Madisyn Walton

Honors English

November 1st 2016

When a keep out sign is shown first instinct would be to not to go in there. The sign is

there to tell people that there is something in there that is hazardous, private property, or

dangerous for someone to go into. Book banning is the same way but with literature. For a book

to be challenged or banned, it is usually because of one of the three subjects is included in the

book: Racism, Sexual Content, or Inappropriate language. With that being said it's

understandable why Maya Angelous I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is one of the most

banned/challenged books in the U.S. Although the book has three subjects that are hard for

someone to read, the book is a very well written book that should not be taken off the shelfs.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was first banned at Alabama State Textbook

Committee because they determined it incited ''bitterness and hatred toward white people.''

Shortly after that Bremerton, Washington, banned it for the graphic depiction of

molestation(study). In 1994 , it was challenged for being a ''lurid tale of sexual perversion'' in

Castle Rock, Colorado. As recently as 2016, parents in Illinois asked for it to be removed from

required reading due to sexual content.

The book has been challenged or banned thirty nine times since 1983(spotlight).Making

it in the top ten of most banned books in America 1990-2000 ranked #3 and in 2001-2010 ranked

#6 on most challenged/banned books. The majority of complaints were from parents who did not

want their children reading about rape and molestation and that an eight year old girl went

through this. It also has been challenged for reasons such as being anti-white and encouraging
homosexuality. Although the book has been banned in many high schools. The book has still

overcame challenges and has stayed in schools such as in a sophomore class at Dowling High

School.

The book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings should not be accessible to certain age

levels. The book is for more of a matured audience because of the content in the book. Angelous

book does get graphic with how the eight year old was raped and there is some racism in the

book. The book should not be something a sixth grader should read depending on maturity. This

type of reading should be accessible to high schoolers and up. The maturity is much more larger

in the older age group , they would be able to handle the content of the book better than a sixth

grader would. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings should not be banned in high schools. The book

overall is a very well written book how Maya overcame everything that she was handed at such a

young age. It is important to know how one at that age went through it and were to overcome

such a hardship. Some have a different perspective on who should read these kind of books. Such

as 2016 resident Rick Ligthart who said English classes should not be involved in sexuality in

literature for our kids. It shouldnt be in any books no books. with his statement he also

added inWe cant have 18-year-olds reading about masturbation or sexual issues, regardless of

the literature,... I dont care if its from Dickens or who else(parents call).Since Mr. Ligthart

argued this the district of the school reviewed every book the english classes have ever taught, no

matter how long the book had been taught. The school then added on to say we will not enforce

these kids to read these kind of books such as Angelou I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

When parents heard this they were still not pleased with this decision saying this would

embarrass the students by being excluded for not reading the same book as everyone else The

parent would not be happy with any decision unless it was to get rid of the book all together.
 The times the books have been banned have been scattered throughout history since it

was first challenged/banned. One thing that is occurring during these times it has been

challenged is parents trying to keep their children pure as possible and wanting to keep them

sheltered from reality. From the time the book was first challenged to today it is still having the

same issues. The book is still being banned for the reasoning of to graphic, racism, rape etc.

Even with her book being banned and challenged Maya was able to receive the following awards

for her book. National Book Award and Literarian Award(new african). Although her book was

challenged and banned her book still deserved the recognition for a well written novel.

Angelous book being banned connects to Fahrenheit 451 with the banning of books.

Fahrenheit 451 is about a society that has fireman who burn books. One of the fireman, Guy,

realizes he doesn't want to burn books. It's not fair to take that literature away from the people. In

many ways this is a relation toward I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Angelous book should

not be taken away from literature just because a group of people do not like the story. It is a well

written book about a true story, a story that happened to an eight year old who was able to

overcome something that only some could relate too. Everyone wants to take away the book

because they're afraid of talking about the topic, no one wants to talk about a topic that makes

them feel uncomfortable. With this statement though it is easily understood why parents are so

upset about their children reading these kind of books.

Even though they know how mad and crazy this world is, some parents do not want their

teenagers knowing how bad it really is. When reading these stories it makes them realize what

kind of horrible things happen everyday in their own country. Mayas response to everyone

banning her book and trying to take it off the shelfs was Im always sorry that people ban my

books. Many times Ive been called the most banned. And many times my books are banned by
people who never read two sentences. I feel sorry for the young person who never gets to read.

(spotlight). The statement said is very true, many who haven't even read the book are trying to

ban it. They have not read the whole story to realize her book is talking about her whole life, not

just the fact that she was raped. The book talks about civil rights, what mayas rights were, why

maya originally didn't want to tell anyone why she was raped. Which was because the man

threaten to kill her brother Bailey. Which for someone at a young age having a threat out on your

brother is very rough. She also talks about the racism she had experienced at the age of only ten.

The book does have things that are for more of a mature crowd and it is understandable if

the person and or their family are not mature for it. If they are not mature then yes please do not

read this book. For the people that are mature for it and enjoy the literature and believe the book

should not be taken off the shelfs, thank you for being understandable for someone who is

expressing a hardship. Mayas book is New York Times Best Seller for a reason.. And it's not

because her book is talking about rape, it's for the reasoning of amazing work of literature and

being able to express a hardship in such a strong,powerful,meaning way that it makes some to

scared to read.

Works Cited

Bradbury, Ray, and Alfredo Crespo. Fahrenheit 451. Plaza & Janes, 1990.

Thuna, Leonora, and Maya Angelou. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings: Based on the Book by
 Maya Angelou. 1978.

http://study.com/academy/lesson/why-is-i-know-why-the-caged-bird-sings-banned.html

http://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=1495

https://www.alternet.org/culture/illinois-parents-call-smut-book-ban-we-cant-have-18-year-olds-

reading-about-sexual-issues

http://newafricanmagazine.com/maya-angelou-banned-author-us/