Killing Mr Griffin Analysis

Anniston Tipps

Acc. English 10

Mr. VanDyke

29 March 2018

The Banning of Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan

Lois Duncan, the author of Killing Mr. Griffin, got the idea to write this book because she wondered what might happen if a psychopathic teenager was placed in a school setting. Mr. Griffin is a character based off of one of Duncan’s daughter’s teachers. Mark Kinney is based off of her daughter’s boyfriend. She based these main characters off of people she had known to provide her a better connection when writing. Her book contains things that are not appropriate for certain age readers, which has caused it to be banned in many places for many reasons. Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan has been banned for violence, language, religion,

Griffin contains numerous examples of violence. ALA says that Killing Mr. Griffin was the 4th most challenged book of 2000 for violence. (www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Killing+Mr.+Griffin). On page 74 the book states, “From his position in the backseat, David was holding the bag down with difficulty as the man in front twisted and shoved at it with frantic hands.” this violence can make the reader feel the force David had to apply to get the bag over the man’s head. Violence is a big part of this book and if some young adults can not handle reading or hearing about violence then this book is not recommended for

Susan says this about herself, “ Her boniness would blossom into curves? She would get contact lenses? She who had been told by not one, not two, but three different doctors that her corneas weren’t shaped right to allow her to wear them?” she wants to look like Betsy and be popular and gorgeous without any efforts. Susan has these negative connotations and thoughts about herself that causes her to feel sympathy for herself. This causes the readers to realize things about themselves in a negative way. This would not be good at all because at that age stress and depression occurs the most other than for adults, but these teens feel that it’s worse than adults. Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan was banned in California by not just one school, but two. In 1992 in California Killing Mr. Griffin was removed at Bonsall Middle School’s eighth-grade reading list due to its violence and profanity. In 1998 in California the book was challenged at Sinnott Elementary School in Milpitas because it contained language. (www.bannedlibrary.com/podcast/2015/5/11/killing-mr-griffin). Parents here try to prevent certain publications from their children’s schools, so they can apply their right to decide what their children