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Burned Book
Burned Book
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Temple | Culture

My Favorite Soon-To-Be Banned Books

Elizabeth Morales Student Contributor, Temple University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Temple chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Soon after President Donald Trump returned to office, many of his policies affected different communities. Throughout all of this, there have been talks of the process of banning books in the United States by the Trump Administration. This could heavily shape education as a whole.

How? Well, I believe it is important that children in school read different genres of literature to expand their perspective on world issues. To me, banning an author’s work is silencing them and what they have to say. This could shield children from important issues that are discussed in these books. Early in a child’s life it is important for them to be educated instead of heading towards ignorance.

Here is a list of books that are soon to be banned in the U.S. Each book being discussed reflects on topics discussing sexuality, education, and society. These are just a short list of books that I think people should read to get a grasp on these same topics.  These books also highlight similar issues going on in the world, which is why it could benefit anyone reading these books to become more educated on the matter.  

  1. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985) 

The Handmaid’s Tale depicts a dystopian society where women are forced into a slave-like lifestyle by serving men only. Women and their bodily rights are being stripped away. Margaret Atwood’s words in this book have highlighted issues that women must face in this society where women are seen less than men. This reminds me of life in the present time (Roe v Wade being overturned. Women losing their rights…). Women are constantly being treated as less than and her book shines light on how society sees the women they target.  

  1. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (1999) 

Being able to learn about parts of yourself that you never thought you knew is a wonderful part of life. Life in general, especially during adolescence, is a time of self-discovery. The Perks of Being A Wallflower tells a story about Charlie, a teenage boy just entering high school, who doesn’t interact with anyone. Soon, he meets two other students named Patrick and Sam at his high school. They eventually form a friendship among the three of them. Charlie experiences love, friendship, the struggles of growing up, and learns to deal with trauma from the past.

I feel as though this book highlights important issues when it comes to adolescents. Part of being a teenager is learning new things about yourself and others. I think the overall message of this book is to teach younger individuals the importance of living life to the fullest and experiencing the joys of adolescence. This book heavily discusses important topics such as sexual assault, mental health, and self-discovery.

One of the main issues in the younger generation today is that social media is messing with their heads. Social media has strayed the younger generation from the importance of experiencing their younger years of life and how it’s such a beautiful part of life to experience. I believe the Trump Administration doesn’t like the idea of books discussing themes about race, identity, and sexuality. The book mentions topics of rape, drugs, profanity, and LGBTQ+ related topics.

  1. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1953) 

Fahrenheit 451 tells a story about a man named Guy Montag, a fireman whose job is to burn down houses where books are discovered. In this society books are seen as dangerous. After a series of events, Montag begins to question his job and how he sees the world. He starts to hide books throughout his house and reads them in secret. The book also depicts how, in the future, technology is seen as a way to keep society distracted from real important issues around us. Fahrenheit 451 highlights important issues that can be seen today. This book depicts how the government is trying to shield people from the knowledge that books contain, but that sounds more like silencing…. 

Although this is just a short list, I’ve tried to write about three that I think discuss and highlight important topics that can be seen in the real world as issues we are facing currently. The thought of banning books that clearly talk about ubiquitous negative experiences is seemingly a way to silence society. I think by getting your hands on these books and understanding their world, you’ll see that it’s not much different than ours.  

Elizabeth Morales

Temple '26

Hi! My name is Elizabeth Morales. I am a Campus Life/News writer for Her Campus.
I am a journalism major here at Temple University. I want to go into broadcast journalism specifically and found an interest in it. Becoming an anchor is something I wish to pursue in the future.
Some of my hobbies include writing, going to the gym, and finding new music. I’ve always liked writing in some way and wanted to interpret that into my education which is why I am a journalism major.
During high school, I took a journalism class and that really sparked my interest in writing.
Finding new music is a hobby of mine and finding songs to listen to is something I do a lot. I enjoy going to the gym and it acts as a sense of stress relief besides writing.
I have two dogs! Onyx (an American bully) and Brady (a Shar Pei). I love listening to music. Specifically, I love Pop and K-Pop. Both are my top favorite genres of music. Some artists/groups that are my favorite are Ariana Grande, Blackpink, Twice, BTS, Chase Atlantic, and more.