Biggest Takeaways

I have learned a lot from our readings and class discussions this semester. Most notably, these conversations have introduced me to the ignorance that is present and, unfortunately, thriving in our society. A recurring theme in our discussions revolves around the idea that it is clear that those fighting to ban books have not read the books that they are fighting to ban. Often these people hide behind false claims to fight for these changes. Typically, these claims are the most contentious topics in society, and are guaranteed to quickly garner the attention of the public, especially when discussed in relation to children. Using this strategy and false claims, people are able to turn society against a text, even though there is no reason for this reaction. Rather, these works are the ones that should be highlighted in society, as they accurately portray necessary, underrepresented themes that are commonplace in our diverse society and world. If people actually read these texts, this idea would be recognized, and these texts would face much less scrutiny.

Stemming from the same concept, I think that the most surprising thing I learned in this class is the types of works that are banned. There are two primary categories of banned books that I find most surprising: children's books and classic literature. I find these two categories surprising because banned books in both of these groups, traditionally, present accurate representations of society past and present. Thus, the works that deserve to be most celebrated are consequently the ones that are most frequently banned. From our perspective, this fact is clear, but I remain surprised by the number of people in our country who do not share this feeling. This is exemplified strongly in the book George by Alex Gino, which highlights the voice of a young transgender girl named Melissa. This text provides an accurate, relevant narrative from a person like many members of our society. Rather than embracing this story, people use their discriminatory mindset to remove it from the public eye, when in reality there are people who will benefit from this story.