We live in an age where everything is considered to be “harmful” or will “prove damaging to the younger generation.” The United States “guarantees” the freedom of speech, but will censor anything that is found to be offensive. However, the United States is not the only one to blame for censorship; there are also many hidden interests groups who pay off authors and publishers to stop producing the material they see as “harmful.” Fahrenheit 451 is a book that is considered to contain “hells” and “damnations” and was banned. It is an extremely ironic situation, a book about a censorship and burning books is being banned by schools. However, why would the United States want to ban this book? The American people need to be exposed to what is really …show more content…
When individuals here the word “censorship” it is usually perceived to be negative. However, in large organizations it used as a tool to control the masses. An excellent example would be North Korea. A majority of the people residing in that nation perceive the outside nations to be their enemies because their government has only allowed them to veiw censored material (as a form of propaganda). The United States will not stop censorship because in some way it benefits from it. Now, why are unnamed organizations attacking Fahrenheit 451 ( in the past and even now)? Most news reports connected to “schools banning Fahrenheit 451” contain some sort of religious involvement.The novel contains profanity and “derogatory lines about Christianity” (Breazeale 4). In addition, there are also sections of the book that take God’s name in vain and mention the burning of the bible. A couple in Texas saw what their daughter was reading and “campaigned to have the removed from the high school curriculum” (Breazeale 4). Then in the 1990’s a California school gave its students copies of Fahrenheit 451, but all of the obscenity was marked out. In the 1980’s, the superintendent of a school tried to remove Fahrenheit 451 because it contained profanity. All of these events show just how ironic the situation is. They were all trying to ban a …show more content…
It only pushes an individual to pursue the work in a fit of curiosity. During World War II, both Stalin and Hitler attempted to ban questionable books. Hitler, who was anti-semitic, banned any work that was written by a jew; however, many of those books surpassed the Nazi empire by far. In the United States, the government can’t outright ban a book. However, they can use other means that are less evident to expunge them. Books can be controlled or destroyed before, during, and after their production. There is evidence that “some books almost never made it into print, as publishers were privately warned off” (Simpson 3). In other cases, after the author had their book signed, they were “mysteriously dumped, as their on publishers failed to market them” (Simpson 3). Fahrenheit 451 was not only banned because of its religious statements but also because of “imaginary truths.” Bradbury created a fantasy that was actually closer to reality than some might have imagined. He had created a world where people were no longer independent thinkers and were simply components of a mechanical
Censorship was portrayed throughout of Fahrenheit 451 , from books to technology. The government had banned
Books that have shaped America are slowly starting to disappear. Many of the previous social norms have fallen out of fashion, and because of this reason numerous books are beginning to become banned. Blasphemy, racism, sex, and violence are all ethical reasons for books to be censored.
As the Afterword to Fahrenheit 451 demonstrates, Bradbury is extremely sensitive to any attempts to restrict his free speech. For example, he objects strongly to the letters he has received that suggest that he revise his treatment of female and/or black characters. He sees such interventions as more or less hostile and intolerant. In other words, he sees such interventions as the first step on the road to book burning.
Imagine a world of uniformity. All people look the same, act the same, and love the same things. There are no original thoughts and no opposing viewpoints. This sort of world is not far from reality. Uniformity in modern day society is caused by the banning of books. The novel "Fahrenheit 451" illustrates a future in which the banning of books has risen to the extent that no books are allowed. The novel follows the social and moral implications of an over censored society. Even though the plot may seem far-fetched, themes from this book are still relevant today. Although some people believe that banning a book is necessary to defend their religion, the negative effects caused by censorship and the redaction of individual thought are reasons why books such as "Fahrenheit 451" should not be banned.
By censoring the knowledge found in books, the government attempts to rid the society of corruption caused by “the lies” books are filled with in hopes the people will never question. In Fahrenheit 451, censorship is a paradox. Fahrenheit 451 was first written in 1951, a time when television was becoming a viral piece of mass communication. As a writer, Bradbury had to make a choice that, in his eyes, allowed readers to be captivated by a literal story but be able to read between the lines as if reading through eyes that aren’t their own (Foster 226).
Foerstel, Herbert N. Banned in the U.S.A.: a Reference Guide to Book Censorship in Schools and Public Libraries. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1994. Print.
In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury uses "artificial stimulus", such as television and radio, to provide the reader with a feeling of how isolated the public is and how their minds are being controlled by this conformist government in the twenty-first century. He uses technology, like the Mechanical Hound and also drugs, to show the oppressiveness of the government in his novel. Ray Bradbury chooses to write this book after seeing many of his fellow writers and other entertainers being "blacklisted" by Senator Joseph McCarthy in the early 1950's. While he couldn't just openly oppose this behavior, for he would surely be censored, Bradbury writes about an exaggerated version of his own government in which books are burned along with the houses that harbors them. This is to demonstrate to the readers how letting the government censor their art could lead to more drastic measures. Such as editing one line in a book; then a page; then the whole book is condemned and burned along side the many other books and ideas that do not agree with the government. This then leads to the eventual condemnation of all books and forms of entertainment, which is not "politically correct" and/or agreeable to the government's ideas.
Original thoughts, curiosity, and knowledge are not common factors within the characters of Fahrenheit 451. This is mostly due to the fact that all of their books are censored by the government. If the content of the book is upsetting or offensive in any way to any particular group of people, no matter
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 other ways that a piece of literature could get censored, most censored works are asked to be removed from classrooms and school libraries. There are four motivational factors that may lie behind a censor’s actions. Those factors include family values, religion, political views, and minority rights.... ... middle of paper ... ...2003.
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
The first amendment of the U.S. Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances (Buchanan).” With the banning and the challenging of books all over the U.S. I believe that our first amendment is being jeopardized. We should be allowed to read whatever we want to read it is our right according to the first amendment in the U.S. Constitution with freedom of speech.
Recently censorship has become a major problem in our society. Censorship should not be banned on books. People should not be told they cannot read a book. Unfortunately history has shown that words can be used for ill as well as for good, to destroy lives as well as to enhance them? (Steffens, 9) Words and reading them gives us a better understanding of other peoples views. Censorship should not be placed on books.
...s of new media have been proclaiming the death of books, and the marketplace seems to back them up” (Zeller 2011). Zeller is telling use that media like movies and game system have taken over and that the contents that it contains is the same as what books have. Still books are continued to be ban and unlike movies and videogames there is much a fight about the adult content in them. There is a special called Banned Book Week, which is a week where some of banned books are allow to be read and view. It is the freedom of reading anything. People should have it for the rest of life. Banning books is a type of censorship which violates our First Amendment. We the people are about rights and freedom. People have the freedom to read and books should have the freedom of press. It up to people on whether the banning of books should continue. Let the books be free and live!
Censorship in School Libraries 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.
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.