The Influence Of Reading Of Lenbeck's Of Mice And Men

George shot Lennie. I couldn’t believe it. I sat mortified, staring at the page wondering why I had been assigned to read such a disturbing book. I anxiously awaited my next English class for the opportunity to discuss the book and understand the reason my teacher felt it was important for the class to read it. In the years that have passed since I read Of Mice and Men for my high school English class, I don’t remember the offensive language that was used, or the sexual content it contained, I remember the message, the point the author was trying to make, and that is what has stuck with me through the years.

The impact that reading Of Mice and Men had on me is not unusual, many people are influenced by what they watch, listen to, and read. Many parents and guardians want to protect their children from the potentially bad influences that can be found in these various mediums. Parents have a lot of control, as they should, in what their children are exposed to. They can moderate what they watch, read, and listen to in the home. However, out of the home it becomes harder to control. In school, many classes, primarily English, introduce students to books and films as part of the education curriculum. As the students get older, the reading material becomes more mature. For decades guardians and parents have been fighting to keep literature they deem inappropriate out of their children’s classrooms. This has led to many books, including Of Mice and Men, to being banned. According to the American Library Association, in the past decade – from 2000-2009 – 5,099 books were challenged. http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10

With so many books being banned it raises the question: Should sensitive and controversial lite...

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...rciful to follow George’s example, and make a hard, but right, choice? The profound impact of the literature I read was irreplaceable. I rafted down the Mississippi river with Huckleberry Finn, and learned, with him, that skin color doesn’t make the person any less important. I wandered the streets of New York with Holden Caulfield, and joined him in his journey of self-discovery. I mourned with George after he made the difficult decision to shoot Lennie in an effort to save him from the cruelties of the mob. Literature teaches students how to critically think and brings awareness to racism, drugs, sexuality, and violence in a way nothing else can. The characters mentioned above, along with many more, are inviting us to join them on their journeys, and in return, they will teach us many life lessons that are unforgettable, and why shouldn’t we accept the invitation?