I have a news flash to share. Earlier this year, my fourteen-year-old granddaughter read Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita. And guess what? She hasn’t jumped into an unhealthy and inappropriate relationship with an older man. Nor did she all of a sudden start wearing provocative clothing. But she has gotten a perspective on what it is to negotiate that tricky path through adolescence. And reading the book gave her the opportunity to think about what a healthy relationship might look like.
My granddaughter has also read S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders. And you know what? She didn’t join a gang, get into fights, or get in trouble with the law. But reading the book did help her think about class, social groups, bullying, and acceptance. Can you believe it? She got the chance to think about prejudice and how that impacts the way we treat others and they treat us.
There are other authors, too, whose work my granddaughter has read. For instance, she’s read some Agatha Christie (now I wonder who’d have given her that idea?). And while classic mysteries aren’t tops on her list, she’s gotten some exposure to them. And – can you believe this? – she hasn’t poisoned anyone. Instead, she’s gotten some perspective on history, not to mention things like plot structure.
She’s read books with gay characters without actually ‘turning gay’ (whatever that even means). Instead, she’s gotten some insight into what it is to be a member of the LGBTQ+ community. And that’s given her a sense of empathy.
Do you see where I’m going with this? I’ll bet you do. Reading a variety of books isn’t threatening. Instead, reading broadens our perspectives on the world. Banning books limits that perspective and narrows our thinking.
And it’s not just my granddaughter who’s survived the experience of reading banned books. When my daughter was younger, she read Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. You know, she didn’t ‘turn Black’ (again, whatever that means). Reading the book did let us have some conversations about race, about racial history, and about what that means. She got, I think, a broader perspective.
A similar thing happened when my daughter read J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. She wasn’t a fan of Holden Caulfield (I don’t know many who are). But she didn’t run away from her school or start drinking, or any of the other things Holden does. Instead, she got the chance to think about not fitting in, about the awkwardness and anger that a lot of teens feel, and about the choices young people have.
And then there’s Tommy Chong’s The I-Chong. In case you haven’t read it, it’s Tommy Chong’s autobiography, and as my daughter put it, it’s ‘surprisingly philosophical.’ It discusses Chong’s experiences in the 1960s counterculture, his imprisonment, his use of marijuana, and his film and comedy career. After reading it, my daughter did not run off to become a comedian, she didn’t start using drugs, and she’s never been in prison. Instead, it gave us the chance to talk about larger issues like censorship, different perspectives on drug use, and even spirituality.
See? As I say, it’s not just my granddaughter. And it’s not just my daughter, either. The fact is, when young people read, lots of good things happen. They get new perspectives. They meet characters who resonate with them and help them feel less alone. They learn things, too, about different places and times. And reading can open up important conversations about life’s tough questions and encourage young people to face those difficulties.
That process can be uncomfortable at times. Not every truth is pleasant, and mental growth isn’t always easy. But here’s the thing. Banning and censoring books isn’t going to stop people thinking about those uncomfortable, sometimes unpleasant things. And it’s not going to make those things go away. What banning does do is limit young people’s ability to develop the thinking skills they need to confront life’s issues and come up with solutions. Banning and censoring books can disenfranchise young people, too. Research shows that students stay more engaged in learning when they see themselves represented in what they read.
As this is posted, it’s Banned Books Week in the US. Now, more than ever, it’s important to stay committed to the free exchange of ideas that books offer, and to ensure that people have access to those ideas without limitation. Even those ideas we may not like. If you know me at all, you know that I bring this issue up every year at this time. And I’m going to keep on doing that until I don’t have to.
*NOTE: The title of this post is a line from Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall (Part Two).
Crime Writer Margot Kinberg 
I’m devastated! Do you mean that, despite reading LOTR several times, I’m never going to ‘turn hobbit’? That’s my lifelong ambition destroyed!
Great post, Margot – I can think of several books I read as a teen which are quite likely to be banned now, for one reason or another. Adults seem to have forgotten that kids are quite resilient and not really susceptible to every idea they come across. How are they ever going to build up critical thinking skills if their minds are never challenged by ideas they may not like or attitudes that have become outdated?
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Sorry to break it to you, FictionFan, but no, you will never become a hobbit. But at least you’ll never ‘turn orc,’ either, so there’s that…
Thanks for the kind words. Like you, I’ve read a number of books that probably wouldn’t be available to young people now, and it’s a real shame. As you say, critical thinking skills come in part from wrestling with ideas and perceptions that are new and different, and sometimes distasteful. That’s how young people establish how they think. They can’t do that if they don’t get the chance to come against those ideas. To me, that’s an essential part of growth, and a lot of it comes from the freedom to read. It’s why I bang on about banned books as I do.
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Well done Margot. I think examples are the best way to illustrate a principle rather than just stating the point. Your granddaughter sounds like a thoughtful young woman. Please wish her continued good reading from me. Your post also illustrated to me the importance of having thoughtful older people in her life such as a grandmother who is willing to have meaningful discussions with a teenager. As to your planning to keep writing about banned books until there is no need for your posts I predict you will be writing on the subject the rest of your days. Whatever political ideology is in power is quite ready to ban books. Only the titles vary.
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Thanks for the kind words, Bill. I’m glad you thought the post – and the examples – worked well. Also thanks for your good wishes for my granddaughter. She is, indeed, thoughtful, and quite observant. I really do feel privileged to be able to spend time with her and watch her grow. I agree with you, too, about the value of caring adults in a young person’s life. As young people start sorting out what life is going to mean to them, and what they think about things, it really is important that they have older people in their lives to talk to about…anything. And that includes the books they’re reading. And I suspect you’re probably right about posting on banned books. I’ll likely be writing about the topic as long as I am able to write.
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Wonderful post, Margot and I totally agree – if we don’t allow young people (or indeed any people) to use their intelligence when the read a book, where will we end up? With an obedient set of zombies? Reading books gives you a look into other lives and widens your experience. So literature is still very dangerous!
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Thanks so much, KBR! I’m very glad the post worked for you. You’re so right, too. People really do need to be able to use their intelligence and make some meaning from what they read. The alternative is a bunch of ‘sheeple’ who cannot put a thought together. Not something I want to contemplate. Reading does broaden horizons, get new perspectives, and so much more. Little wonder it’s considered dangerous!
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You make great points, here!
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Thank you, Becky!
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I was always an advanced reader, so I read a lot of books, from the classics to political philosophy. What amazes me today is that we have more information available than ever, and people seem less informed than they were when I was young. TV, social media, propaganda, etc., contribute to this, but people seem less curious, like they really don’t want to know. Maybe it’s information overload.
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I always read an awful lot, too, Dawn, when I was young. And I read all sorts of things, too. I do think the Information Age has changed the way we consume information. In fact, research suggests that attention spans have changed, as have skills like critical thinking and questioning. People disagree as to the exact cause (e.g. whether it’s information overload, lack of teaching skills, or something else). But there’s no doubt that the nature of reading has changed. Today’s teachers and parents have a tough job teaching young people to focus and consider what they’re reading. But that sort of critical thinking is too important not to teach.
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It’s ignorance that drives those in power to ban books. Or a very closeted mentality. The fact that they’re that way is because they didn’t read enough methinks. Or were prevented from doing so by highly conservative domineering parents. Great post Margot.
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Thanks, OP. I’m not sure exactly what makes people believe that book banning is the right idea. As you say, it may be tha they don’t have critical thinking skills (and perhaps didn’t learn them). Or, it could be that they’re simply afraid to entertain any idea that differs in the slightest from what they were taught to believe. Whatever the exact reason, book banning limits people’s thinking, and prevents young people from developing the thinking skills they will need in life.
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Wow, Margot, your granddaughter is 14 years old now? I cannot believe it. And it is wonderful that she is reading so much. I am sure both you and her mother are great examples in that area.
This was a very interesting way to address the issue of banning books.
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I know what you mean, Tracy. It really is hard to believe how fast time has gone by! I’m glad my granddaughter reads, too. Even if she doesn’t spend as much time reading as I do, it’s so important (at least to me) that she enjoy books and get something from them. And thanks for the kind words about the post!
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