Eleven challenges were publicly made while many others were. The story is narrated by a teenager who goes by the alias of \charlie, who describes various segments of his life through a series of letters to an anonymous person. This was the perfect readaloud for me for banned books. Stephen chbosky talks the perks of being a wallflower. An analysis of chboskys perks of being a wallflower. The perks of being a wallflower is one of the most often challenged ya books. District 41 bans the perks of being a wallflower glen. The book s protagonist, highschool freshman charlie, is. Perks of being a wallflower banned after parent complains by chris finan a complaint from a parent in wallingford, connecticut, has prompted the districts superintendent of schools to remove stephen chbosky s the perks of being a wallflower from the required reading list for high school freshmen. In my opinion, none of the books that are challenged as ya books should ever be banned. The greatest books are thoughtprovoking, and sometimes that scares people, leading to a censored and uneducated understanding of the world. The perks of being a wallflower is said to be banned because of homosexuality, date rape, masturbation, and the glorification of alcohol use, drugs, profanity, smoking, sexually explicit, torture, offensive content, bestiality, twopage rape scene, sexual behavior, obscene or child pornography, graphical teenage sex, abuse, and unsuited for certain age groups. Perks of being a wallflower chronicles charlies freshman year of high school.
In a recent interview, author stephen chbosky clarified the contents of. I dont know if im the only one who feels this way, but march felt like a whole lifetime to me. The perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky banned. Readers venture alongside charlie as he befriends the school. Perks of being a wallflower should be banned essay 847. I was writing a very different type of book then, and in it, the narrator says, i guess thats just one of the perks of being a wallflower. Perks of being a wallflower banned after parent complains.
The perks of being a wallflower is written by american novelist stephen chbosky, and published in 1999 by mtv. The perks of being a wallflower has been widely praised for its candid treatment of teenagers, touching on topics such as suicide, sexual abuse, homosexuality, masturbation, and drug use. The book, the perks of being a wallflower, has been available to eighth graders in literacy classrooms for independent reading. Now that it has come to a close, its time to discuss our book, the perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky. Interview with stephen chbosky, author of the perks of. The perks of being a wallflower, in the night kitchen, and the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy. Banning books that speak about these experiences and identities limits peoples capacity to learn and silences fictional voices that are willing to illuminate. Why banning books is a bad idea ultius take 10% off expires in h m s use code save10u during checkout. We are deeply concerned by your recent decision to ban the book, the perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky, from ninth grade. I mentioned in my banned books week post that a few years ago, i started a bbw readathon at the community college, where i worked as a writing tutor. Like so many others, i love perks of being a wallflower, and i think its a great book. The parent, jeanpierre bolat, complained about the book s depiction of homosexuality, sex, masturbation, and a glorification of alcohol use and drugs. For example, the book was challenged on a wyoming, ohio high school districts high school reading list for its frank descriptions of masturbation, sex, drugs, and suicide. Stephen chboskys 1999 young adult novel the perks of being a wallflower could be a memo about the importance of inclusiveness.
Marshall university libraries banned book stephen chboskys the perks of being a wallflower page on books bannedchallenged around the united states. The perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky was removed from the curriculum at sheehan high school in wallingford, connecticut, after a parent complained about its content. Challenged in school libraries by a group called parents against bad books in schools for profanity and. Why is the perks of being a wallflower be banned 1067. Howif things have changed since the book was originally published.
The perks of being a wallflower was the 10th most challenged book on the american library associations list of the 100 most banned or challenged books of 20002009. The perks of being a wallflower should not be banned because it has educational benefits for adolescents on how to come to terms with adulthood. There is a fine line between silencing fictional voices and real ones. The perks of being a wallflower ending, explained what. Young adult book reading challenges the perks of being a. Perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky banned library. The perks of being a wallflower books that have been. At the beginning of perks of being a wallflower, charlie is described as a wallflower. The reasons, according to people whove requested the book be banned, is that it discusses homosexuality, drugs, and its explicit sexual content. Perks of being a wallflower glen ellyn book ban busted by judy blumes intervention thanks to students and legendary are you there, god. Per the schools literacy curriculum, students could choose to read.
When bolat filed his complaint in november, there were many reasons to believe it would be rejected. Essay why is the perks of being a wallflower be banned. The author of the perks of being a wallflower says hes offended when critics quote passages of the book out of context. To celebrate, we are featuring a few of our students, staff, and faculty with their favorite banned books. However, the actions taken by charlie and his friends are a big reason as to why the perks of being a wallflower is banned in so many locations, not to mention the foul language used by them throughout the book. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Its me, margaret author judy blume uniting in opposition to a suburban chicago school districts ban on the perks of being a wallflower, the popular book is set to return to classrooms in the fall. Perks, as it is affectionately called by fans, follows charlie as he begins his freshman year of high school. Should the perks of being a wallflower be banned answers. It is a highly acclaimed novel that has a highly successful movie counterpart. The perks of being a wallflower banned books week youtube. The perks of being a wallflower, which was first published in 1999, has been banned or challenged more than eleven times since 2002.
In the list of titles for the decade from 20002009, book number 10 always catches my eye. The perks of being a wallflower banned books week bookratmisty. For example, it was banned in portage, indiana in 2008 and wallingford, connecticut in 2015. Banned books 2019 the perks of being a wallflower marshall. And i realized that somewhere in that titlethe perks of being a wallflower was the kid i. The perks of being a wallflower is at the center of a. Kwwl reports that at the meeting, over 40 participants stood up and spoke about their personal connection to the book. Instead of writing about why his book being banned irritated him, chbosky took a different approach. The book was challenged by one parent who objected to sexual content in the novel, and the school board decided to remove the book from the curriculum. The perks of being a wallflower charlie and friends the perks of being a wallflower, listed as one of the top 10 most challenged books of the 21 st century by the american library association, is a comingofage story of a boy who battles with depression, family matters, and love issues. The perks of being a wallflower was one of the most frequently banned or challenged books of 2009. Perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky banned.
The perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky was banned from ninth grade classrooms at portage high school in portage, in, in late november 2008. Eleven challenges were publicly made while many others were made. Kids right to read project opposes banning of the perks of being. In an interview, chbosky said that he knew of two school boards which have banned the book in massachusetts and on long island. Spotlight on censorship the perks of being a wallflower. Why would the book perks of being a wallflower be banned from schools. Many books at one point or another have been banned in different areas at different times. The perks of being a wallflower was first published on february 1, 1999 by pocket books through its mtv books imprint. The perks of being a wallflower has been banned and challenged numerous times in different locations.
Why would the book perks of being a wallflower be banned. Every year, whenever i was the one reading aloud, i would always go to the same book. The perks of being a wallflower should not be banned from schools because some middle school and high school kids are able to relate to some of the characters, and if they share the same problems that the characters have, or witness these problems at school or with their friends, the book can help them deal with these problems more easily. Perks of being a wallflower banned after parent complains the. The perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky.
Because he is trying to fit in with his new group of friends charlie begins to use recreational drugs such as lsd and marijuana edibles, drinking alcohol, and having sexual intercourse. Kids right to read project opposes banning of the perks. Ban the perks of being a wallflower from schools, says b. The perks of being a wallflower should definitely not be banned. Visit sheila at book journey for giveaways and discussion of banned books if youve heard anything about the novel the perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky, then you wont be surprised it was one of the most frequently challenged books of 20. In fact, its frank depictions of drugs, sex, and suicide are so intense that its one of the most frequently banned books in school. This is a sample paper on why banning books is a stupid idea, and this essay specifically covers the novel the perks of being a wallflower. These topics have also led to widespread challenges of the book, frequently putting it on alas annual list of the most challenged and banned books. A complaint from a parent in wallingford, connecticut, has prompted the districts superintendent of schools to remove stephen chboskys the perks of being a wallflower from the required reading list for high school freshmen. It became the subsidiarys bestselling book with 100,000 copies in print as of 2000, and was included on school reading lists and gathered a cult following. The perks of being a wallflower a challenged book the perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky is a challenged book about a teenage boy named charlie who overcomes his struggles to survive throughout high school.
Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Perks of being a wallflower glen ellyn book ban busted. Author responds to connecticut ban of the perks of being a. However, its a banned book in many schools and libraries. One book, the perks of being a wallflower, by stephen chbosky, has been challenged many times by worried parents. In the article banned authors speak out, the perks of being a wallflower was 10 on the top ten challenged books of 20072008 chbosky 196. Book puzzle deweys read a thon book sentence challenge dewey read a thon book. Unfortunately, we live in world that is afraid of the truth.
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