The art of reading has been passed from generation to generation, as people have shared the stories that provide insight into any idea or topic imaginable. By voicing these opinions through writing stories, authors have given readers the ability to see eye to eye with not only one another, but with themselves as well. 

Sharing the tales and trials that make us who we are provides another perspective on worldwide problems, invoking intellectual thought and an exchange of ideas. This allows people to connect and see themselves or others represented in media. Consequently, when this right to read is taken away, the fear that takes its place only divides us. 

In the past five years, our nation has seen a substantial increase in book banning, removing a book from public libraries and school settings because of its content. 

This act of censorship suppresses certain ideas or experiences due to the discomfort of certain groups of people, and in return, it takes away access to the material for everyone else involved. Many of the titles that have been challenged both on a local and national scale deal with topics of magic, mental health, and diverse characters in terms of race or the LGBTQ+ community. 

Classic novels such as “The Great Gatsby”, “The Crucible,” and “Fahrenheit 451” have faced social opposition alongside many modern works such as “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” “The Bluest Eye,” and “Looking for Alaska.”

Recently, the most common reason for challenges in the school setting pertains to books with LGBTQ+ characters or references. Some parents may not want their child exposed to ideas that pertain to queer identity or diverse sexuality, and with the ruling of the recent Supreme Court case, Mahmoud vs. Taylor, parents are now allowed to opt out of their child reading any novel that includes LGBTQ+ identities or experiences. 

The incorporation of these novels in a school setting exposes students to new ideas, ones that may even pertain to them. By restricting their students from reading this material, they miss out on an opportunity to learn and discover the experiences and values of a group of people, regardless of whether or not they identify that way.

Students who read these novels are often looking for a way to not only find an image of themselves that they may not see in their local community, but also to learn from the decisions and actions of characters. Just because there is a mention of an idea that conflicts with one’s personal beliefs, it does not mean that the person who read the novel is inclined to change their entire lifestyle and identity to conform to exactly what the novel said.

The books that are taught are often simply to expose students to new ideas and issues that they may or may not choose to explore further or relate to. Reading comes with an immeasurable power, and the responsibility placed upon anyone who picks up a book is to learn from what they are reading, and hopefully gain a higher knowledge of the world and the people around them.

Shying away from ideas that are discussed in books, such as mental health, feeds the harmful stigma and preconceived notion that we should be expected to conceal our problems and bottle our emotions instead of reaching out for help. By reading and exploring novels surrounding mental health, there can be an increased communal support to demonstrate positive themes of assistance and representation to help regulate feelings.

Avoiding those discussions will only prolong the problem, and by sharing the information and experiences of novels, the response would be an astronomical exhibition of intellectual thought that could support or assist anyone going through something similar.

By choosing to ban these books out of fear of an opposing opinion, the right and freedom to read are restricted by controlling the ideas of the people. Reflecting on these topics and evaluating the complexity of these censored books can help enlighten and improve our society despite the restriction of materials. 

This idea is shared by English Department Chair, Ms. Lemons, who said, “If this is the world that people want to live in, where we cannot read a book and distinguish what’s happening in a book versus what’s happening in our faces, we are in a lot more trouble. It extends to our ability to live in reality and our ability to live with people that do or do not share our values.”

Learning to live in a world where not everyone will agree must be achieved, and censoring books that disagree with a group’s opinion prohibits the flow of free ideas to people across the nation.

Ironically, many novels that have been banned or censored include settings of dystopian and restricted governments, most prominently Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”. The novel tells the story of a society where reading has been outlawed, and owning or reading a book is considered a crime. This censorship of any idea that may oppose what the people in power hold alludes to the future of prohibiting information and ideas to the general public, even outside of a work of fiction.

Seeing issues that arise in our current society can lead to a need for the very exchange of ideas that comes from reading books from varying opinions and points of view. Elaborating on this, Lemons stated, “When we think of societies that completely censor reading material, what did it lead to? How detrimental is that to the learning process? How does it impact how we can teach, learn, and grow as a society?”

Our campus continues to read books that come from diverse groups of people and discuss topics that pertain to the interests and needs of the students. Specifically, in our school club, the Diversify Our Narrative Action Club.

The club aims to build an intellectual community and spread awareness of the various books that have been banned, providing representation for students who may be able to see themselves in those stories. Club President and Senior Chi Chi Adenihun said, “This information is powerful because we are sitting with these books learning so much, expanding our ideas, expanding our views, that’s what we want to bring that to everyone else too.”

By discussing these topics and finding representation in books from across the country, Diversify Our Narrative Action Club is helping to combat the harmful effects of censorship and continue to explore a myriad of ideas and opinions. 

The effects of book banning could change the outline of our society, altering the conception of opinion in the media and changing the opportunity for representation of small groups. With the changes and oppositions surrounding many topics in the world, it is all the more important to find the courage and strength to stand up to censorship and search for exposure and enlightenment to new ideas.