Banned Books!

Don’t think of an elephant!

What crossed your mind just when you finished reading the sentence? The ironic process theory states that the constant efforts to suppress certain thoughts, make them more likely to surface. Concept of bans really confuse us! Doesn’t it? Human tendency, is to do something, when they are specifically told not to.

Bans make headlines, attract everyone’s attention, because they give the population an another rule to break. You tell people what not to do and they are on it. However, banning things is a regular affair across the globe. But the thought of banning some of the most iconic books of all times is astonishing. Here is a list that left us shocked:

𝟏. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐉 𝐊 𝐑𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠

The magical world of Potters, Weasley & Granger was banned (& still is) in some schools in the US & some Asian countries as well. This popular series is said to have curses that are not fiction and can "evoke the evil spirit" according to some beliefs. As a result, a few schools banned it.

𝟐. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐝’𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐀𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝

This classic book that questions more than plain authority was once banned! In some states of the US, schools have refused to put this book in their libraries stating reasons of "vulgarity & explicit content" (& there were days when in the schools, this book was a required reading). To think about the power of the fiction, a dystopian world could scare people to the extent of banning it altogether!

𝟑. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐚𝐲 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫

A book that created phenomena of addressing the importance of mental health, especially amongst teenagers. A book that has been made into a highly loved TV series on Netflix. Thirteen Reasons Why, has been repeatedly challenged and removed from libraries. According to the American Library Association, it is the 3rd most challenged book. Controversies around banning this book in schools and local neighborhoods has been ongoing due to sexually explicit content & depiction of substance abuse by teens. It has been stated as "irrevocably harmful" by school authorities as it is perceived to have glorified teen suicide.

𝟒. 𝐓𝐨 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐀 𝐌𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐞

This book by Harper Lee is banned due to issues around racism by Burbank Unified School District. Some parts of California & communities nearby claim that there is no counter narrative of a black man dealing with serious allegations and being saved by a white lawyer. The parents claim that it is confusing and hurting their kids as they are unable to understand the complexities related to color. A powerful book with a strong message, will not be seen in the libraries there anymore.

To think about it, we wonder whether banning it was correct when it was starting conversations about color at such an early age?

𝟓. 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞’𝐬 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥

Alice's Adventures in the Wonderland opens the door to imaginations and fantasy world for children long before they turn to likes of Blyton & Dahl. But this story was stated as "unfit" in 1931 by the Hunan Province in China because they were of the opinion that it is "disastrous" to portray animals using human language and they cannot be placed at the same level as human beings.

As awestruck as we were with these findings, it was interesting to note how culture, values & belief of society play a major role in deciding what the readers get access to. Books have the power to shape perception, break stereotypes and abridge boundaries to connect everyone through words and emotions.

Reflecting over this list, we can say that we are lucky that we were able to and still have the opportunity to read these wonderful books!