Censorship Critique
Julia Else-Green
Eng 103 DE2
October 11, 2008
Critique of “Censorship: A Personal View”
In her essay, “Censorship: A Personal View” Judy Blume gives readers insight on the impact of censorship based on her personal experiences as a young reader and then later in life as a censored writer. She provides numerous examples of educators who were affected by censorship and chose to take a stand against it (345). Although the piece lacks evidentiary support for these accounts, and draws on sarcasm for emphasis, the original objective remains clear and strong. Blume succeeds in exposing what censorship is capable of, what this means for readers and writers, and how activist groups like the National Coalition Against Censorship [NCAC] can help. Blume begins by sharing her own childhood experience with restricted books. Having come from a family who were strong advocates for literature, it was hard for her to understand why libraries and schools restricted and banned books (341). As an author, she gained further insight to the effects censorship has on readers, writers and education. She compares the difference in the freedom writers and readers had in the 1970’s to the onset of heavy censorship in the 1980’s (342-3). Blume expresses how parents’ responsibility for what their own children were exposed to evolved.
She explains how some parents began to feel it was their personal responsibility to monitor what all children everywhere are exposed to (343). She discusses how censorship caused her to change parts of one of her own books under the recommendation of her once supportive editor (344). After succumbing to the censors, Blume decided to stand up against censorship and discovered the NCAC (344). With their help she defended the censorship and suppression of literature (344). She gives numerous examples of educators who fought the “battle of censorship” and discloses how many of them lost their jobs defending students’ rights to read these classic
Eng 103 DE2
October 11, 2008
Critique of “Censorship: A Personal View”
In her essay, “Censorship: A Personal View” Judy Blume gives readers insight on the impact of censorship based on her personal experiences as a young reader and then later in life as a censored writer. She provides numerous examples of educators who were affected by censorship and chose to take a stand against it (345). Although the piece lacks evidentiary support for these accounts, and draws on sarcasm for emphasis, the original objective remains clear and strong. Blume succeeds in exposing what censorship is capable of, what this means for readers and writers, and how activist groups like the National Coalition Against Censorship [NCAC] can help. Blume begins by sharing her own childhood experience with restricted books. Having come from a family who were strong advocates for literature, it was hard for her to understand why libraries and schools restricted and banned books (341). As an author, she gained further insight to the effects censorship has on readers, writers and education. She compares the difference in the freedom writers and readers had in the 1970’s to the onset of heavy censorship in the 1980’s (342-3). Blume expresses how parents’ responsibility for what their own children were exposed to evolved.
She explains how some parents began to feel it was their personal responsibility to monitor what all children everywhere are exposed to (343). She discusses how censorship caused her to change parts of one of her own books under the recommendation of her once supportive editor (344). After succumbing to the censors, Blume decided to stand up against censorship and discovered the NCAC (344). With their help she defended the censorship and suppression of literature (344). She gives numerous examples of educators who fought the “battle of censorship” and discloses how many of them lost their jobs defending students’ rights to read these classic
Cited: Blume, Judy. “Censorship: A Personal View.” Perspectives on Contemporary Issues: Readings Across the Disciplines. Ed. Katherine Anne Ackley. 5th ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2009. 340-346.