Vocabulary. com describes censorship as blocking something from being read, heard, or seen. Aucklandlibraries. com describes a banned book as being prohibited from being published or circulated by a government authority. Many books have been banned or challenged. Some of the reasons for banning books is offensive language, sexual content, racial themes, religious content, alternative lifestyle, profanity, violence, negativety, and political views, people also say that books challenge and interrogate people. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, Jeannette tells you about her life story and how her family treated her and her siblings.
In this novel, the family is always short on cash and food. They are always running away, Rex Walls (the father) runs from his problems. Their family is dysfunctional, the father is an alcoholic, the mother has a mental illness, and the children have no friends. This book would be banned becasue of all the profanity, strong sexual content, alcoholism, abuse, and child molestation. I disagree with the banning of this book, every parent has the right too guide his or her child’s reading, but no parent has the right too tell other parents what their children may or may not read.
People fail too see books as a whole; one bad scene , one bad word, and the whole book is judged on that one aspect. This novel teaches a good life lesson: don’t depend on anyone, “sink or swim” (fail or succeed), fend for yourself, strength, and finding success for yourself. What is described in this book happens in real life. “Protecting” your child from these things is onlymaking them blind to it. Some of the most controversial books in history are now regarded as classics. 259-210 B. C. , the chinese emperor Shih Huang Ti burned all books in his kingdom, except one copy of each book.
A. D. 8: the Romn poet Ovid was banished from Rome for writing Ars Amatoria (the Love of Art). 1788: King Lear by Shakespeare was banned from the stage until 1820. The First Amendment says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the Freedom of Speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably too assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. ” The First Amendment protects the several basic liberities: freedom of religion, speech, press, petition, and assembly.
I think that the First Amendment should be protected because it gives us all of our rights; it allows us to do as we want. The First Amendment allows same-sex marriage and if that wasn’t protected they’d live in fear of being locked up or killed for who they love. We are able too practice our religion wherever, whenever, because that right is protceted. I think that without our rights being protected we’d all live in fear and that this country would not be where it is today. We have been granted so much freedom with the First Amendment.
There are multiple reasons as too why The Glass Castle had been banned or challenged. In 2016, Thr Glass Castle wa suspended at the Ambridge (PA) High School because the book is “racist and sexually explicit”. In 2015, it was suspended from the Highland Park (TX) School District’s approved book list by the School Super Intendent for the same reasons, it was racist and very sexual. The books had also been banned at the McPherson, Kansas High School. Aspects in the novel that had caused the book too be banned were that Rex (Jeannette’s dad) was an alcoholic.
Some adults might find that this part of the book will tell their kids it is okay to drink. The mother, Rose Mary, had a mental illness; she was bipolar. Towards the end of the book all the children leave their and they soon become homeless. Most adults might find that insulting and inapproprite for their children to see. The family is very poor and isn’t really able too supply their children with food, shelter, or new clothing. Adults with find this insulting to unwealthy people. Maureen (Jeannettes sister) stabbed Rose Mary.
Adults have said that this shows extreme violence and is uneccesary for children and teenagers to read. I think that this book teaches a very good life lesson and it shows you what life is realy about. This book shows you the reslity behind closed doors. Nothing in this book is sugar coated. I do not think this book should be banned, we should all know the good and the bad parts of life. A scene in the novel that could have caused this book to be banned was when Rex teaches Jeannette how to swim. “If you don’t want too sink, you better figure out how to swim” (Walls 66).
Rex teaches Jeannette how too swim by forcing her to sink or to swim. He threw her into a sulfur spring in the desert, he would then rescue her when she sinks onlt to throw her back in again. After awhile she finally learned how to swim. The way that Rex chose to teach Jeannette to swim might’ve come off as abuse to adults reading this novel. Rex’s way of teaching her was pretty harsh, instead of throwing her in and then rescuing her, he could have gone in the water with her and taught her how to swim. A boy likes Jeannette, he talks too her bout sex and kisses her although it was against her will.
He tries to pull her pants down and she tried to get away and accidently touched his gentillia. He later on tells Jeannette that he had raped her and she proceeded to not tell anyone. Adults will find this part of the novel and sexual eplicity. She was sexually harrased and some parents will not approve of their children reading something thats against their morals. These scenes are important to the novel because it shows what the characters are like and what the family is like Also, it shows you the way Jeannette was treated.
This as well shows the type of parenting and the lack of respect that some children had for females. I don’t think that The Glass Castle should be banned or challenged. Although this novel may offend some parents or kids, others enjoy this novel. If some do not approve they have the option too put it aside and not read it. Adults should not take the fun, adreniline rush, sappiness, etc. , away from others. I do think that this novel should be read in High Schools because it shows what it means too be self-sufficient and it also portrays that if you really want soemthing then you have to work for it.
This novel is very touching and has a good moral behind it. I think that banning this book is unfair to others. You should be able to read whatever you want, whenever you want. If others are offended they don’t have too read it and cans et it aside and leave it at that. I think that the novel was very interesting, it was also very well written. It made me think about my life more and how well I have it and how much I take it for granted.
