The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, and Junie B. Jones is Captain Field Day by Barbara Park, all construct a seemingly miscellaneous list of book titles. These different authors, different perspectives, and different messages were all brought to the stage on Monday Oct. 30 by the students in Performance of Literature due to one pivotal similarity: each book has fallen victim to the book bans throughout the country.
Prior to the production of, “Who Bans Books in the U.S.—and What Are They So Afraid Of?“ communications professor, Dr. Heidi Rose, began her introduction in sharing the article the class read in preparation of their performance. The article on book bans in the United States was from 1948, yet the crisis continues to be prevalent within the country today.
She went on to recognize that “librarians in this country since that time have been champions in preventing book banning,” whilst also noting the challenges these bans present if they reach the federal level.
Dr. Rose emphasized that these book bans are more personal to the audience than one would initially assume, noting that, “it’s very close to home, it’s not just Florida and Texas.”
During the performance, one student went on to note that, “the Pennsylvania state legislature has voted to advance a bill that will give leeway for more parental control in education,” and that “it truly became personal.”
Many students echoed their frustration with the book bans, speaking of their dismay due to the lengthy list of titles that have raised concern. Another similarity bridged many of the books together: most were required reading for many of the students in high school. These titles included The Lord of the Flies, Of Mice and Men, and The House on Mango Street, all of which have been brought to life by the students in COM 3241.
The first performance to take the stage was recited by student Julianna Rigoglioso, who shared with the audience that she, “was honestly shocked,” to see the childhood classic, Junie B. Jones made the list, and that she was “here today to honor the book.”
Performers took on a variety of characters, ranging from the perceptive Holden Caulfield to the pig comrade Old Major, each taking a turn to note the critical messages behind every story that are being removed from the shelves.
Many actors noted the irony as well as the danger in book bans. Performer Kristian Williamson, acting out a speech from George Orwell’s Animal Farm, joked, “it’s funny, because the book was banned in the Soviet Union for being too anti-communist, but also was banned from Missouri for being too pro-communism.”
As each student began their act in explaining their value towards each story, oftentimes, sharing a personal connection to said book, one question was heavily repeated: “what are these politicians so afraid of?”
As book bans sweep several states, it is difficult to imagine a school curriculum without these classic titles. One student admitted, “I could not imagine my younger self not having these stories.”
A total of seven books facing bans within a multitude of states were performed on Monday, and five more are scheduled to be acted out Wednesday, Nov. 1 in the speakers corner of Falvey library.
The class encourages others to come be a part of the audience, and there will be allotted time for discussion afterwards.
