Should books be banned?

Banning books is absolutely nonsense. The written word has been around for thousands of years and have recorded our history, kept us entertained, and are used to teach students in schools. These ideas made up by some of the most intelligent writers are now being deprived from readers all over the United States. A free society made up of numerous cultures and ideas is being sheltered from each other due to the offensiveness towards certain individuals. Entertainment in books is also hidden from citizens because a minority is either the main character or the writer, and generally hated because they are different, thus keeping their work masked and undiscovered. Banning books also keep people unaware of some important information, and reserve their precious history.


One of the major problems with today’s nation is people get too offended by material expressed in books. There are textbooks such as “Earth Science” by Edward J. Tarbuck that are banned because of the teaching of the theory of evolution. Christians believed that the book contradicted their religion and basically said that god did not create life. Yet, the book does not say anywhere that god does not exist nor does it say that evolution is fact but a theory, with some evidence to support it. Other religions do exist and some people just don’t believe in god so why shouldn’t they be able to learn science as a theory? "Censorship is telling a man he can't have a steak just because a baby can't chew it." - Mark Twain, that is exactly what these people are doing, letting the baby keep the man from eating his steak; or in other words keeping people from reading what they want.


Another issue regarding the banning of books is the voice of the minority. It seems as though the below the surface reason for getting rid of an authors art is simply because it has another side that people wont accept. A gay character such as Stephan Jones in the story “The drowning of Stephan Jones” by Bette Greene, consists of a gay couple Stephan Jones and Frank Montgomery. The hatred that a group of kids have towards them directly results in Stephan’s death, and an excuse for the banning of the book. Other books such as “I know why the caged bird sings” by Maya Angelou, are also restricted because this author is a black woman and is gaining a significant role in the African-American, woman community, something the “Man” wants to keep in the dark.


Who ever knew of Andersonville? You know that concentration camp in Richmond, Virginia, that was much like the ones in Germany? Well, in the civil war, the confederate alliance established this camp that was originally Fort Sumter where thousands of Union soldiers died from horrible conditions, diseases, and the obvious lack of food and supplies. This book is probably not mentioned very much in history class rooms for the clear reason that America wants to push that into a small closet and just shush about the whole event that took place on its precious soil.


America has a fallacy that is yet to be destroyed and that is that “All men are created equal”. Novels written to educate the students, are taken away because one group who does not represent the “We” clan don’t like the way it has evolution in it and some sense dismiss the intelligent design theory, that not everyone believes in anyway. The different, or less popular subjects are also the cause of banning books whether segregation is over and blacks are still knocked down, or homosexuals trying to gain rights, and still face hatred. Hidden aspects of the United States history, is hushed to preserve the image of such a great nation. When is equality going to actually be reached? And not just in books, but for everywhere?

Between The line question: How does Lenny and Candy's dog relate?

In most of the novel, Lenny is constantly relates to a dog, or another animal, like Lenny's dog. As the story progresses, all the men at the ranch continuously tell Candy that his dog "Ain't no good to himself or no one else", therefore, getting shot in the head to end his misery. Lenny is also told numerous times that he is also not good for himself oir no one else, resulting in his death with a bullet in his skull. These characters are also companions to two men being Candy and George and are the other half of the men as well when it comes to dreams and goals.

Beyond the line question: How do the card games in of mice and men represent life?

the guys who work on the ranch in of mice and men, are constantly playing card games. Now, the game these gentlemen play are rummy, a game you have to either be good at, lucky, or just cheat to win. In some sense, the card games represent life and some characters in this story represent these personalities to match "the card game of life". Slim, you can say he's "good" at life, because he is respectable, and the epitome of a man. George and Lenny are are considered lucky, because they have each other in such a lonely world. Curly is neither good or lucky but a cheater at life due to teh fact that he does not due much for himself.

Slim is a man who is looked up to on the ranch by many of the men including George and even Curly. He is brave, and does not take much from anyone including Curly, even if he is the boss's son. As life throws out it's downfalls, he always manages to be untouchable like in a time of a depression, he is still cool and collected throughout the story. Even if Curly gets into Slims face and yells at him, he is always holding his head up and showing he is a symbol to be "good" at life.

Lenny and George are sought out to be lucky, because everyone on the ranch is lonely, but not them says Lenny "We're not like that, because you got me to look after you and I got you to look after me" is what he says to George. They have each other for protection even in a bad state of life. While they work to achieve their dream to live "off the fatta' the land", they are lucky to have each other and even get that money to but the dream house with the money they both plan to make. They are the men who are not lonely in the story and the guys who actually give a dam about each other.

Curly is the "man" in the story who walks around on the high horse with his nice hat and fancy cow boy boots. If it were not for his father's success, Curly would be out on his ass like the rest of the men like George and Slim, and even Lenny. He bosses everyone around and picks on them because he believes he is able to handle himself until Lenny crushes his hand= ). All these men bust their butts to make ends meet, but not Curly, he lives off of daddy's money which is how he is a "cheater" at life.

In conclusion, the card game that is played constantly in the book does represent life. The characters who live their lives link to the cards, whether Slim is "Good" at the game and valiant. George and Lenny having one another for support and being "lucky" to have that luxury. And Curly the "Cheater" who is only successful becuase of his daddy.