Impact and Controversy

Background and Arguments:

     Because of some profanity and the murder of a mentally handicapped man the book is banned. This book was first banned by the Stockwell Day Allience Party headed by Terry Lewis. This party is basically against literary freedom. Terry Lewis claimed the book is "blasphemous due to the use of the words: god and Jesus Christ." He had the support of the Christians Influencing Education Group for financial aid because they wanted the book banned from education in schools. He released and posted panphlets about how bad the book was and he gained many followers in his beliefs other than the church.

     Although this happened years ago, it is still considered highly controversial on whether or not it should be read in schools. Most of the argument is centered around the profainity (the use of the words god, Jesus Christ and Nigger). The word "nigger" is said to be used in a "historical" sense because of the time period and language us of the day (1937).

Controvrsy Arguments:

    A common reason why there are so many angered readers about the banning of this book is racism. Because one of the reasons the book is ban is the use of the word "nigger" this suggests that using this word is used as racial prejudice. Steinbeck did not write this book to be a racist book against African Americans, Steinbeck was a writer that used his artistic mind to portray the time period. He wrote from experience and observations. 

     All in all the First Ammendment guarantees us freedom of speech and protects us from censorship at any level. We have the right to say what we want, to express ourselves in books,  is gives us the freedom to read what we want and express ourselves as individuals.

     "A society that has no books to read because of their offensive nature to a certain group, large or small, is a society that is doomed to fail and repeat its mistakes and thus will spring up an ignorant society and our problems will never have a chance to be fixed." - Argument to Un-Band the Book in Schools in Texas.