Expository Essay
The reason child fiction novels are challenged is because they generally reflect the authors beliefs. Book Banning and Censoring is when a figure of authority takes measures to prevent a book or some of its content from being read. Book Banning has been happening for many years, to a variety of different books for a variety of different reasons. Even children’s fiction books are challenged and banned. Generally, books are banned and censored out of concern that the content of the books is harmful to the reader. There is a variety of reasons that the challenger could have for challenging the book. According to the American Library Association, some frequently challenged themes and content in children’s fiction novels are: violence, satanic/occult, anti-family, homosexuality, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group. Even with so many different reasons a challenger could give for wanting to ban, their motivating factors are usually the same. The four motivating factors for book banning and censorship are: family values, religion, political view, and minority rights.
There is an actual purpose of children’s fiction literature. It has been found that children can learn to love reading through exposure during youth, and studies show that children from grades 1 through 6 prefer fiction books over others. Children’s fiction novels are important, just like fairytales and folktales are. Every country, culture, and civilization has had stories as such that are passed on from generation to generation. Fairytales and folktales can encompass objects of mastery, trickery, power, and justice, and engage a child’s moral character. They often taught history and promoted understanding of different cultures. Fairytales help children learn to differentiate between right and wrong. Child fiction novels do the same.
Religion is a very common motivating factor in the banning of children’s fictional literature. Part of the reason is because of magic. Magic and fantasy are popular ideas inside children’s fiction because they support the idea that anything can happen. That idea inspires hope in the hearts of children, and the magic appeals to their sense of imagination. However, magic goes against many people’s beliefs. To some people, magic is considered witchcraft. In the Christian religion and the Bible, witchcraft is considered evil and satanic. Many religious families don’t believe in magic outside of the church, and therefore think of the books as satanic/occult. There is a lot of content in books that can go against a religion’s Holy Scriptures, such as homosexuality.
Children’s fiction books can be used to explain history, as well as crises, and social and economic problems. The books reflect the author’s beliefs, and they also sometimes reflect their political view point and opinions on those subjects. Examples of this are some of the very popular, colorful and imaginative picture books written by Dr. Seuss. Most of Dr. Seuss’s books contained underline morals, and addressed problems. For example, How the Grinch Stole Christmas addressed the materialism of Christmas. Horton Hears a Who and The Sneetches addressed discrimination. The Lorax addressed the environmental problem of global warming. Not everyone in the world has the same opinion, and many people didn’t share Dr. Seuss’s view. They didn’t want their children to be influenced by his opinion, and challenged the books.
Family values are specific to each individual family. What is considered acceptable for children to read depends on its values. Therefore, the reasons for banning books differentiate a lot. For example, if a family values peace and doesn’t believe in violence, a book with violence would go against their values. The family would not want the book to be read, and might challenge it. In every story, there is conflict. With conflict come arguments, fighting and sometimes violence. People tend to worry about the negative impact violence can have on kids. Some people believe that the violence in the books might promote violence in school which leads to them challenging them. Others think that violence is too much for some kids to handle .The argument comes down to what is too much violence. How much violence a child can comfortably handle depends on their maturity, so it differentiates between ages.
A frequent and unspecific reason for banning books is to say it is unsuited for its age group. With popular children’s fiction books, this happens frequently. Everyone’s opinions on what is unsuitable for children to read depend on what was acceptable when they were a kid. The world changes though. With all the newer technology comes a new era. The internet exposes kids to more of the world than they would have seen in the past. With all the social networks and new music, opinions also change and what was before socially unacceptable could be acceptable. Some people say that the change is good. They believe that children will be more independent and prepared for the real world. Other people worry that the kids will be less prepared. They wonder whether or not the kids will be mature enough to fully understand what they are reading, and will be even more unprepared because of underestimating real life problems.
With so many reasons that books are challenged, it’s hard to decide which reasons are valid enough to actually ban a book from the shelves in a library. Book Banning goes contradicts the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The first amendment protects the freedom to speak and express ourselves, and therefore the freedom to write and read. There is an annual celebration called Banned Books Week that celebrates that right. It has been going on since 1982 and usually is the last week in February.
When the Harry Potter series became popular, many Christian activists tried to get it banned because of its positive view on witchcraft. An organization named Muggles for Harry Potter was founded to fight against all the challenges. The organization is now known as kidSPEAK and helps kids fight against any kind of censorship. Books have been challenged for years and will continue to be challenged for years to come. The difference between then and now is whether it’s banned.
There is an actual purpose of children’s fiction literature. It has been found that children can learn to love reading through exposure during youth, and studies show that children from grades 1 through 6 prefer fiction books over others. Children’s fiction novels are important, just like fairytales and folktales are. Every country, culture, and civilization has had stories as such that are passed on from generation to generation. Fairytales and folktales can encompass objects of mastery, trickery, power, and justice, and engage a child’s moral character. They often taught history and promoted understanding of different cultures. Fairytales help children learn to differentiate between right and wrong. Child fiction novels do the same.
Religion is a very common motivating factor in the banning of children’s fictional literature. Part of the reason is because of magic. Magic and fantasy are popular ideas inside children’s fiction because they support the idea that anything can happen. That idea inspires hope in the hearts of children, and the magic appeals to their sense of imagination. However, magic goes against many people’s beliefs. To some people, magic is considered witchcraft. In the Christian religion and the Bible, witchcraft is considered evil and satanic. Many religious families don’t believe in magic outside of the church, and therefore think of the books as satanic/occult. There is a lot of content in books that can go against a religion’s Holy Scriptures, such as homosexuality.
Children’s fiction books can be used to explain history, as well as crises, and social and economic problems. The books reflect the author’s beliefs, and they also sometimes reflect their political view point and opinions on those subjects. Examples of this are some of the very popular, colorful and imaginative picture books written by Dr. Seuss. Most of Dr. Seuss’s books contained underline morals, and addressed problems. For example, How the Grinch Stole Christmas addressed the materialism of Christmas. Horton Hears a Who and The Sneetches addressed discrimination. The Lorax addressed the environmental problem of global warming. Not everyone in the world has the same opinion, and many people didn’t share Dr. Seuss’s view. They didn’t want their children to be influenced by his opinion, and challenged the books.
Family values are specific to each individual family. What is considered acceptable for children to read depends on its values. Therefore, the reasons for banning books differentiate a lot. For example, if a family values peace and doesn’t believe in violence, a book with violence would go against their values. The family would not want the book to be read, and might challenge it. In every story, there is conflict. With conflict come arguments, fighting and sometimes violence. People tend to worry about the negative impact violence can have on kids. Some people believe that the violence in the books might promote violence in school which leads to them challenging them. Others think that violence is too much for some kids to handle .The argument comes down to what is too much violence. How much violence a child can comfortably handle depends on their maturity, so it differentiates between ages.
A frequent and unspecific reason for banning books is to say it is unsuited for its age group. With popular children’s fiction books, this happens frequently. Everyone’s opinions on what is unsuitable for children to read depend on what was acceptable when they were a kid. The world changes though. With all the newer technology comes a new era. The internet exposes kids to more of the world than they would have seen in the past. With all the social networks and new music, opinions also change and what was before socially unacceptable could be acceptable. Some people say that the change is good. They believe that children will be more independent and prepared for the real world. Other people worry that the kids will be less prepared. They wonder whether or not the kids will be mature enough to fully understand what they are reading, and will be even more unprepared because of underestimating real life problems.
With so many reasons that books are challenged, it’s hard to decide which reasons are valid enough to actually ban a book from the shelves in a library. Book Banning goes contradicts the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The first amendment protects the freedom to speak and express ourselves, and therefore the freedom to write and read. There is an annual celebration called Banned Books Week that celebrates that right. It has been going on since 1982 and usually is the last week in February.
When the Harry Potter series became popular, many Christian activists tried to get it banned because of its positive view on witchcraft. An organization named Muggles for Harry Potter was founded to fight against all the challenges. The organization is now known as kidSPEAK and helps kids fight against any kind of censorship. Books have been challenged for years and will continue to be challenged for years to come. The difference between then and now is whether it’s banned.