21 Jun WHAT BENEFITS, IF ANY, ARE THERE TO GETTING A BOOK BANNED?
View the interactive timeline titled “30 Years of Liberating Literature” made by the American Library
Association. This timeline tracks the reasons why certain books have been banned in the U.S. over the past
30 years.Link: (https://www.tiki-toki.com/timeline/entry/51787/Banned-Books-Week-Celebrating-
30-Years-of-Liberating-Literature/#vars!date=1983-01-10_16:44:00!)
2. According to the American Library Association (ALA), The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
was the most banned book of 2014. To find out the reasons why this book has been banned in numerous
school districts and libraries, read this article from the LA Times titled “The Most Banned and Challenged
Books of 2014.” Link: (https://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-challenged-banned-books-2014-20150413-story.html)
3. Finally, consider an opinion essay Sherman Alexie wrote for the Wall Street Journal titled “Why the
Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood.” Link: (https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2011/06/09/why-the-best-
kids-books-are-written-in-blood/). In this essay, he argues that many children face significant difficulties in their lives, and that more people should be outraged about those challenges. Alexie believes that those who see The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian as a dangerous book come from a privileged point-of-view:
“When some cultural critics fret about the “ever-more-appalling” YA books, they aren’t trying to protect African-American teens forced to walk through metal detectors on their way into school. Or Mexican-American teens enduring the culturally schizophrenic life of being American citizens and the children of illegal immigrants. Or Native American teens growing up on Third World reservations. Or poor white kids trying to survive the meth-hazed trailer parks. They aren’t trying to protect the poor from poverty. Or victims from rapists.
No, they are simply trying to protect their privileged notions of what literature is and should be. They are trying to protect privileged children. Or the seemingly privileged.”
3. After reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and completing steps 1-3 above, reflect on your thoughts related to this book as a YA novel (questions adapted from Tolerance.org and the ALA):
Questions for Discussion:
– Are there valid reasons to ban books?
– The LA Times article lists numerous reasons why The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is banned. Do the reasons listed in this article seem valid to you? Why or why not?
– What benefits, if any, are there to getting a book banned?
– What harm, if any, is caused by having a book banned?
– Consider the points Alexie raises in his Wall Street Journal opinion essay. Are some books banned because of bias against a certain group of people? How can you tell?
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