Book banning, despite many necessary critiques rising to the surface, has existed for centuries and still exists to this day. Whether it be state-sanctioned book banning currently plaguing the American school systems, the book burning seen in Nazi Germany, or the countless examples of colonial empires eradicating indigenous archives spanning centuries, book banning is not a single phenomenon but only an extension of censorship.
Some of the most acclaimed novels currently reside in the category of banned books, while others have had their time in the sun and eventually made it to the silver screen. These are some great films based on banned books.
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Beloved
Touchstone Pictures
The marvel that is Toni Morrison has a slew of literary classics. Writing her way into the literary canon led to one of her novels being transformed for the big screen, Beloved. Starring Oprah Winfrey, Kimberly Elise, and Thandiwe Newton, Beloved follows Seethe (Winfrey), a formerly enslaved woman whose journey through grief and trauma results in a haunting experience, literally. The film has received positive reviews, especially Elise for her portrayal of Denver, Seethe’s daughter.
The source material was banned due to the book’s “violent nature.” Concerned parents are understandably worried about the content their children are reading. Questionable politicians have recently hyper fixated on the violence within the novel without acknowledging the context in which the book exists in, marking it as just another depraved novel that sensationalizes senseless violence. As Princess Weekes eloquently states in PBS’ It’s Lit series, the detractors make the same mistake as Seethe, “erasing the past and thinking it will go away on its own.”
The Kite Runner
DreamWorksParamount
Khaled Hosseini’s touching novel The Kite Runner received a cinematic companion in 2007. Straying not too far from the book, the film follows an adult Amir revisiting his childhood in Afghanistan. The story captures the nuanced beauty and tragedy of Amir’s memory of Afghanistan. Highlighting his friendship with Hassan not only introduces viewers to the heartwarming yet complex friendship that appears in the novel but also contextualizes the history of oppression against the Hazara people, culminating in the bitter and tragic end of Amir and Hasan’s friendship.
In an attempt to atone for his betrayal, Amir ventures back to Afghanistan and finds the perfect opportunity to right his wrongs. However, during his return home, he soon learns pivotal truths about himself, and his family in comparison to Hassan and how larger and more complex networks of oppression also contributed to the new world that lies before him at the time of his adulthood.
Much like Beloved, the realistic violence highlighted in the novel has garnered criticism, leading it to be banned in certain American classrooms. Nonetheless, the violence in question is placed within the context of a sequence of historical events. Afghanistan has seen multiple invasions from forces both within and outside its borders, and the occupation of Afghanistan makes the 2007 film extremely topical and poignant.
Similarly to Beloved, the brutal depiction of violence in fiction is not a sensationalist decision nor is it intended to celebrate said violence. Instead, the scenes echo the very real pain that occurs outside nurturing homes and examine what exactly allows that pain to foster in the span of a few decades.
Forever…
Atheneum Books
The adorned Judy Blume novel Forever…, originally released in 1975, saw its film adaptation arrive shortly after in 1978. Starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Dean Butler, the film follows the book’s exploration of an 18-year-old Katherine. A senior in high school, Katherine and her boyfriend Michael (Butler) discuss their plans for intimacy. Everything from Michael’s phallic pet name “Ralph” to the necklace Katherine receives from Michael highlights the couple’s innocence.
Alongside debating ideas about innocence and sex, Forever… touches on contraception, and homophobia and seemingly dispels the myth that sex is the end all be all. Watching Katherine mature emotionally and mentally was a compelling tale. However, religious groups did not take too well to the inclusion of descriptive pre-marital sex and contraception being explored in the novel. As a result, the book is number seventh out of 100 most frequently censored books between 1990 and 1999, behind The Chocolate War and I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings.
A Wrinkle in Time
Walt Disney Studios
Oprah Winfrey appears on the list once again with A Wrinkle in Time. Ava DuVernay’s production sees Winfrey join the likes of Mindy Kaling, Storm Reid, Chris Pine, and Reese Witherspoon in recreating the magic of the original novel. Written by Madeleine L’Engle in 1962, A Wrinkle In Time follows 13-year-old Meg Murry and her brother Charles Wallace through space and time after being thrust into the unknown by their new and eccentric neighbors. Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which aid the children in finding their father which expands their horizons regarding self-worth, family, and individuality.
The book was initially banned in classrooms due to its religious controversy, with some people finding the book to be anti-Christian and anti-religious. A particular passage in the novel lists Jesus Christ alongside popular artists, scientists, and other religious leaders, a gesture which angered many fundamentalists. Furthermore, the book has also been criticized for allegedly promoting witchcraft through the inclusion of Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which.
The Hate U Give
20th Century Fox
The critically acclaimed Amandla Stenberg joins the highly decorated Issa Rae and the ever-so-versatile Anthony Mackie in the re-imagination of Angie Thomas’ 2017 debut novel, The Hate U Give. The film chronicles life from the perspective of seventeen-year-old Starr Carter. Starr lives in a predominantly black neighborhood while attending a predominantly white, elite high school. After losing her childhood friend Khalil (Algee Smith) to police brutality, Starr quickly becomes the face of the local movement seeking justice for him.
Much like the novel, the film sees Starr come into her while also deconstructing existing myths that continue to perpetuate and excuse racist assumptions about Black Americans and their interactions with the police, the media, and ultimately the state.
The book was banned in several American classrooms due to scenes regarding substance abuse, murder, and sexual situations. However, students in school districts such as North Allegheny allege the backlash had more to do with the discussions on race, police brutality, and white fragility.
Persepolis
Sony Pictures Classics
Marjane Satrapi’s critically acclaimed graphic novel Persepolis chronicles the life of the author during her childhood. The autobiographical novel and the accompanying film see her, her family, and her country, Iran, transform during the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War. The style of the animation has been acclaimed for depicting a seemingly basic yet universal aesthetic. Besides the veils introduced later in the novel, there are no specific markers or landmarks present in the novel that further accentuates the fact that they are in Iran.
This decision works against existing stereotypes, both Islamophobic and xenophobic, while using minimalism to appeal to her audience’s basic understanding of art. Black and white drawings may be one of, if not the most innate forms of art everyone can learn while they are young. Moreover, the decision to use drawings without national markers highlights how secularism is not unique to one culture or region despite media depictions claiming otherwise.
The film further expands on themes existing in the novel such as double identity, immigration, and the awkward conundrum of confusion, internalized hate, and struggle-love that comes from being someone reduced to the idea of having one foot in the East and the West.
The Color Purple
Warner Bros.
Oprah Winfrey returns to the list with her and Danny Glover joining Whoopi Goldberg in The Color Purple. The adaptation of Alice Walker’s 1982 masterpiece follows the lives of Celie and Nettie Harris. The captivating tale of two sisters sees them both depart and reunite on multiple occasions, their union being the dim light in the darkness that is their traumatic lives. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film is a raw documentation of the pain, love, and self-exploration that the two sisters experience. While their stories diverge, Celie and Nettie’s respective lives highlight the horrors of ‘misogynoir’ in the early 1900s and ultimately capture the universal feeling of camaraderie and sisterhood that Celie and Nettie share.
Due to instances of sexual assault, child abuse, violent racism, and the presence of queer relationships, the book has been banned in several American schools. The novel has appeared in the American Library Association’s top 100 list of banned and challenged books at number 17 in both the 1990s and the 2000s, before dipping down to number 50.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Summit Entertainment
Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a beloved coming-of-age YA novel that follows Charlie Kelmeckis, an introverted teenager who forms friendships with Patrick and Sam. The two aforementioned seniors hope to bring Charlie out of his shell, and while the trio faces sudden obstacles, the film at large celebrates the beauty of their friendship while slowly but surely getting to the root of Charlie’s social anxiety.
The film had the luxury of being directed by Chbosky himself. Starring Logan Lerman as the titular wallflower, viewers see Charlie’s navigation through high school come to life as his new friends as well as his family members help him open up and pledge to stand by him despite his preconceived insecurities.
Concerned parents and school administrators have expressed their worries about the novel glamorizing drugs and exposing children to a conversation about sexuality. As a result, the book has appeared in the American Library Association’s list of the most frequently challenged books at least six times.
The Great Gatsby
Village Roadshow Pictures
At this point, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s opus and the accompanying Baz Luhrmann film are cherished classics in the American canon. Both follow Yale alumnus and narrator Nick Carraway and his new life in 1920s New York City, specifically the object of his affection, Jay Gatsby. The self-made millionaire shines bright as one of the city’s luminous icons, and he has his eyes set on socialite Daisy Buchanan. In his effort to woo Daisy, despite her marriage to Tom Buchanan, the story expands into an intricate commentary about social class, copious consumption, desire, and gender.
Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of the book (which follows the unfortunately bad 1974 version) stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, and Carey Mulligan. The highly decorated film sees the trio dressed in lavish outfits, living in glamorous manors, and throwing extravagant events. The cinematography not only captures the exuberant aesthetic of the Roaring Twenties but also elaborates on the novel’s criticism of class and wealth. Bringing his characters from the highest of highs to a devastating low, Luhrmann encapsulates the themes of the novel while introducing his interpretation of a beloved classic.
Despite the book’s status as landmark literature, the book has been challenged in multiple schools with several citing the book’s exploration of sex, adultery, violence, and explicit language.
Why Are Books Banned, and Why Is That Bad
John Calder Publishers
As hinted earlier in the article, the films listed here and the source material have been criticized without context. Both the authors and the creatives behind the film have included dark and traumatic scenes to further accentuate existing themes in their work rather than creating a spectacle out of their characters’ trauma. These works are fictional, but the sad truth is that they have real-life inspirations.
Whether it be the slavery discussed in films such as Beloved and The Color Purple or the sexual abuse seen in The Kite Runner and The Perks Of A Wallflower, these works highlight the tragic truth children in this country and around the world are subjected to horrific treatment.
Banning the source material from schools not only prevents children from empathizing with fictional characters and their real-life counterparts, but it also prevents children in those schools from putting a name onto the type of abuse they are experiencing. It would be best to foster a community where children can openly discuss the works they are reading with adults, and how they speak to real-life experiences.
