LIT-101, Essay 2:

Book Review/Analysis
I wish I could say we’ve come a long way since the days of book burning, but
the truth is even that custom has not entirely faded. More often than not,
however, folks are content with simply banning books from public and school
libraries.

In your 7-10 page book review/analysis, you will read and review a book that
has been removed from the shelves of any kind of public library. Whether it
was pulled from shelves across the nation, or in a single county, find a book
you feel encompasses a kind of literary censorship you’re interested in
exploring. You will review the book as a piece of literature, as well as
exploring why the book was banned, and whether or not you support its
removal. I will still expect you to find an overall thesis to guide this paper.

If you do a book that was banned many decades ago, I ask you to keep in the
mind the political and social climate of the times when discussing whether or
not the book deserved to be pulled, rather than trying to put it in a more
modern context, though feel free to discuss whether you think it would’ve
been an issue if the book were new today.

This essay is worth 25% of your grade, or 25 points.

Genre/Audience:
Your audience is once more fairly general, however you should assume
they’re well-read (the type of people who would read a book review, or who
are interested enough in the idea of book banning to read one).

Pay close attention to the book review samples we read for hints on tone,
style, and form. It’s another chance to examine how to give your opinion and
support it with concrete examples, as well as bringing in outside information
as you analyze the act of banning.

Requirements:
While most book reviews don’t incorporate citations, I will ask you to bring
them back in this one. I do still want to see you introducing your sources,
because it’s a helpful skill and encourages you to directly address your
sources, but you will also be using the traditional citation structure.

You will need at least five credible sources, and at least three of those should
be scholarly. Remember that this is your review, and they are background
support for your own explanation and reasoning. Don’t get quote-happy on
me.

Why we are doing what we’re doing / Purpose:

This will be an extra challenge, by virtue of combining the book review and
literary analysis forms. You will be using a great deal of opinion while
reviewing the book, and I’ll expect you to do so intelligently. At the same
time, you’ll be analyzing a politically- and socially-charged situation,
involving research into the reasons for the banning, finding out the context,
and reporting on it, while analyzing its validity. You are incorporating critical
analysis, research, and balanced argument skills in one non-traditional
paper. I also hope it’ll be a bit more fun and interesting than a typical
researched essay.

Schedule:
2/22/10 Sample book reviews
2/25/10 Sample literary analysis
3/1/10 First draft due.
3/4/10 Peer Review.
SPRING BREAK
3/15/10 Library Day
3/18/10 Second draft due.
3/22/10 Peer Review.
3/25/10 Final draft due with an end page, wherein you describe your
process of writing this paper.

Evaluation:
• CWP Grading Criteria.
• Does the thesis explore the censorship of this book intelligently and
with an original argument?
• Is the book reviewed thoroughly, with support from the text?
• Is there a fair analysis of the banning, with both sides given and the
proper context laid out given the time period, location, etc?
• Is there a clear decision made by the author regarding the validity of
banning this book and supported with research?
• Is the book review integrated with the literary analysis?
• Is the purpose, or “so what,” addressed?
• Did the student adhere to the source requirements?
• Did the student use the research to enhance her own ideas, instead of
overusing quotes?
• Did the student interact with the research, instead of just planting
facts/quotes?
• Is there a works cited/consulted page?
• Is the essay compelling, thoughtful, and informative and did it leave
me with a strong impression?

was thinking about The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, D. H.

Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover, Nabokov, Lolita.

As for me i would choose Romeo and Juliette by W. Shakespeare, which

was banned for violence, teen sex, and disobedience of parental authority