By Avery Cook
Lamp staff
SPRINGFIELD — When one picks up a copy of “Bridge To Terabithia,” “Alice In Wonderland” and “The Three Little Pigs,” one might be surprised to learn that someone at one point or another has tried to ban these books from being read.
When a person thinks of banned books, one might conjure images of novels with disgusting language, and nightmarish murder scenarios, but many banned books are those meant for children and young adults.
On Wednesday Sept. 28, Debra Brothers, professor of English, hosted Lincoln Land Community College’s 16th annual Banned Books Reading. Participants read and discussed Vladimir Nabokov’s “Lolita,” Mark Twain’s “Huckleberry Finn” and children’s rhyme “I Know An Old Lady.”
One has to wonder if it is harming or protecting kids, said Thera Bond, teacher and participant, while discussing books such as “The Three Little Pigs” and “Little Red Riding Hood.”
Both books discuss stranger danger, but have been banned due to violence in them.
A book can be banned for many different reasons. “Bridge To Terabithia” has been challenged by Christian groups, saying that the book has Wiccan metaphors, but atheist groups object to its strong Christian themes.
“The Color Purple” is challenged many times in multiple states by different groups for its obscene language, racism and LGBT themes.
People today can be too sensitive, said Lucy Carly, an audience member.
Some groups, instead of trying to have the book banned completely, try to have the book changed in certain ways in order for them to be considered suitable. For instance one organization wished for Mark Twain’s “Huckleberry Finn” to be censured by using the word “slave” instead of the N-word.
By doing that, they are erasing the time in our culture when people did talk like that, said Terrelle Jackson, a participant in the book reading.
LLCC Banned Book Reading showed how easy one can challenge a book, but by doing so, they are trying to silence the author, and infringing upon the author’s civil rights. The authors of these books are fortunate to live in a country with the freedom of speech and to be able to speak what they have to say.
Avery Cook can be reached at [email protected].
