Banned Books Research Paper

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Banned and restricted books have remained a hot topic over the course of multiple generations. Most of these books have been banned, challenged, or restricted simply because they suggested/obtained information that either questioned, challenged, or opposed social norms or powerful institutions, such as the government, educational, and religious systems, which are not so coincidentally intertwined. Change is scary concept for powerful institutions whose fluidness is dependent on the normalcy, blind faith, and allegiance; especially when the authors that are advocating for change order ink by the barrel, and their campaign is centered around literary parallels exposing institutional and idealistic flaws within whatever system they are opposing. …show more content…

However, one study assessed a sample of 282 students between the ages of 12-18 to gather a more fact-based opinion on the matter. Their results showed that the correlation between banned books and how they affected the children who read them were complex, but basically concluded that the children who read these books generally benefited from the reading experience. Researchers found that students who read banned books tended to be more civic minded than the general population of students who did not read the banned books. These books did not affect the grade point average of students, or seem to lead to nonviolent or violent crimes. However, students who read the books had increased internal and external mental health symptoms; primarily antisocial behavior. This negative factor was only associated with a small percent of the population, and seemed to have a greater impact on female students than male participants. Ferguson relates his research to another study that found evidence that many children who play violent video games with their parents tend to display more prosocial and civic behaviors because the environment and content of these games, as well as other sources of media, result in children reaching a higher level of thinking as long as they are receiving parental …show more content…

Jen Denzin, A high school reading teacher, found herself in a pickle after she assigned her senior class with novels containing sexual content that she was uncomfortable teaching after analyzing the books more carefully. Initially, Denzin intended to expose her students to something controversial and exciting, but wound up facing a moral, and a potential professional dilemma. Though she was conflicted, Denzin ultimately decided that it would be hypocritical to censor a book that was suggested by multiple students in a course that was intended to emphasize personal choice (Denzin, 2013). I personally support her decision to allow her students to read Fifty Shades of Grey in an academic setting. Even though it would not be my first choice, the students would most likely pick up the book anyway, and read it without any guidance. As provocative as the book may be, giving students a choice in their reading material increases their interest in

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