Banning peoples thoughts and ideas

In my Humanities class called Forbidden books, we have been learning about the history of book banning. Also, what are the reasons people ban books? People ban books based on biased opinions of either race, religion, politics, and ideas. For our assignment, we were put to the test of writing an essay on a book that we wanted. The topic is should the book should be banned or not be banned. During the course, we visited a feminist book store that talking about the challenges they face in their community. In the course, I learned so much and will stick with me forever. Without any other introductions here's the essay.

Jahsia Longstreet

Forbidden Books

Sharon Holmes
March 22, 2019

Why is The Catcher and the Rye Banned?

First, imagine a book being banned just for its foul language, and funny comical jokes here and there. Why do people even ban books? What happened to our right to free speech? To get into more context, The Catcher and the Rye is a novel that was published 1951. This book was originally published for adults, but over the years teenagers have begun to enjoy the book as well. Throughout the book, the main focuses are identity and belonging as the point of interest. This book starts in Pennsylvania at a school called Pencey Prep. Here, we are introduced to the main character, Holden Caulfield. His story begins off where he had just been kicked out for failing all his classes except English. The story then tells the reader about his past of failing in school and how he basically feels about people and education. In the beginning, the word that is often used is phony. This word is used a lot through the duration of the first couple of chapters and sets the tone for the book. Throughout the book, the common theme is loneliness, death, and people being fake in front of one another. People are fighting this book because it uses a lot of profanity. But it is not just the language that got the book banned. It’s for the ideas given off into the world to other people from this book. This book should not be banned because of its profanity. It's not right to ban or censor literature because banning and censoring go against the right of freedom of expression.

The first record of The Catcher in the Rye being banned was in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1960 after an eleventh grade English teacher was fired for assigning the book to his class. Banning a book should be a crime, and no one deserves to lose their job over something so little. Here's a quote from the text that intrigues some readers. “Girls with their legs crossed, girls with their legs not crossed, girls with terrific legs, girls with lousy legs, girls that looked like swell girls, girls that looked like they'd be bitches if you knew them. It was really nice sightseeing, if you know what I mean” (Salinger 72). This quote is an example of explicit sexuality expressed by the main character, Holden. This is seen as intolerable to some in the extent to calling women bitches, and basically staring at them for their attractive looks. Readers can infer within the second chapter that Holden is interested in sex. Therefore use of language, and insight of women during this time period in America people didn't expect this to be in books. The reason is attributed to its ban would be time period and diversity of certain opinions.

Books are temples to the soul mind and body. What if your religion was tested and talked about in an appropriate manner? What would you do how would you feel? This topic is though very controversial but has an effect on the structure of The Catcher and the Rye. In the book Holden says this, “I'm sort of an atheist. I like Jesus and all, but I don't care too much for most of the other stuff in the Bible. Take the Disciples, for instance. They annoy the hell out of me if you want to know the truth.”(Salinger 58). Since this quote from the text was very rude to believers of the Christian/Catholic faith many believed it should be banned because he talked about their savior. Another piece of text that goes on to why people wanted this book banned was that it had lots of frequent use of vulgar language being said by the main character Holden. The book does it a little often, one goes on to say, “Get your lousy knees off my chest,” I told him. I was almost bawling. I really was. “Go on, get off me, ya crumby bastard.” He wouldn't do it, though. He kept holding onto my wrist and I kept calling him a sonuvabitch and all, for around ten hours. I can hardly even remember what all I said to him. (Salinger 57). For many Americans in the year, 1950-1960 times were very different. The culture was calm and people young and old alike followed group norms rather than striking out on their own. So for this book to use inappropriate language like that was almost an instant ban. Especially in institutional schools. To really understand a person's ideas, and stories you sometimes need to be as truthful as possible. This book really portrays just how difficult it can be for some teens at times in life. It displays an important message for teens to be reminded with that dealing with change involved in the transition to adulthood isn't so bad. It can positively shape you for the rest of your life. The Catcher and the Rye also shouldn't be banned because we all know what swear words are. Heck most of us use them on the daily to express how we feel whether it's in a good or bad way. Language can be taken to serious at times, then in all becoming too sensitive to little things.

Finally, The Catcher and the Rye should not be banned or censored because it goes against our first amendment Constitutional right. Which states that all who are citizens have the right to free exercise, freedom of speech, and of the press. If books are able to be banned and censored our government is unlawful and unjustified for not living up to their expectations. Books are people's vessels of self-expression, taking that away from a reader can change time itself on people's perceptions. While doing a little more research I have found J.D Salinger saying this about the banning of his book, “I'm aware that many of my friends will be saddened and shocked, or shock-saddened, over some of the chapters in The Catcher in the Rye. Some of my best friends are children. In fact, all my best friends are children. It's almost unbearable for me to realize that my book will be kept on a shelf out of their reach.”(Salinger). This quote shows how he feels about the situation, and it sounds like he's broken down by his book being banned.

Book banning has been presented all throughout history and is very much alive and well all over the world today. Books are banned from two major factors. First, because people of power try to suppress minorities voices that might spark change and independence of thought. See the change in society makes tension and digressions amongst other people whose views are different. 

This leads to the reasons why books shouldn't be banned. This relates to The Catcher and the Rye because it's portraying a message that life's hard as a teenager, with that comes many problems too as the main character talks about. In the text, Holden's dialogue can be rude, and a bit offensive but if you don't like it just don't read it. Another reason books shouldn't be banned is because the government is trying to control the ideology of society. Our world is contempt of controlling others while banning books is unnecessary, and wrong to block others opinions based on your biased factors.

Works cited 

Bantam - Photo shot by Derek Jensen (Tysto), January 14, 2006

J, Anon. “BrainyQuote.” BrainyQuote, BrainyQuote, 25 Apr. 2010, www.brainyquote.com/quotes/j_d_salinger_752582.

“LibGuides: Banned Books: Reasons for Banning Books.” Butler.Edu, 2013, libguides.butler.edu/bannedbooks?p=217686.

Salinger, J.. The Catcher in the Rye. Little, Brown and Company, 1951, p. 277.

“SparkNotes: The Catcher in the Rye: Key Facts.” Sparknotes.Com, 2019, www.sparknotes.com/lit/catcher/facts/.


“The Catcher in the Rye.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Mar. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Catcher_in_the_Rye.