Many of us have read or at least heard of the novel, "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury. Some may only know the book as being a book written about the banning of books, I know for the longest time that’s how I referenced it but it’s actually so much more than that, it may even be that of a reality within the U.S. So, here’s a question for you, is it becoming a reality? Is the banning and burning of books becoming customary within society and schools? Today’s millennials (myself included) haven’t heard of many of the novels our parents had to read during their school years. Some because they have faded from existence and some because they have been banned or deemed unacceptable based upon today’s standards. If you’re wondering what exactly I’m referring to, I’m referencing novels such as "Catch- 22," "The Call of the Wild," "The Grapes of Wrath," "Invisible Man," "The Jungle," "To Kill a Mockingbird," "Their Eyes Were Watching God," "The Scarlet Letter," "Fahrenheit 451," and so many others. Faulkner, Hemingway and Poe wrote so many short stories that are considered to be not of moral standard and banned, but you have to think, at the time in which some of them were written the actions and events depicted were actually socially acceptable at that time and place.

Is it possible that as the years are going by we are actually depriving future generations of classic literature? It’s my personal belief that we are dumbing down school and reading levels purely because of the lack of exposure to some critical novels. The idea that we are dumbing down the education system leads me to the belief that the more we dumb it down the more we are lacking, before we know it America is going to become a utopian or dystopian society all its own. We are going to be living in a world like that of "The Giver" in which everything is decided for us, we have no sense of being different or doing our own thing. We learn and do only what we are told, nothing else. That type of society may seem cool in movies but what are we to do if it becomes a reality? What’s going to happen if every book ever written becomes outlawed or deemed unacceptable? I’m not saying that that’s going to happen, but I mean it’s a possibility based upon the road we are going down now.

What happens to our history? By banning novels, we are banning the use of the authors voice. We are losing how they spoke, how they lived, how they portrayed themselves and the society. Banning some of these books doesn’t allow us to understand how others before us lived. Books have been written as a way to transport us to another world but if that said world isn’t good enough or acceptable then we are placed right back in to reality. Reality is great and all don’t get me wrong but from time to time we all need escapes. Reading and writing are my escapes and I’m sure for some of you, you’d agree with me there, but who knows. Before we know it there may not be anything of interest or desire left to read we may be forced to read structured and formatted books that are solely based upon approval from others.

Let’s touch on the recent and popular side, "The Hunger Games Trilogy" or even the memorable "Harry Potter" series. Who knows what’s next, these series may be the next to be banned. Harry Potter is credited with giving an entire generation the want or desire to read and even though that was accomplished who’s to say that those won’t be banned in the future because they aren’t real and are considered to be violent or gruesome. "The Hunger Games" is about sacrificing people to fight to the death in order for one place to live and become prosperous as a sort of lottery. Is that fair? No, but does it make for an intriguing or action packed story? Yes. Both of these series are huge fandoms and phenomenon’s right now, but who’s to say five, maybe 10 years down the road, these will be added to the infamous banned list.

What happened to the use and presence of imagination? Is that going to be outlawed next because they can sometimes run wild too? Who makes these decisions anyways? Who decides what is acceptable and what isn’t? It surely isn’t the readers because I’m sure some of these novels I have listed above y’all have read and enjoyed. I know looking back I’ve actually read many of those books throughout school and thoroughly enjoyed them but now they are said to be “corrupting” our society. Are they really, or is that just another sad excuse to make things easier for people in society nowadays?

Let me know where y'all stand on this topic. Every controversial idea has two sides.