With radical thought, it is safe to assume that radical response follows in its footsteps. Banned books act as a perfect representation of this: writers that push the boundaries of what readers are comfortable with often evoke responses of rage or confusion. While some cases of book censorship are entirely justified, it tends to do more harm than good in its suppression of marginalised voices and perspectives. The three that I have chosen cover a plethora of reasons as to why a book can be censored, but all of them act as powerful reads in establishing the thoughts and feelings in a given societal moment.

 

Slaughterhouse-Five – Kurt Vonnegut (1969)

 

Through the eyes of its protagonist, Billy Pilgrim, the reader is made a harrowed witness to war through the eyes of a reluctant soldier

Kurt Vonnegut’s science fiction novel caused an immense stir on its release. From its offset, the novel is inherently fatalistic. Through the eyes of its protagonist, Billy Pilgrim, the reader is made a harrowed witness to war through the eyes of a reluctant soldier. He grapples with PTSD from being a prisoner of war before the bombing of Dresden and copes with many of the events that later transpire with the distressingly bleak motto ‘so it goes.’

 

The novel’s non-linear structure leaves the reader scrambling for clarity in Billy’s erratic life as much as he does, with no neat answers throughout the entirety of the narrative. He dabbles with aliens, optometry, porn shops and radio broadcasting to try and find meaning in his experiences – to no avail.

 

Vonnegut’s simplistic syntax acts as a harsh contrast from the eccentricity of the novel itself; the narrator is methodical, cynical and dry-witted. They are a voice without faith, a bodiless presence that turns the notion of omniscience on its head. Despite dealing with loaded subject matter, Vonnegut makes his own views abundantly clear.

 

At its heart, Slaughterhouse-Five is profoundly antiwar and anti-Christianity. Much of the novel’s controversy is centred around its view of the Christain faith as cruel and God’s connection to fate and free will. Billy’s shifting interpretations of his own Christianity and subsequent doubt in his beliefs is part of what makes this book so appealing – but it is always what solidifies its controversial status.

The Awakening – Kate Chopin (1899)

 

Despite being the only novel ever published by Kate Chopin, The Awakening remains a staple of feminist literature, not only of the fin de siecle but of the modern-day. Its place as a banned book is rooted in the scandal of straying from the virtue of motherhood and the conventional position of women and acts as a harrowing exposition of the notion of 19th-century womanhood.

 

The novel was one of the first of its kind to elevate its female protagonist as a sexual being

The novel follows Edna Pontellier and her dalliances in the liberation from patriarchal oppression. She falls in love with a man who isn’t her husband, removes herself from the high society of New Orleans and detaches herself from the responsibilities of motherhood. Her journey of self-discovery is one that the reader follows in quiet elation. The novel was one of the first of its kind to elevate its female protagonist as a sexual being independent of the constraints of motherhood.

 

While Chopin’s writing style is undoubtedly more empirical than other’s writing in the period, her fusion of contemporary Southern and European influences create a refreshing dichotomy of narrative style. There is a lyrical quality to Edna’s consciousness that makes the novel almost impossible to put down. Her ending is heart-wrenching, but functions to establish the societal expectations of 19th-century womanhood as inescapable.

 

A Streetcar Named Desire – Tennessee Williams (1947)

 

One of the most explorative pieces of art of its time – it explored sexuality, womanhood, wealth, mental health and consent in sex

It was one of the most critically acclaimed plays of the 20th-century. A Streetcar Named Desire, made a household name by the Marlon Brando fronted film in 1951, was one of the most explorative pieces of art of its time – it explored sexuality, womanhood, wealth, mental health and consent in sex.

 

Williams’ plays read more like brutal poetry – every word opens the door to explore his characters’ mental state. No character is left redeemable by the play’s conclusion. The twists and turns of the narrative ensure that the reader is never left with time to digest, as we are sucked into Blanche’s aggressive and very erratic psyche. Her treatment in the narrative is far from careless, though; Williams’ own experiences as a gay man and his sister’s crippling mental health shaped the play.

 

The play’s exploration of such dark themes solidified its presence in the banned books club. While it is far from perfect, as with the others on this list, they all evoked and continue to evoke conversation regarding the treatment of society in their respective decades. It is important to be exposed to such material in both academic and personal reading to widen our awareness of the struggles of the past.

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Like this? More recommended reads from Redbrick Culture:

Book Wormhole: Kazuo Ishiguro

My First Time: At the Ballet