Gone With the Wind….Banned?
In the country we live in, everyone has the cultural right to choose. We have the right to choose anything! From where to go to school, to live, or even what kind of car to drive, we are able to choose. Luckily enough, that very same choice merges with the kind of literature we nourish our minds with. However, not every book is deemed appropriate or acceptable for a class, religious group, or even a country to read. This seems crazy right? So because some of the people within these groups may get offended or uncomfortable with the choice of book, another choice is formed. Should the book be banned or left to be read another day? Although, if read today, Gone With the Wind seems like an appropriate enough book in the classroom and otherwise, surprisingly enough, back in the day it wasn’t. Unsurprisingly, it was banned.
So who banned Gone With the Wind? …and why?
As unlikely it is for such an awesome book to be banned, it was almost as unlikely to find information of it’s banning other than on banned book week website. Luckily, after some prying, other blogs and hard to reach documents were able to shed some light on our question.
It is clear to see how the book quickly became a favorite, but as the book became popular, some became threatened and wanted the book to be banned. Gone With the Wind was published in 1936, just before the start of World War II. According to Ganzel, shortly after the book was published, Hitler marched into and took over Austria. At that time, Hitler and his people were doing everything in their power to brainwash the citizens. This included, but was not limited to, rewriting textbooks, banning books, and even burning the books. Gone With the Wind was one of the many books banned because it was believed that the book promoted individualism and survival- just the opposite of what the Nazis wanted. As told by Gelfant, “During the war, totalitarian nations recognized Gone With the Wind’s popularity by strict censorship that the penalty for its possession, according to an american journalist, was death.”
After some further digging (lots and lots of digging), according to ala.org, Gone With the Win
d was also banned in 1978 and challenged in 1984. The first instance mentioned occurred in a school district located in Anaheim, California. The school district banned the book due to the behaviors of the main character, Scarlet O’Hara, and the depiction of slaves. The second year mentioned occurred in a Waukegan, Illinois school district because the use of the “n-word”.
What is this huge book about?
Long story short, Gone With the Wind takes place during the civil war. The main character is a beautiful, yet spoiled, southern belle who would do whatever it takes to save her family, plantation, or just to get whatever she wants. Her name is Scarlet O’Hara, and she did just that.
*Don’t like the super short summary? Click here for a more in depth explination. *
What do you think?
During any time or in any place, a book could be banned or challenged. Although there are very few instances in which Gone With the Wind was banned, there is no telling whether or not it will happen again. So what do you think reader? Do you think it should have been banned during the time period it was? Should it be banned today? Someday, the decision could be yours.
References
“Banned And/or Challenged Books from the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the
20th Century.” ALA. American Library Association, 2016. Web. 12 Mar. 2016.
Ganzel, Bill. “.” World Events during the 1930s. Wessles Living
History Farm, 2003. Web. 12 Mar. 2016.
Gelfant, B. H. (1980). Gone with the wind “and the impossibilities of fiction”. The Southern
Literary Journal, 13(1), 3.
Gone With The Wind “and The Impossibilities of Fiction” Gelfant, Blanche H The Southern
Literary Journal; Fall 1980; 13, 1; ProQuest pg. 5
Nelson, Kelleigh. “Kelleigh Nelson — Ban Magaret Mitchell’s Gone With The Wind?” Kelleigh
Nelson — Ban Magaret Mitchell’s Gone With The Wind?N.p., 1 July 2015. Web. 12 Mar.
“Plot Overview.” SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2016.