Censorship Essay

825 Words4 Pages
Lindsay Barnard Jon Paul Henry English 1130:054 30 June 2013 Argument Analysis: Paul Stuewe’s “Better Dead Than Read” vs. Timothy Findley’s “Better Dead Than Read: An Opposing View” The invention of the VHS in that late 1970’s brought about the spread of more readily available pornography, and ever since, censorship vs. free speech has become a topic of frequent debate. Censorship evokes strong emotion in many people. In 1978, a group of self-appointed censors, calling themselves the Concerned Citizens of Huron County, Ontario, campaigned to have Margaret Laurence’s novel “The Diviners” banned from high schools in the area. Because the book contains strong language and sexual scenes, the Concerned Citizens insisted it was inappropriate to be taught in the Grade 13 curriculum. After his visit to Huron County, Journalist Paul Stuewe responds seemingly in favour of this instance of censorship in an article entitled, “Better Dead Than Read”, which broadcasts the opinions of two spokesmen for the Concerned Citizens group. In turn, Timothy Findley, a fellow novelist and friend of Laurence, rebuts Stuewe’s argument and the recent attempts to ban novels like “The Diviners” in his anti-censorship article, “Better Dead Than Read: An Opposing View.” A key distinction between Stuewe and Findley is their attitudes towards small-town censorship. Stuewe bases his opinion on his interactions with two spokesmen for the Concerned Citizens: Elmer Umbach and Lloyd Barth. Stuewe’s discovers both men make valid pro-censorship arguments. They are not “crazed fanatics” like the media portrays; he feels they simply share a strong sense of values and social responsibility. Stuewe thinks their decision to adopt censorship as a way of protecting their morals is justified. Also, because he believes small-scale censorship like this cannot impact the availability of literature on a larger
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