Censorship and the Re-emergence of the Dystopian Novel
by Lauren Matera
The classic books on these pages—all beloved dystopian novels—have seen a recent resurgence in interest, and many have appeared on current bestseller lists. What has captivated readers once again?
Each of these novels presents a system of censorial tyranny—one that we are warned about through the fictitious misfortunes of characters who question (but rarely escape) their oppressive surroundings. Yet commentary on the novels’ present-day relevance proliferates as media censorship becomes a growing concern worldwide. We are certain that these authors must have had prophetic powers, and we use their works to start conversations about the dangers of losing our intellectual and fundamental freedoms.
The renewed interest in these novels reminds us that censorship is not simply the stuff of some far-off dystopian future. Freedom of expression is a precious right that we must continue to defend in Canada and abroad. This year, why not reread these classic titles?
The Handmaid’s Tale
This novel, which is set in a theocracy where women are denied personal and intellectual freedom, is one of Margaret Atwood’s best-known works. It topped Amazon’s bestseller list in February 2017—more than three decades after its 1985 release—and Hulu recently adapted it as a television series. In 2008, The Handmaid’s Tale was challenged in a Toronto school for its profane language and depictions of sexual degradation. The novel has also been challenged numerous times in the United States.
Nineteen Eighty-four
In George Orwell’s imagined future, all are prey to totalitarian thought control and truth censoring implemented by the ruling Party. Even protagonist Winston Smith, who begins to reject the Party’s methods, cannot escape the grip of its leader, Big Brother. The novel has found renewed relevance with the recent outbreak of fake news stories (which call to mind Orwell’s eerily apt terms Newspeak and doublethink). Published in 1949, the novel has been challenged in the United States for its sexual content and for “promoting communism.”
Brave New World
Aldous Huxley’s novel portrays a totalitarian state in which citizens are numbed into compliance and infants are programmed to hate books. Published in 1932, the novel has been frequently challenged for offensive language, “racism” and sexually explicit content. It made the American Library Association’s lists of the 100 most frequently challenged books for both 1990–99 and 2000–09.
Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury’s 1953 novel presents readers with a bleak depiction of a world devoid of the freedom to read. In this futuristic American society, books are deemed dangerous and are burned along with the houses where they are found. Fahrenheit 451 has been frequently challenged in the United States. It was censored at a school in California in 1992; students were given copies that contained blacked-out words. It also appears on the American Library Association’s list of frequently challenged young-adult books.
The Giver
Published in 1993, Lois Lowry’s novel is a mainstay on Canadian grade-school reading lists. Jonas, the young hero, lives in a world of Sameness. He inherits the job of Receiver of Memory and becomes disillusioned when he learns the truth about the community’s past and is unable to share his new knowledge. This Newbery Medal winner has been challenged in both Canada and the United States for reasons that include age inappropriateness and depictions of violence.
illustrations: Gil Martinez, with files from Shutterstock
Lauren Matera recently served as the BPC’s program coordinator.
Reprinted from Freedom to Read Kit 2018.