What Does Challenge Mean - Book Report/Review Example

Critical Process Paper Description American Literature Association defines “challenge” as an attempt of a person or the group of persons to succeed in restricting and banning some reading materials (magazines, books, pamphlets, comics etc.) in order to prevent a direct access to them by the wide public. “Challenge” is not a simple expression of an opinion but an activity towards denying any access to some book that is challenged. Challenge precedes ban which itself is a complete and total withdrawal of a book from public access. Challenge can be made by any person but its justification can be made only with the help of a government and majority of critical views which usually makes any censorship requests groundless and at the same time blaming it in the attack on the freedom of speech and independence of the thoughts and opinions. Nevertheless “challenge” plays not a least role in giving a definite age rating to the comics which unlike books have Comics Code Authority and age rating especially for comics that have sex and violence as their major themes while other are made specially for kids. The example of comics is not accidental because two comics from the list of the most challenged books are the only items that I read myself. These comics are “Persepolis” by Marjan Satrapi and “Saga” by Brian K. Vaughn. Though at all this is not a literature I will due to the lucky coincidence use exactly these works as an anchor of my critical analysis of the problem of challenged, banned and warranted written (and drawn too) works. More than that it will be fair to add that increasing popularity and period of incredible prosperity of comics in my humble opinion allows to make a suggestion that as the most modern and new artistic form it slightly becomes more authentic, proficient and overall interesting than usual books and literature works of any genre, size and form presented nowadays. The appearance of two great comic books in the list of 10 most often challenged books only proves that comics today should be treated just as fair and serious as books and other mediums and art forms like films or music. Analysis “Persepolis” and “Saga” are brilliant comics and incredibly sincere, honest and interesting works of fiction which creators I admire. Film adaptation of “Persepolis” was nominated for Oscar as the best cartoon and was among the two movies that won Jury Prize at the 2007th Cannes Film Festival. “Saga” in its turn received numerous Eisner awards which is the most important and significant award in the comics industry. “Persepolis” is not a work for children because it really contains sexual aspects as well as a lot of political factors which either would not be understood or on the contrary will be understood too good or even wrong and if a person has some strict political or religious beliefs than the book can easily be criticized by such a person. In case with Persepolis because it tells us about Iran it can be claimed politically and socially controversial due to the wide known fact that Iran is one of the most religiously bigoted countries which at the same time has less that zero amount of freedom to think, say or do something individually. We find “Persepolis” among the list of most often challenged books because Chicago Public Schools challenged to remove these comics from the bookshelves of 7th grade library. Well, what can I say above the fact that it was foolish to put them there in the first place due to the serious narrative which is mixed with funny way of drawing. Such inattentive superficial review of the content is the reason of a lot of problems because some people due to their stereotypic and prejudiced vision think that any comics is a funny one and therefore can be given to kid. That is not true and comics are not the same now as they were in the 1940s and 1960s. It is a serious reading that deals with political, religious, psychological and philosophical issues but only in other form. Comics is the new art and it is only a tool with which creative vision and artistic individuality can be expressed so not any comics is about Batman or Spider-Man though such characters and their adventure is still the main theme in comics. But superheroic comics just like romantic novels are a very tight genre and it doesn’t say much about the form in general. So when some groups of people challenge comics they must think twice because they not only limit author’s freedom of creative vision but also see the problem in a narrow way thinking that comics are only for children. Saga was challenged for reasons such as antifamily, nudity and sexual aspects. Saga as well as Persepolis is a brilliant work of fiction. But more than that it is an adult tale, fantasy story with a lot of supernatural and fantastic elements but nevertheless some age restrictions clearly must be made. Most of the comics by publishers like Vertigo, Image and Dark Horse have audience from 16 to 25 (but you never old enough to read comics or even watch some cartoons). Taking in consideration that some teenagers drinks and smoke marijuana in this age seeing some sexual details in the comics should not come as a surprise for the parents of these children. Interpretation Both “Saga” and “Persepolis” were challenged due to the wrong age rating or the absence of such rating at all which is a mistake in the first place. Politically only “Persepolis” goes in the opposite way of the religious bigotry of Iran’s political and social representatives which makes Iran a country with the lowest amount of any freedom of speech or social equality and liberty of independet thought. Such opposition made by Persepolis continues long artistic tradition of confrontation between humane art with moral values and love for justice on one side and blind bigotry and government evil corruption and control over the mind and actions of citizens. Voltaire, Orwell, Pasternak … Marjan Satrapi. It will be fair to saн that both these works of fiction are totally worthy to be warranted which happens although new challenges keep coming. By restricting wider access to such beautiful works those who dislike this works simply just show their ignorance because even if sexual aspects appear for the person of 15 years old still the pleasure, ethical and aesthetical value is more significant and overshadows superficial harm. It is also necessary to add that the main heroine of “Persepolis” is its author and overall this work is strictly and totally autobiographical. Talking about sexual intercourse it is exactly middle school age during which Marjan both as a person in real life and as a character in comics got acquainted with the sexual aspect of life and human relationships. So it is a disputedquestion whether pupils of 7th and 8th grades should or should not read comics where some sexual details appear. Sexual feeling is a biological one and so even for the better of social balance it is arguable whether it is right to limit access to the art just because of morality when art itself as well as biological feeling do not like to be limited or hidden. Saga is not any more anti-family than Percey Shelley’s idealistic concept of free love or Henry Miller’s sexual wilderness. It is all art and art is something that can’t be limited due to is spiritual nature of freedom and feeling of absolute liberty. Only these factors can distinguish real art from the imitation. Evaluation Despite all that was said above challenge is not an entirely negative occurrence. As for me I can name some of the benefit sides of this practice. Among them first and most of all is the restriction of access to the material that simply can’t be understood on the immature level of comprehension. Nevertheless reality shows that nothing bring so much attention than restriction and so the whole mechanism of challenged and banned books (“Persepolis”banned only in Iran and couple of other Middle East countries) can in the end bring only reverse effect making it more popular and desirable for those who can’t or shouldn’t read it. But such opinion easily can be argued when it will be pointed out that each reader decides for himself whether he can or can’t understand something and such theory of useful restriction can be blamed in discrimination and stating that someone knows who are worthy, smart and intelligent enough to read and who is not. Overall it will be fair to said that despite different opinions it will be better not to read “Saga” or “Persepolis” than read it and understand in a wrong way. Because while “Saga” is a work of fantasy and imagination, “Persepolis” plays a significant social and political role giving a personal opinion on the matter of government repressions, total injustice and blind religious bigotry that has been existing till now. It is interesting that quotes from “Persepolis” were used during some of the elections in Iran by the fans of this comics. Engagement Any truth is precious in the modern times of disguised corruption and technological ways of keeping people quiet. Honest stories open eyes of its readers on some of the panhuman problems (“Saga”) or socially and individually estimated ones. Challenging as I see it only serves as a free advertisement of books that are challenged and also an expression of opinion of those who don’t like the books and therefore doesn’t want anybody else to read them because if the book is great (challenged books are so) than more people after reading will have other opinion than those persons who try to challenge such books. Seeing it like this I suggest those people who strive for ban reconsider their foolish, and arrogant and truly selfish behaviour in order to give every human his own right to choose what is right and what is wrong basing on the own experience. Read More