Kurt Vonnegut : Language And Literature

The Catcher in the Rye. The Scarlet Letter. Huckleberry Finn. Harry Potter. The Diary of Anne Frank. Animal Farm. To Kill a Mockingbird. The Da Vinci Code. The Grapes of Wrath. These literary classics have been vital to the education of many, especially children and adolescents (Banned Books). These great novels both teach important values and educate children about world affairs and classic themes. Unfortunately, each of these novels has been banned at one point in time. In a country where freedom is so adamantly advocated, it is a wonder that an issue like censorship would even come up, that such a controversy would sink its claws into the minds of states’ boards of education across the nation.

When parents realized thattheir children would be exposed to such things, some immediately publicized their outragethrough the press, complaining to Boards of Education, hoping to ban the book or have it simplyremoved from school districts and libraries.In Burlington, North Carolina,

Censorship amounts prohibition of expression of someone’s ideas, thoughts which may be detrimental and prejudicial to a particular class of people. The book Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, revolves around the idea of censorship as a bane to the society and culture. The book touches on various consequences of censorship like social isolation and infringement of thoughts. Bradbury has given an accurate representation of the society leading to an end as censorship proceeds to prohibit literature. Literature is power and censorship is suppressing it. Suppressing

Brenyo, M. (2011). [Censored]: Book banning in the US education system. Journal of Law & Education, 40(3), 541–549.

On the other hand, some people argue that book censorship is a violation of their constitutional right to freedom of speech, and the right to self expression. One article puts its effects this way, “Permitting restraints on literature sets the stage for attacks on all expression that is artistically or politically controversial or that portray unpleasant realities of life.” This,

In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, one of the major morals in the book is censorship, and a short story Coda by the same author, talks about the censorship that happens to his books and how this ruins society. In Coda, Bradbury states that those who edit out “subjective” things in his book, “Skin, debone, demarrow, scarcify melt, render down, and destroy” ( Bradbury 2) his books. They take all the subjective and beautiful descriptions and turn them into plain, simple, and boring things. They censor what might offend, but they censor it too much to the point where it makes a book, “become a non-book” ( Bradbury 5). Censorship in Fahrenheit 451 is the same way. As Beatty, the captain of the firemen says, “Colored people don’t like Little Black Sambo. Burn it. White people don’t feel good about Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Burn it. Someone’s written a book on tobacco and cancer of the lungs? The cigarette people are weeping? Burn the book” (Bradbury 57). This is another example of the censorship because it shows the way they try to keep peace by keeping everyone ignorant. This isn’t the way that peace should be kept. Both of these texts have strong ties to the way society censors things that may make people upset and how it isn’t right because it takes away individuality and opinions to keep peace.

Censorship cases often bring about debates over students’ first amendment rights. Students’ first amendment rights are important to preserve so that students can not be excluded from meaningful works or literature. It is understandable for the government to design educational plans as a way to get its voice into classrooms, but “the truth-promoting function of the First Amendment provides no reason, however, to question the right of students to explore a variety of ideas and perspectives, and to form and express ideas of their own” (Brown, 1994, p. 30). Schools already place a restriction on religious material or material addressing current political controversy (Brown, 1994).

First, the author argues, “When engaging in critical literacy, readers question reality and entertain multiple perspectives about particular topics, attitudes, and behaviors” (Graff). Challenged and banned books are beneficial to readers. These banned books help students evaluate more difficult pieces of literature, which could be used in the future. Jennifer Graff states, “...Book censorship helps us think critically about the power of the written word as well as the relationships between individuals, texts, and contexts, to paraphrase Lawrence Sipe (1999)” (Graff). Banned and challenged books allow readers to see the truth--from the past, future, or present--written by the author. Readers can apply these ideas to real-life situations successfully. In the article, On Reading and Sharing Banned Books, the topic of “...heightened sensitivity about what and how we say things,” and needing, “ongoing conversations about how literature can be part of our lives without undue stress and controversy” is exposed (Graff). Books are written for many reasons, to inform persuade, entertain, and relax; however, with books censorship, finding relaxing or entertaining books is extremely difficult. Without censorship, readers could easily discuss these now controversial topics without worry. The purpose of the book, good moral, and potentially

In Fahrenheit 451 censorship causes a loss of societal growth, individual thought and personal happiness. In the futuristic world Bradbury has created, firemen start fires rather than extinguishing them. People in this society do not think independently nor do they have meaningful

Throughout the book “Fahrenheit 451,” author Ray Bradbury discusses the many dangers of censorship and dangers of technology. Bradbury includes multiple scenarios of examples such as, the variety of issues and problems that follow these dangers to show its effect on society. Although Bradbury goes into detail about both conflicts, the predicament that seems to be the most accurate interpretation of “Fahrenheit 451” is the dangers of censorship. From the lack of societies knowledge, to the failing of social bonds, to even the daily behavior of the people, Bradbury describes these issues to a tee and uses the characters to display these issues.

When being assigned this project, I immediately went to this issue of banning books in the classroom. I remember growing up reading some of these books on the banned list. But not remembering them for being racist or indecent, but rather them depicting a time period and a glips of society back them. I wanted to get down to the reason why and who has the power of banning books. I wanted to dig deeper into the reasons why books were becoming banned and reach out to the community of educators for their opinion on this topic.

In "You Have Insulted Me" a letter by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. is another good example of censorship in our own society. That relates to Fahrenheit 451 concerning censorship but there is also a difference in Fahrenheit 451 compared to the "the letter" by Vonnegut. In Fahrenheit the idea of censorship are no books what so ever because of the lack of society reading, but in "the letter" books are denied to younger readers and the public because of content, such as vulgarity, and sexuality. They both lack knowledge that is given but never fully taken in and which makes them both a censored society/world.

Censorship is an issue that civilizations have struggled with for hundreds of years. The question that leaders ask themselves is, “Is censorship the problem or solution?” In Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, he finds the solution. The novel is set in the future where books are banned, and firefighters set houses on fire that hold books. The main character, Montag, is a firefighter that hates his life and his occupation.

Books have been challenged and banned from schools and libraries for countless years. “To Kill a Mockingbird”, “Catcher in the Rye” and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” are two of the most challenged books of their time. Many parents and faculty member in schools and libraries see these books and others like them as “inappropriate” and “wrong.” (Doyle). Books have been banned throughout history for their takes on issues such as race, damaging lifestyles, Sexual content, violence, and even their political angles (“Banned Books: Reasons for Banning Books.”).

When I first heard the word censorship, I did not know what to think really. Censorship to me was like R-rated movies, limitations in school and certain government rules. I knew that censorship had a negative meaning behind it and that its popularly practiced in other countries. When I looked more into censorship, I had no clue how much of our world actually provoked it as well. I began looking into the definition of censorship and a light bulb went off in my head! I realized that in high school, I learned about the censorship of journalism in America. With that and the help of our professors writing outline, I was able to begin the idea process of this essay. This essay allowed me to push my limits as a writer and make my writing even better!