There are many books or series that have caused a stir due to the themes contained within them. Here are a selection of the most controversial:
The Chocolate War
“The Chocolate War” was written by Robert Cormier and was published in the 1970s. It is aimed at young adults. The novel explores protagonist Jerry Renault’s life at Trinity High School. Certain elements of the book’s plot, such as sexual content and violence have resulted in it being banned in a number of libraries.
Despite the book’s controversial themes, it is said to be one of the best young adult novels ever to be written. A film adaptation was released in 1988, with several scenes from the book being changed.
A sequel to the book was released in 1985, eleven years after the release of the original novel.
Lord of the Flies
“Lord of the Flies” is a highly controversial novel by William Golding. It was published in 1954. The book tells the story of a group of British schoolboys who end up stranded on an island after their plane crashes. There are no adults present, which forces them to work together in order to survive. Their struggles and experiences on the island cause them to realise how dark human nature can be, which emphases the book’s allegorical meaning. The book is extremely violent in places, which has resulted in it being highly controversial.
The boys originally work together in an attempt to survive on the island, but their relationships are tested when the boys begin to form their own tribes. The metaphorical title, “The Lord of the Flies”, is another name for the demon “Beelzebub” and is presented in the form of a pig’s head surrounded by flies in the novel. Throughout the story, it is thought that the pig’s head is “The Beast”, but it later becomes clear that the boy’s actions have caused them to create “The Beast” themselves and it lies within them.
The book has been adapted to film twice. The first adaptation was released in 1963 and many changes were made from the novel, with some scenes being less violent in the film. The second adaptation was released in 1990 and again was less violent than the book, though more profanity was used in this adaptation.
The Harry Potter series
The “Harry Potter” series is one of the most popular children’s book series of all time. The first instalment, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” was released in 1997. As the other instalments followed, the series quickly became a phenomenon and by the time the fourth book “Goblet of Fire” was released in 2000, the series had become one of the most successful children’s series of all time.
The series is loved by millions of people all over the world, both adults and children alike. A successful film franchise has followed as well as merchandise and even a theme park,. The series, which consists of seven book sin total, has won dozens of awards and has had a huge impact on the public. Midnight launch events were held for the release of the novels, during which fans would queue for hours to receive their copy. The success of the series has made its creator JK Rowling one of the richest authors of all time.
Despite the millions of fans though, the series has also caused much controversy, mainly due to the fact that it contains witchcraft. Many religious groups believe that the series promotes witchcraft and many people, most notably Laura Mallory have attempted to have the books banned. Mallory made several attempts for the books to be banned in the children’s school library as she believed that the series promoted taught and promoted witchcraft. Despite all her opinions on the series, Mallory has not read any of the books, stating that they are “too long”. After she failed to get the books banned, she made several appeals, but was rejected.
Rowling has also be accused of plagiarism several times, the most famous being the Nancy Stouffer case, in which Rowling was accused of stealing ideas from Stouffer’s “The Legend of Rah and the Muggles”.
The inclusion of Rowling’s fictional band “The Weird Sisters” in the film adaptation of “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” also caused a stir when a band with the same named filed a lawsuit for not being credited in the film. The case caused many Harry Potter fans to react angrily and Jarvis Cocker, who appeared in the film as a member of the band and wrote several of the songs used in the film, was forced to drop a planned “Weird Sisters” album due to the lawsuit.
The Catcher in the Rye
“The Catcher in the Rye” is a popular novel originally aimed at adults. Written by J.D. Salinger and published in 1951, the book has now become popular amongst young adults. The book follows the life of fictional protagonist Holden Caulfield, who is expelled from preparatory school.
Sexual references, profanity and drug and alcohol use have made the novel one of the most controversial books of all time. The novel was famously linked to the murder of John Lennon due to his killer, Mark Chapman, idolising the fictional Holden Caulfield. The character has also said to have influenced other murderers.
No film adaptation has been yet been made as a result of J.D. Salinger not wishing to have his novel made into a film. However, the book has been referenced in a wide variety of films and the popularity of Holden Caulfield has caused many characters in films to be loosely based on him. One of the most obvious references is “Chasing Holden”, a 2001 film where the protagonist, who compares his life to Holden’s, seeks out J.D. Salinger in an attempt to murder him. The book’s huge cultural impact has also led to it being mentioned in a wide variety of television programs and even in other novels and in various songs.
American Psycho
“American Psycho” was written by Bret Eastern Ellis and was published in 1991. The story focuses on Patrick Bateman, who is a serial killer. Patrick is the brother of Sean Bateman, who was the protagonist in Ellis’s earlier novel “The Rules of Attraction”. Patrick is a serial killer and the book explores his life, which consists of torturing and brutally killing a string of women, as well as drug and alcohol abuse.
The novel became highly controversial as a result of the sadistic acts carried out by the protagonist, which included cannibalism, sexual abuse and necrophilia. . The murders are described in graphic detail and the book is banned in some countries. In some countries, the book is only allowed to be sold to those aged 18 or over. The book was also criticised for the amount of violence inflicted on females.
A film adaptation was released in 2000 and has since become a cult classic. Ellis’s earlier novel, “The Rules of Attraction” was also adapted to film in 2002. Patrick Bateman’s role in “The Rules of Attraction” was less pronounced and the story instead focused on his brother Sean, who although is not as sadistic as Patrick, struggles to show his emotions and is a very cynical character. “The Rules of Attraction” film adaptation was more satirical than “American Psycho”, though the film often contained very dark scenes, including the famous suicide scene.
Of Mice and Men
“Of Mice and Men” is a very popular story that was written by John Steinbeck and published in 1937. This novella tells the story of two men, George and Lenny who are ranch workers. The men are best friends but are complete opposites. George is intelligent whilst Lennie has difficulties mentally. Lennie has incredible strength, which often causes problems and eventually leads to him accidentally killing a woman, resulting in a tragic end for the two men.
The story has become extremely popular and there have been several film and theatre adaptations. The story was banned from a number of libraries due to the use of profanity and racism, as well as the subject of euthanasia.
Lady Chatterly’s Lover
“Lady Chatterly’s Lover” is a popular novel written by D.H. Lawrence. It was originally published in 1928. The story focuses on Constance Chatterly, who begins an affair with Oliver Mellors as a result of marriage difficulties.
The book caused much controversy due to its explicit sexual content, as well as the use of profanity and it was banned in several countries, including Australia. When the book was published in 1961 in Britain, a trial was held as a result of the obscene words used. The publishers of the book were put on trial under the Obscene Publications Act 1959. The book eventually became available to the British public in a second edition, which was published in 1961.
There have been several adaptations of the novel, including films and television movies.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is a highly controversial novel written by Mark Twain. It was published in 1884. It is a sequel to “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”. “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” focuses on the continued adventures of two young boys, Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. The book caused controversy due to the amount racism used. It has been banned in several libraries.
Despite the controversy, the book has been adapted to film many times, including a 1974 musical and a 1976 Japanese anime series.
Other sequels in the series include “Tom Sawyer Abroad” and “Tom Sawyer, Detective”.