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Argumentative Essay: Banned Books

501 Words3 Pages

Banned Books Week in the United States traces its origins back to 1982, a significant year that saw the Supreme Court ruling in the case of Island Trees School District v. Pico. The landmark decision declared that school officials cannot ban books from libraries solely based on their content. This essay aims to explore the implications of this ruling and present a thoughtful discussion on whether certain books should be banned, drawing upon the perspectives of Captain Beatty from Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451." The Supreme Court's ruling in Island Trees School District v. Pico demonstrates a commitment to intellectual freedom and the protection of constitutional rights. By preventing school officials from arbitrarily banning books, the Court recognized that censorship limits the pursuit of knowledge and stifles open dialogue. The case affirmed the belief that individuals have …show more content…

He contends that certain books provoke dissent, spread harmful ideologies, and undermine societal stability. However, Beatty's viewpoint fails to acknowledge the power of literature to encourage empathy, spark discussions, and expose readers to different perspectives. By banning books, we risk denying ourselves the opportunity to grow, learn, and challenge prevailing norms. Imposing bans on specific books poses significant risks to intellectual freedom and personal development. By silencing voices and suppressing ideas, we hinder the ability to address societal issues and explore the complexities of the human experience. History has shown us that books considered controversial in their time often become invaluable contributions to literature and social progress. Works like "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee and "1984" by George Orwell, initially met with resistance and censorship, have since become revered classics that shed light on important social

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A Supreme Court Justice, Potter Stewart, once said, “Censorships reflects a society's lack of confidence in itself.” Fahrenheit 451 written by Ray Bradbury shows us a futuristic society that he believes we are heading for. In his book, novels are banned and it is up to a group of firemen to go around and burn them all. In the end, an unexpected hero arises to go against his current society’s beliefs, and it shows his struggles along the way. Bradbury’s relatable themes make the reader think of the similarities between the book and their world, and is a key element in why the book is so successful.

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Censorship of literature has always been a powerful means of manipulating society by limiting what the people are exposed to. This has been used as a way to suppress free thinking and new ideas, that could cause a shift in power in the society. The censorship of literature has been used by the powerful members of society forever, because of this societies fear the idea of their governments hiding information from the public. In Americus, a small town in Oklahoma is divided over a new teenager book series that some feel the series should be banned from the library. In contrast in Fahrenheit 451, a curious fireman indulges in a banded book, which enlightens him to a new outlook on life.

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As stated in America, the land of the free, however it is not always the case when it comes to some issues of censorship. After its first month of publication of Mark Twain’s novel The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn, it has been banned at many high schools due the judgement that this novel promote racism with the excessive use of the N-word. This ties a knot to the utilize of censorship issue in the real world example. Ray Bradbury propose the idea about the problem of censorship in his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451. In this novel, Bradbury depicted a futuristic society where books are forbidden, it is illegal to own any book, if found, the books would be immediately burn by the firemen.

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“American citizens who care about the improvement of education are urged to join students, teachers, librarians, administrators, boards of education, and professional and scholarly organizations in support of the students’ right to read” (The Students Right to Read). Citizens should be allowed to stand up if they believe books should not be banned. It is important that writers should be able to have their books out to the public without getting banned. “Challengers often employ a definition that maintains that banning materials is the only true form of censorship,”(Knox 740). Censorship of books is common and a real problem.

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