Banning books is a practice not to be regarded lightly. The following books have all, at some point or another, been banned by schools, libraries, etc. Many of these books share important messages and touch on universal themes. While they have some issues with regards to content and language, there is inherent value in reading these timeless novels, and they can help broaden your understanding of the struggles of different types of people.
1. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
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It has been said that the best time to read this novel is at age sixteen, so if you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend you do! While this book often gets mixed reviews because of the attitude and foul language of the main character, Holden Caulfield, it has the potential to really change your thinking. Holden is a very realistic teenage character who experiences something along the lines of a psychotic break. The 1951 book’s take on mental illness is an interesting one, and well worth a read.
2. Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
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This novel is controversial, to say the least. Some maintain that it perpetuates racism, and others claim that it challenges it. While the book does use racial slurs in alarming quantities, there have been clean versions published. At the core, Huckleberry Finn speaks out against racism, and, through the eyes of an innocent child, espouses freedom for all people. Set in the American South during the time of the slave trade, it provides an important historical lesson as well as a lesson in empathy and equality.
3. Animal Farm by George Orwell
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Animal Farm is an important political novel similar to Orwell’s 1984. It’s a short story focused around farm animals who form their own nation and government. It sounds crazy, but in today’s political world, the questions and ideas it brings up are of incredible importance.
4. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
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This tragedy makes you think. Without spoiling too much, love it or hate it, it provides ample fodder for philosophical debate, as well as a tragic, beautifully written story.
5. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
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Speak is more modern than the other books on this list, but no less significant. It deals with the delicate, important theme of rape in a way that empowers the victim and educates readers about the severe effect it can have on mental health.