knowledge on banned books and hearing what books my classmates were reading was interesting as well. Thank you for reading and I hope to see you in the next post.
Works Cited:
“Banned Books Awareness: ‘1984.’” Global Education Network, 2011, https://world.edu/banned-books-awareness-1984/, 2021
Bodkin, Devin. “Jefferson County administrators consider banning classic novel.” IDEDNews.org, 2017, https://www.idahoednews.org/news/jefferson-county-administrators-consider-banning-classic-novel/, 2021
Orwell, George. 1984. New York, New American Library, 1961.
Popova, Maria. “The Freedom of the Press: George Orwell on the Media’s Toxic Self-Censorship.” brainpickings, https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/08/16/the-freedom-of-the-press-george-orwell/, 2021
Woods, Katelin. “Banned Book Highlight: Literature lifts the veil in Orwell’s ‘1984.’” The Collegian, 2018, https://www.kstatecollegian.com/2018/09/27/banned-book-highlight-literature-lifts-the-veil-in-orwells-1984/, 2021
GS
Forbidden Books
18 March 2021
The Censorship of 1984
1984 has been banned in many places and school districts around the United States and in other countries. The reasons for this range from political views to extreme violence and graphic scenes. In 2017, in Eastern Idaho, a high school banned the novel from their two senior government classes after many parents voiced their concern over the book’s content. The challenge made by the school focuses on one of the book's themes. This theme is about 1984’s sexual language and nature which can be seen from a highlighted passage which reads, “He would flog her to death with a rubber truncheon. He would tie her naked to a stake and shoot her full of arrows like Saint Sebastian. He would ravish her and cut her throat at the moment of climax” (Orwell 15). The Jefferson County School District superintendent Lisa Sherick questioned this passage from 1984. She wondered if 1984, “contradicts district policy requiring academics to align with the ‘basic ideals, goals and institutions of the local community” (Bodkin). The school administration chose to censor or ban the book from their classes because of these violent themes despite the students reading it to learn about politics which is important in a government class. Although 1984 does contain violent or graphic language, only taking one small passage from the book and leaving the main content of the book behind for educational purposes is quite unfavorable as seen by the students at the high school.
1984 contains many passages that can be deemed controversial. These passages can challenge politics, religion, diversity, and more. 1984 has been banned because of its views on certain government systems, its language towards different religious beliefs, and its separation of people based on class and usefulness. To understand why many people or large parties would think this book should be censored, one needs to observe a few controversial passages. The first one says, “Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. History has stopped” (Orwell 155). This passage can be problematic to some people because it shows the true power of the government and this can be threatening to current government systems. This quote is a reference to Stalinism which was the effort of rewriting history by destroying any historical documents or propaganda that could possibly be a challenge to the government system. The well described Party that can strike fear into the reader can be translated to governments that may try to ban 1984 for the reason of eliminating the possibility of their citizens thinking their executives are trying to control history or limit the challenge of power. The second passage says, “We do not destroy the heretic because he resists us; so long as he resists us we never destroy him. We convert him, we capture his inner mind, we reshape him. We burn all evil and illusion out of him; we bring him over to our side, not in appearance but genuinely, heart and soul. We make him one of ourselves before we kill him” (Orwell 255). This quote can be controversial because of its description of mind control and the destroying of free thought. Psychological manipulation isn’t favored in many parts of the world and the quote reflects on the power of government and the wording of religion. In the context of this passage someone who resists the government is a heretic but is not executed as one for then they will become a martyr. They are converted into a believer of the Party’s views and a disciple of Big Brother. When they are killed, they are no longer a martyr, but one who wished to be shot before their minds were filled with heresy once more. The passage challenges religion from the connection of manipulation and control of the mind to it. Religion can also be thought of as mind control because of accepting a certain figure and believing in their doctrines but not accepting anything else. The link that has been formed between these two topics can be threatening to groups with certain religious beliefs which may result in the censoring of the novel. In response to the banning of 1984 in the previously mentioned high school, students say they understand and recognize the violent nature of the scene and are prepared to see it in more of the novel. One student also mentioned how the censoring of this book from their classes is foolish because parents believe their children who are at the time legal adults cannot handle the imagery and wording.
Despite people having what they think are reasonable arguments to support its banning, 1984 should not be banned or age restricted under any circumstances. First, Winston struggles to find who he is or who he should be. Many people do not know who they want to be later in their lives. 1984 also promotes the idea that the government shouldn’t be involved in your private lives by making the reader feel discomfort living under totalitarian rule. Another reason for this book should not be banned is because 1984 is the author’s prediction of what would happen at the time. This dystopian world combines what is good and evil to make the main character and the reader have mixed thoughts about the government throughout the novel. Finally, the sexual language and violent scenes are not very graphic to most people. Where there are these points in the book, it is brief and there isn’t an overreaction of it. In this world, sex is meant to be a rebellion of law and the government. Any mature teenager and above could read this book and be fine reading it. There isn’t a need for age restriction for 1984, merely a warning that the book can be read and understood best by mature young adults. Orwell did not speak on the banning of 1984 due to his death a year later but one of his earlier books, Animal Farm, was also banned in which a response from him was given. He said, “The chief danger to freedom of thought and speech at this moment is not the direct interference of … any official body. If publishers and editors exert themselves to keep certain topics out of print, it is not because they are frightened of prosecution but because they are frightened of public opinion.” Orwell is correct. People cannot be pleased all of the time and you cannot censor yourself based on the beliefs of others.
A book can be banned or challenged because it is against or for a certain government, has racial issues, sexual or graphic content, following or not following religious beliefs, political biases, and more. Sometimes the setting of the book can be considered harmful for young people to read. 1984 has been banned in many places. It was said to be anticommunist and also pro communist. The book has been challenged for having sexual and violent wording and the mind manipulation executed by the government in the novel. 1984 should not be banned for any reason because it teaches readers against totalitarianism, promotes the idea that the government shouldn’t be involved in the private lives of others, and does not contain overly described graphic scenes. If a book is being considered to be banned or censored it should be carefully reviewed on how it is challenging the system that is trying to silence it.
I hope the paper was informative and enjoyable. 1984 was a fantastic book to read and I loved all of it. I can understand why the book might be considered to be banned but I think the book shouldn't be on that list. This Action Project was a lot of fun to do and it expanded my knowledge on banned books and hearing what books my classmates were reading was interesting as well. Thank you for reading and I hope to see you in the next post.
Works Cited:
“Banned Books Awareness: ‘1984.’” Global Education Network, 2011, https://world.edu/banned-books-awareness-1984/, 2021
Bodkin, Devin. “Jefferson County administrators consider banning classic novel.” IDEDNews.org, 2017, https://www.idahoednews.org/news/jefferson-county-administrators-consider-banning-classic-novel/, 2021
Orwell, George. 1984. New York, New American Library, 1961.
Popova, Maria. “The Freedom of the Press: George Orwell on the Media’s Toxic Self-Censorship.” brainpickings, https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/08/16/the-freedom-of-the-press-george-orwell/, 2021
Woods, Katelin. “Banned Book Highlight: Literature lifts the veil in Orwell’s ‘1984.’” The Collegian, 2018, https://www.kstatecollegian.com/2018/09/27/banned-book-highlight-literature-lifts-the-veil-in-orwells-1984/, 2021
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