Throughout the years, the banned book list has grown, stopping many readers from being able to have access to these books at public libraries or schools. This restrains them from educating themselves and ultimately restricts the conversations about societal issues that are still being plagued.
Many of these book bans are targeted towards stopping younger readers from having a different understanding of deeper issues and limiting diverse perspectives. Literature resounds the struggles and triumphs of humanity, which challenges the way we think, teaches empathy, and expands our understanding of the world around us.
Reading is a form of resistance, especially since having knowledge is power. Having different perspectives and ideas not only makes you question everything but gives you a thirst for more information. Words on any page have a meaning and it is important we explore that. Here are some of the banned books you should add to the list of books you need to read.
“1984” by George Orwell
Written by George Orwell, “1984” is a dystopian novel set in the future where the government oppresses the people of their society. It follows the main character, Winston Smith, who is a government employee rebelling against the Party that controls Oceania. The story explores the dangers of unchecked government power.
“The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood
“The Handmaid’s Tale” is another futuristic dystopian novel set in what once was the United States but now is the Republic of Gilead, a monotheocracy that has reacted to social unrest and the declining birth rate by reverting and repressive intolerance of the original Puritans.
It takes the Book of Genesis absolutely at its word, with consequences for the population. The story is told in the eyes of an unfortunate Handmaids under a new social hierarchy.
“The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath
“The Bell Jar” is a novel based on a young woman, Esther Greenwood, who has a mental breakdown and recovery in the 1950s. Esther is a college student who dreams of being a poet and is an intern at a magazine. She is struggling with her identity, relationships, and societal expectations of being a woman, which leads to her mental breakdown and being sent to a psychiatric hospital to recover.
“Parable of the Sower” by Octavia E. Butler
“Parable of the Sower” is a story of how a young girl, Lauren Olamina, and her family lived on the outskirts of Los Angeles, California, in one of the only safe neighborhoods remaining. Lauren’s father, a preacher, and other citizens try to hold on to what remains of a culture that has been destroyed by drugs, disease, war, and water shortages.
Lauren struggles with a condition that makes her sensitive to the pain of others. When fire destroys their compound, Lauren’s family is killed, and she is forced out into a world that is full of danger. With a handful of other refugees, Lauren must make her way to safety, creating an idea that may mean salvation for all mankind.
“Beloved” by Toni Morrison
Set in the period after the American Civil War, the novel tells the story of Sehte, who was born a slave and escaped to Ohio. However, 18 years later, she is still not free. Sethe has too many memories of the beautiful farm where many horrendous things happened.
Sethe’s new home is haunted by her baby, who passed with no name and only a tombstone engraved with the single word: “Beloved.”
“Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott
The coming-of-age novel follows the lives of the March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, detailing their passage from childhood to womanhood. They were raised by their mother in genteel poverty while their father served in the army. It shows how united they are in their devotion to each other and their struggles to survive in New England during the Civil War.
“The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros
The novel follows a 12-year-old Chicana girl, Esperanza Cordero, growing up in the Hispanic quarter of Chicago. Told in a series of vignettes, Esperanza is figuring who and what she will become. “In English my name means hope,” Esperanza continues, “In Spanish it means too many letters. It means sadness, it means waiting.”
What Ban Books are you planning to read this year? Let us know @HerCampusSJSU!