Banned Books essays

Banned Books essays The Bible, encyclopedias, and dictionaries contain the same terms, should they be banned? was stated on the Oprah Show of the inappropriate terms in some of the challenged books in schools. Books around the country (and world for that matter) have been challenged by many parents and in some instances banned from schools due to content the parents feel is inappropriate for their children. For example, several books have been banned on the basis that they promote and/or encourage profanity, explicit material, and homosexuality. Banning and censorship of these books is morally wrong because it can be seen that the children will, without a doubt, learn the material at some point in their life whether by word of mouth or the Internet. Also, as given to them in the first amendment, these authors have the freedom of speech to state what they want in the books. In the instance of the novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, censorship of the book is unethical since it teaches good childhood les sons, entertains boys and girls, and presents superstition to assist in educating children through themes. Those who oppose Twains Tom Sawyer argue that it presents poor role models to American youth, but in actuality it teaches them beneficial childhood lessons, such as freedom from social exclusion that Huck experiences. First, it teaches of moral and social maturation through Toms character development. Tom's adventures to Jackson's Island and McDougal's Cave take him away from society, which prepare him to return to the village with a new, more adult relationship to the community. By the end of the novel Tom's maturity has surpassed Huck's; and Tom's personal growth is evident in his insistence, in the face of Huck's desire to flee all social constraints, that Huck stay with the Widow Douglas and becomes civilized. The book also presents freedom through social exclusion from Hucks portrayal. Huck's exclusion d...