In a time when the media is buzzing around Donald Trump's politically incorrect comments and challenging the idea of politically correct language, books are still the topic of censorship. Many books are being banned from classrooms across the United States, nay, across the world, as parents attempt to censor their children's education. However, many of these books, despite having prestigious literary merit, are banned because they cover themes that many students will likely come across eventually. Without further ado, here are several banned books I believe should be read regardless.

1. "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

"The Great Gatsby" has been dubbed an American classic for readers everywhere. The novel chronicles the tale of Nick Carraway, a bond salesman who finds himself swept up with the extravagant lifestyle and scandals of the mysterious Jay Gatsby, the beautiful cousin Daisy Buchanan and the arrogant husband of Daisy known as Tom Buchanan. "Gatsby" has it all: the glamorous wealthy, the struggling poor, bootlegging, scandal and love.

Challenged for "language and sexual themes," "The Great Gatsby" touches upon the historically accurate disillusionment with the "American Dream" that many felt during this time. But what makes it an "American classic?" Every aspect of the "roaring '20s" was preserved in this book. Through the self-described honest Nick, Fitzgerald made sure no aspect of the 1920s was neglected. Along with that, symbolism was used to portray that the 1920s were not an excellent time. This includes the use of yellow as a symbol. Yellow is similar to gold, but a far less metallic version of the meal. Also, gold loses its shine over time, just like Nick lost his attraction to New York over his time in West Egg.

2. "Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger.

One of my all time favorite novels, "Catcher in the Rye" follows the story of Holden Caulfield, a troubled teen who managed to get kicked out of boarding school again and spends the majority of the book wandering around New York City.

How can a book about a kid in New York get banned from schools? "Catcher" has been banned for a variety of reasons, which include but are not limited to: language (blasphemy to be specific), sexual references and encouragement of deviant behavior (including drinking, smoking and promiscuity).

Why should it be read? Holden, although heavily portrayed as a vulgar cynic, is actually very relatable. Every kid goes through an angsty "the world is out to get me" phase. It's inevitable. But that's what makes Holden so relatable. He's going through that phase. He thinks his parents are going to punish him as soon as he gets home from school. On top of that, the book is narrated using colloquial language, adding a more personable tone to an imaginary character.

I'd also like to talk about Holden's last name, Caulfield. A "caul" is a membrane that some babies are born with. It covers their face and head and, as a result, their eyes. Perhaps the reference in the last name shows that Holden is trying to maintain an ignorant bliss in a world full of "phonies."

3. "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee.

Another great classic, "To Kill a Mockingbird" looks at the court case of an innocent black man (Tom Robinson) wrongly accused of rape through the eyes of Jean Louise "Scout" Finch, the daughter of Tom's lawyer (Atticus Finch). This book was banned due to racial content, profanity and rape references. Again, all of these are topics that will be brought up at some point in the life of a person.

"To Kill a Mockingbird" brings up these topics through the point of view of Scout. Scout is only around six when the book takes place and thus does not understand the complexity of the trial, an excellent example of an unreliable narrator. More so, the book emphasizes the theme that it is morally wrong to harm an innocent thing. This is done with the symbol of the mockingbird. Mockingbirds are songbirds. They sing but are not hunters. The book continually preaches that it's "a sin to kill a mockingbird" because mockingbirds just sing, never harm. As a result, Lee has established that mockingbird as a symbol of pure, untainted innocence in a world of wrong. The mockingbird can also be seen as an allegory for race tensions. Often times, those who are innocent are killed just because of their race. It wasn't uncommon in the 1930s for race-focused hate crimes to happen. Harper Lee did a beautiful job touching upon that scandalous subject during a time when race was a far more touchy subject in America. And that beautiful job is what disgusted many people when Harper Lee transformed Atticus Finch into a racist man when she released the original manuscript for "To Kill a Mockingbird," "Go Set a Watchman," just last year.