5 MOST CONTROVERSIAL BOOKS OF ALL TIMES
Whether you acknowledge it or not, but we all have a little stimulus when it comes to controversies — from the celebrity controversies to our societal ones. Did the married woman sleep with her next door neighbor? Did you know that Mr. Matthews’ son is a faggot? Have you heard about the misogynist who lives down the road? Or any of the 100 controversies created by the Kardashians — we all are so eager to hear about them!
Controversies are, however, not only limited to real life facts and figures. Literary pieces have also faced a lot of controversies; sometimes to such an extent that there’ve been lawsuits filed against them, and the books being challenged or banned. The top reasons why books are banned or challenged are because of explicit sexual content and graphics, violence, homosexuality, satanism, drug use and abuse, racism, and nudity. Sometimes, some books ought to wrangle with religious beliefs and viewpoints of certain communities, or maybe unsuited for a certain age group, or might contain the use of offensive language.
Nevertheless, let’s head over to the 5 most controversial books of all times:
- LOLITA BY VLADIMIR NABOKOV
This is one of the most famous controversial novels of all times. It is the story of an unhealthy obsession a middle-aged man develops for a 12-year-old girl. Humbert Humbert loses the love of his life in his teenage, and ever since is sexually obsessed and attracted to girls of 9 to 14 years of age, referring to them as nymphets. In his middle age, he moves as a tenant into Charlotte Haze’s house, a widow and a mother of a 12-year-old girl, Dolores. He perceives Dolores, whom he calls Lolita, as a nymphet. A series of events follow and Humbert marries Charlotte just so he could be Dolores’ step-father, and satisfy his sexual urge. Later, Charlotte dies, and then, Dolores is left with Humbert Humbert. The rest of the story follows how Humert ends up in jail, with Lolita being dead too. The book has been challenged for pedophilia and incest, and remains one of Nabokov’s best works.
2. THE CATCHER IN THE RYE BY J.D. SALINGER
The Catcher in the Rye has been challenged by many for its profanity, sexuality, offensive statements and blasphemous acts. Holden Morrisey Caulfield is not a queer name — not to the adolscents atleast. The sturdy icon for teenage rebellion, angst and alienation, and also the protagonist of this world-wide controversial bestseller, The Catcher in The Rye. The novel deals with complex issues of innocence, identity, belonging, loss, connection, sex, and depression.
3. THE TROPIC OF CANCER BY HENRY MILLER
This novel has been described as notorious for candid sexuality. This controversial book gives us a frank account of homosexuality, explicit sexual encounters, misogyny, and themes of toxic masculinity. Tropic of Cancer defended at least 60 lawsuits against it in the first year of its publication. The book centers on Miller’s life as a struggling writer, combining autobiography and fiction.
4. LADY CHATTERLEY’S LOVER BY D.H. LAWRENCE
This novel is an explicit foretelling of an affair between an upper-class woman and a working-class man. The book illustrates the intimate physical and emotional relationship of the two with each other, has rampant descriptions of sex, and the use of profane language, including many four-letter words. The book was banned for obscenity in many countries, including the United States, India, Canada, Australia and Japan.
5. THE DA VINCI CODE BY DAN BROWN
The Da Vinci Code is one of Dan Brown’s finest works. But, it stands among one of the most controversial books as well. It has offended many Roman Catholics around the world with its ideas. It has also been banned in many countries across the world. The story follows Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu investigating the murder of Priory of Sion grand master Jacques Saunière in the Louvre Museum in Paris, and who is also Sophie’s grandfather. Robert and Sophie become involved in a battle between the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei over the possibility of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene having had a child together. And this is the reason why the book is banned in many countries and, thus, is a controversial one.
These were some of the books which have faced a lot of criticism, and a lot of admiration from the readers over the years, in spite of being controversial. Don’t forget to give them a read, and know the actual reasons for them being controversial.
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