Write a one or maximum two pages research paper explaining why Six () of Dr. Seuss's books were Censored.

Dr. Seuss is a very well recognized author with over 700 million copies of his books sold around the world. His books have also become a staple of education, entertainment, movies, and even popular culture. His book entitled, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, has been adapted to film and has become a staple within American culture. Likewise, many of his publications are fundamental readings designed to help children learn about many of the basics of the English language. The combination of education and engagement created an environment in which the publications of Dr. Seuss could flourish. However, not all of his books received praised and adulation (Morgan, 1996).

For one, many of his books reflected a darker side of civilization. Six of Dr. Seuss publications have either been censored or removed from circulation entirely due to racist and inflammatory remarks. These racist images included Asians holding stereotypical hats, holding chopsticks and eating from a bowl. In addition many of his books depicted Africans as barefoot, with grass skirts and unkept hair. In many of the instances, the depiction of minorities is blatantly racist and undermines much of the progress made towards racial relations in society. This can have an adverse impact on children who are expose to these racial images at a very young age. This could cause subconscious biases in children exacerbating an already contentious racial environment around the world. By removing these books, society has helped to better develop the intellectual capacity of children by lowering their propensity to be exposed to racist and inflammatory imagery.

References

1. Morgan, Judith; Morgan, Neil (1996). Dr. Seuss & Mr. Geisel: a biography. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-306-80736-7.