Book Burning
When I think of book burning I think of the early nineteenth century or the holocaust. To think someone would burn a book to begin with is beyond me. I have always loved to read books, it’s a way of escaping reality and learning of far away places. It’s hard to believe that people have been punished or ridiculed for years over such works of art. It’s even more hard to believe that these burnings still happen today.
Throughout history we have seen people shame different books. One I can recall of as a child was The ‘Dark Trilogy’ and the movie The Golden Compass. Catholics were outraged saying that the subject matter was anti-Catholic. The series which questions authority was somehow related to the church and children straying away from religion and becoming atheists. I did not go to catholic school, but all of my neighbors did and I remember them getting letters home from school about the movie and it being a huge thing. Years later I still don’t understand the problem but it seems to be if you go against anyone’s beliefs in the smallest way it becomes a big deal.
Devout Christians seem to be the ones that find wrong in just about everything. Books could be innocent but one notion could change their minds. It worries me a little in this society that is so affected by everything. I know there is no way of pleasing everyone, but protesting by burning books doesn’t help. The only thing they gain out of such protest is power. It seems to be that is the only the thing they are after.
J.K. Rowling recently has been getting into arguments with Piers Morgan. After the long twitter argument people rebelled against her. One person tweeted her saying he used to love her books and movies but now he’s going to burn them. Rowling responded by saying “Well the fumes from the DVD’s might be toxic and I’ve still got your money, so by all means borrow my lighter.” I love her response because these people try to ruin an author and their works but the author will always come out on top.
Books have banned for years in many places but they always reappear and seem to be the books that impact people the most. Controversy is normal in life but how one handles it and learns from it is what’s important. J.K. Rowling knows she’ll receive hate from extremely religious people, haters and so forth but she doesn’t let that ruin who she is or what she has created.
Interesting. I want to hear more about how the author comes out on top, even through book burning. Why do you think this, and how does it change are influence on controversial topics in books? If book burning/banning is to make a statement, then are they making a difference in what is read?
Why do you think the church is afraid of discussing these topics?
Holocaust should be capitalized as it is the name of the event in history. If you were talking generally it could be lower case, but it is technically a proper noun in this.
I would like to see more of a thesis statement in this. It’s not quite clear what the topic is. You start with book burning but move to just general Catholicism vs books. I think you have some good material, just make it more of a pointed argument or statement in the overall sense.