Censorship In The Hunger Games

Censorship is defined as “when a person of group successfully imposes their values upon other by stifling words, images or ideas” (Gould 2009). When we think of censorship, we think of the bleeping out of words on television and the radio. Sometimes we censor ourselves in conversation around small children or in a professional environment. However, most people do not think about the censorship of literature. A famous example is when Hitler would collect piles of books and burn them because they did not match the ideals of his regime. Today, there is an all-too-common problem surrounding the censorship of children’s literature. The American Library Association (ALA) states, “parents challenge books more than any other group” (Szymanski 2007).

A fourth grader might be able to read The Hunger Games, but would not be able to emotionally comprehend the poverty and violence experienced in the novel. This is because The Hunger Games is meant for a seventh grade reading level or higher. The downside to censorship is that it technically violates the United States First Amendment covering freedom of speech. Books should be able to be read without fear of being judged by other people who do not have the same beliefs. Some of the most common books banned are books that tackle uncomfortable coming of age topics (Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.) or have shaped an entire generation (Harry Potter series). Sometimes children are afraid to express their feelings and turn to books where they have characters to relate to who might be going through the same or a similar situation. As Judy Blume said, “Let children read whatever they want and then talk about it with them. If parents and kids can talk together, we won’t have as much censorship because we won’t have as much