Censorship in Literature and Why We Need to Get Rid of It

Harry Potter. The Giver. To Kill A Mockingbird. And Tango Makes Three. Of Mice And Men. The Witches. The list goes on forever. These are all books that have been banned for profanity, references to the occult and witchcraft, references to drugs and alcohol, and many other reasons. Censorship could have started as early as 339 BCE in Rome, when Socrates, a renowned Greek Philosopher, was sentenced to drink poison for his corruption of youth and his acknowledgement of unorthodox divinities (Newth 1). This was what modern censorship evolved from, the punishments becoming less and less severe from the poison drinking. Censorship is the act of limiting access and knowledge of ideas and materials, enforced by a higher official. Censorship should not be a concept used in society due to lack of civil rights, limited knowledge, and how censorship affects everyone. Our civil rights are our rights to political and social equality. Some examples of civil rights are our right to vote at the age of 18, freedom from involuntary servitude, and freedom of speech, press and assembly (US Legal). Censorship deals with the freedom of choice, specifically freedom of choice of literature. American Library Association’s President Roberta Stevens says that â€Å"not every book is right for each reader, but we should have the right to think for ourselves and allow others to do the same† (Book Banning Alive And Well In the U.S. 1). An unexpurgated world would be better than this one, as it allows for theShow MoreRelatedIgnorance is Fatal Essays1069 Words   |  5 PagesIgnorance is Fatal The short story Usher II uses themes of irony and vengeance, as well as, classic literature to explore the consequence of blind censorship. Usher II is featured in The Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradburys best known work and in many ways his finest achievement (Mogen 82). 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