Of Mice and Men: Famous and Famously Controversial

Although it's one of the most famous novels of the past century, Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is also one of the most controversial, an honour that it shares with Harry Potter! What? You're surprised that Harry Potter is controversial? The American Library Association (ALA) keeps statistics on requests to ban books, and for the years 2000 - 2005, the Harry Potter series is the number one book that people in the US wanted banned (2006). And Of Mice and Men is number 4 on the same list, more than half a century after it was written! Ever since he published it in 1937, there have been plenty of people who want Of Mice and Men banned, as the ALA statistics for the years 1990 - 2000 also show (2007).

There are a couple of issues arising from this that I think are worth discussing. First, the general questions:

• Should books ever be banned?
  
• Does your country ban books? What books are banned in your country? Why?
• What might be good reasons for banning a book?
• What are bad reasons for banning a book?
• Who should decide whether a book is to be banned or not? Government bodies or private bodies? Why should they be the ones to decide?

And the more specific questions about the controversial novel we are studying:

• Do you think Of Mice and Men should be banned? Why? Why not?
• Why do you think that so many people have always wanted this novel banned?
  Do you think those reasons are good or bad? Why? Why not?
• Should we be studying a novel that is so controversial? Why? Why not?
• Many American high schools also make Of Mice and Men a set text for their students to study. Do you agree or disagree with that? Why?

And since this is a response writing, where the primary aim is to express your ideas in clearly written English sentences, you can wander around and away from the topic if that's where your thoughts lead.

Whilst I think it would be preferable to post your ideas as a comment below, if you would like to write your ideas as a new post, you are welcome to do so.

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References

American Library Association. (2006, September 21). Harry Potter tops list of most challenged books of 21st Century. ALA: American Library Association. Retrieved on May 10, 2009 from http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2006/september2006/harrypottermostchallenge.cfm

American Library Association. (2007, February 16). The 100 most frequently challenged books of 1990–2000. ALA: American Library Association. Retrieved on May 10, 2009 from http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.cfm