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Catcher in the rye essay on an issue in the book
A thesis on censorship in schools
A thesis on censorship in schools
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Censorship is an ongoing topic that is debated when it comes down to what books student should and should not be reading in school. The book “Catcher In The Rye” by J.D. Salinger is one of the most controversial books because of the content that is said in the book. Sex, alcohol, drugs, and profane language are what is mentioned in the book. In my opinion, censorship should be in place so books like “Catcher In The Rye” are banned from schools so students are not able to read such books with that material.
By making students in school read books that contain topics such as sex, alcohol, drugs, and profane language, it will have some effect on the student. Having a student read material with those topics in them, will make the student think that it is okay to go out and have sex, drink alcohol, do drugs, or speak with profane language. The students will get the idea that that is what they should be doing and that is what other people are doing. If young students that are not mature enough yet, they may not have the maturity level to handle that kind of information. Censorship needs to be enforced so that students in today’s society will not be influenced by what they are reading in school.
There are some students and or parents that would take great offense to certain things that are being said or discussed about in books. In “Catcher In The Rye” profane language, such as “goddamn,” is used a tremendous amount of times. To certain people with certain religions or beliefs, would not agree with that and stop reading the book. As Holden says:
In the first place, I'm sort of an atheist. I like Jesus and all, but I don't care too much for most of the other stuff in the Bible. Take the Disciples, for instance. They annoy the hell o...
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...s of literature that has topics of sex, alcohol, drugs, and profane language in them. Those topics are what helped those books become classics. In high school, the teachers want their students to read the classics so they can get a better understanding of the writing style that was used then.
Censorship will always be a topic that can be debated especially when it comes to the books that are read in school. There are certain topics that should not be discussed or talked about in great detail in books that are being read in school. Even if the book is a classic piece of literature, like “Catcher In The Rye,” it needs to be censored. It is important to have censorship in place so students are not getting the wrong impression of sex, alcohol, drugs, and profane language.
Works Cited
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1951.
Did you ever think that books that have sex, obscene language, and immoral subjects can make a good book? The Catcher in the Rye has been on the banned reading list for exactly those reasons. The book was mainly put on disapproval from between 1966 and 1975 in almost every school district in the United States. The book was said to be so bad that in 1960 a teacher in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was fired for assigning the book to an eleventh-grade English class. Despite some opposition to the novel, however, J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye should be on a reading list for the freshman students because it gives a crystal clear image on how the world is in violence, sex, and obscenity and the book also teaches the motifs of lying and deception.
I believe that Catcher In The Rye needs to be partially banned. By that, I mean that its contents possess very mature themes that children under the age of 12 probably should not be exposed to in public schools. Now if their parents want to let them read it on their own then that is none of the school’s or anyone else’s concern. Elementary schools should not carry the book because there will always be the chance of a child getting their hands on the book and bringing it home subsequently having their parents see what they have been reading in turn making the parents upset by what the school is allowing their child to read.
Books are banned for many reasons but more times than not it is because of the sensitive information found within the novel that agitates the reader. As long as people have been able to develop their own opinions, others have sought to prevent them from sharing. At some point in time, every idea has ultimately become objectionable to someone. The most frequently challenged and most visible targets of such objection are the very books found in classrooms and public libraries. These controversial novels teach lessons that sometimes can be very sensitive to some but there is much more to challenged books than a controversial topic. What lies within these pages is a wealth of knowledge, such as new perspectives for readers, twisting plots, and expressions that are found nowhere else. For example, To Kill A Mockingbird, contains references to rape, racial content, and profanity that have caused many to challenge the novel in the first place. The book was banned from countless
...and controversial. These individuals have not recognized the sincerity of the novel and the potential it holds to change one’s view on life and on other people. The novel is purposely written in a way to raise feelings, help readers to identify with characters, and reveal reality. The Catcher in the Rye has been studied in Language Arts for years in schools and should be continued, as it will be beneficial to students. Language Arts is undeniably an art, just as music is an art. One does not eliminate and replace the notes composed in a symphony simply because it has been perceived as fallacious. Similar to that symphony, the Catcher in the Rye has been engraved with evocative words that make it as prominent as it has been to this day, and should remain unchanged forever.
The practice of the censorship of books in schools has been prevalent due to the explicit content of them. Parents have been complaining to schools about books that count as required reading because they disapprove with the points made in the book. If a book consists of offensive or sexually explicit material, then parents would challenge the schools about them in order to prevent their children from reading them. Censorship in general has been an intensely debated issue because it is considered an infringement to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution while others argue it is used to conceal inappropriate things (Aliprandini and Sprague). The banning of books in school curriculum has also been debated since parents see certain books as inappropriate while others argue that banning them hinders student learning. Against the censorship of books in schools, Fenice Boyd and Nancy Bailey, authors of Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, believe that banning books creates a barrier between students and intellectual development (Boyd and Bailey, 655). Banning books from schools and removing them from the curriculum prevents students from exploring different ideas and developing creativity and critical thinking skills.
We live in an overprotective society, where people try to control other people’s lives from things that they find explicit. Many parents believe that by sheltering their kids from offensive things it will keep them safe. But, trying to live life as if there is always sunshine and no rain turns out to be a big disappointment. The banning of books has a negative effect on children and adults alike, as it can shelter children from real life situations, and revokes the rights of the people. Although people believe in banning books that contain vulgar language and profanity to help their children, it can actually hurt the child and can be considered unconstitutional.
Censorship is the practice of concealing parts of a book, movie, show, or any other form of media. Media can be censored in many ways; one of these is to block out the offensive sections of the content. This is generally done when the content of said media is not considered overall offensive or inappropriate but has derogatory and/or blasphemous language. Another way Media can be censored is to have it banned completely. For a book to be banned, it must first be challenged. According the American Library Association, a challenge “is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group.” The question over censorship has been debated for years: Should we be allowed to ban Medias we deem unfit and/or inappropriate from our children?
The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) defines censorship as: “The removal, suppression, or restricted circulation of literary, artistic, or educational materials… of images, ideas, and information…on the grounds that these are morally or otherwise objectionable in light of standards applied by the censor” (Miner 1998). In schools there are three types of censorship, one type is a “parent who doesn’t want their child to read a particular book. Another is a parent, teacher, administrator, or school board member who argues that no one in the class, or school should read the book in dispute. Lastly, there is censorship that involves someone who is part of an organized campaign, whether of a local or national group, and who goes in ready for a fight and wants to make a broader political point” (Miner 1998). Although there are many others ways that a piece of literature could get censored, most censored works are asked to be removed from classrooms and school libraries.
Despite being a worldwide best seller, J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye has been on the banned books list since 1961 ( (Baldassarro). The Catcher in the Rye tells the short journey, of anti-hero Holden Caulfield, between the end of the fall semester and Christmas break (Salinger). The story begins when Holden is expelled from his school, Pency Prep, for failing a majority of his classes (Salinger). Holden knows he must return home, so he attempts to prolong the scolding he will receive from his parents, for being expelled, by venturing around Manhattan until it becomes necessary to return to his home (Salinger). Holden tells his story in the most vulgar way possible. Holden accounts being offered a prostitute by an elevator operator when he asks, “Innarested a little tail t’night?” (Salinger 91). Offensive language is also used throughout the book, for example, “You’re a dirty stupid sonuvabitch of a moron” (Salinger 44). Underage drinking is also one of Holden’s favorite passtimes as evident in the quote, “I ordered a scotch and soda, and told him not to mix it- I said it fast as hell, because if you hem and haw, they think you’re under twenty-one and won’t sell you any intoxicating liquor” (Salinger 69). These three quotes express the precise justifications for banning books: sexually explicit content, offensive language, and underage drug use (Association). Although, many consider The Catcher in the Rye to be morally wrong, it should not ...
What is censorship? According the American Civil Liberties Union, censorship is defined as “the suppression of words, images, or ideas that are "offensive."” This is a very broad definition because any part of anything put out for the world, while you may not be offended by it, someone around you may. Instead of just ignoring the words or the images, many people try to force their ideas and beliefs on others. This falls into the “If I don’t like what I see, then no one can see it” category. This is the same for books. Certain people found the Harry Potter books, for example, offensive and wanted them banned because they allegedly promoted witchcraft and the devil. They were unsuccessful in getting them banned, but it just shows how groups of people wish to stifle creativity and art simply because they do not like it for whatever reason. (Index On Censorship) Many people think censorship currently is a good thing because it stifles others as to not offend the status quo. I would like to enlighten others by showing that having free flowing of ideas and opinions is what makes our country great.
The novel, The Catcher In the Rye, should not be banned from inclusion in the literature courses taught at the high school level. Banning this novel contradicts an individual's inalienable rights as an United States citizen. It limits freedom of speech and as well as other forms of expression. Although controversial, profanity is not a reason to limit an individual's rights. America is founded on principles that are not fueled by exceptions. Profanity is not an exception to freedom of speech. The Catcher in the Rye should not be excluded from curriculums at the high school level.
Censorship in Schools There has recently been a renewed interest and passion in the issue of censorship. In the realm of the censorship of books in schools alone, several hundred cases have surfaced each year for nearly the past decade. Controversies over which books to include in the high school English curriculum present a clash of values between teachers, school systems, and parents over what is appropriate for and meaningful to students. It is important to strike a balance between English that is meaningful to students by relating to their lives and representing diversity and satisfying worries about the appropriateness of what is read.
Simmons, John S., and Eliza T. Dresang. School Censorship in the 21st Century: a Guide for Teachers and School Library Media Specialists. Newark, DE: International Reading Association, 2001. Print.
The most debatable and controversial form of censorship today is the banning of books in school libraries. Banning books that educate students is wrong and selfish. Censorship of books in school libraries is neither uncommon nor an issue of the past. Books with artistic and cultural worth are still challenged constantly by those who want to control what others read. The roots of bigotry and illiteracy that fuel efforts to censor books and free expression are unacceptable and unconditional. Censoring school books in libraries can often lead to censorship of our basic freedoms guaranteed in the First Amendment. In some cases, a minority ends up dictating the majority in censorship cases. To be told what is permissible reading material and what is not is a direct violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution.
The censorship of books is a division of censorship that, apart from Internet censorship, receives the most publicity. Banning books is the most popular form of such censorship. Many banned books are literary classics, such as The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, which was listed as the number 6 most challenged or banned book in a list compiled by the American Civil Liberties Union in 1997.