Banned Book Essay - Burned By Ellen Hopkins

Banned Book Essay – Burned by Ellen Hopkins

            There are many reasons a book might get banned. Often, none are from a valid cause of concern but more of a personal opinion about a book. Some of these will include LGBTQ issues, violence, and sexual themes within the story. What is interesting about banned books is that they are often on topics where people need to read them more because people are usually looking for acceptance that they cannot find in the real world. Author Ellen Hopkins has a wide variety of books on mental health, addiction, family issues, religion, and so much more. Many of her books are on the verge of being banned in multiple states, making them more of a must-read. The stylized verse in the book “Burned” offers a look into the life of a young girl named Pattyn, who is sent to live with her aunt in Nevada because she doesn’t fit her family's religious ideals. While she is away from home, she finds acceptance and love in not only herself but others. While this book is banned in Idaho because of its views on the Mormon community, many Mormons who have read it have enjoyed it. It has still been banned from libraries and stores. With it still being well-liked, one must wonder what in particular has made it the topic of controversy and bans.

            When Ellen Hopkins was asked about her books being banned in the ACLU article called Here’s What You Lose When You Ban Books, Hopkins herself stated, “People trying to protect children and enforce parental rights more often don’t have children rather than having a “well-funded political drive” to achieve more equal rights. Further, the authors explain that the books are usually written by or have characters representing the LGBTQIA” (This is a paraphrase; Hopkins). As the article progresses, she makes the perfect statement of empathy for the ones who read her books, saying “that her goals were always to have a more comprehensive view when most people typically have a narrow-minded view. This will allow positive or negative outcomes one will face. This shows people they have a choice and how to make a more informed decision” (This is a paraphrase; Hopkins). 

            When books are banned, the voices they are helping are taken away, leaving those who need them without an outlet to turn to. Amid all the negativity from placing a book under controversy or banning a book, we must look at the positives. There are many quotes from unknown readers showcasing her book's importance by stating, “Crank saved my life, opened my eyes to the world I was exposing myself to and rapidly getting drowned in. And then, two years later, it did the very same for my little brother. . . Thank you, Ellen, you've touched our lives forever” (Hopkins). Though this quote is about one of her other books, the effect her books have had on people is still the same: they open people to a level of understanding and hope that they have not seen before.  

            Even when opening the first page of “Burned,” anyone struggling with Hopkins's words feels accepted and understood. The first stanza has a realistic view of life and growing up; in her words, she expresses the characters' frustration with living with their parents and not having the freedom they desire. Her writing promotes a sense of growing up and all the small details that come with it. Feeling frustrated and alone is a common theme in Hopkins's writing, which is why it appeals to many people. Her ability to talk about things seen as complex subjects and make them a part of everyone is a rare gift, but this often makes those books easier to ban and more accessible to have issues with.

            As recently as February 2024, Hopkins's “Tricks” was banned again in Buncombe County, North Carolina, joining five other books, including “Burned.” Many of the parents were venting their frustrations, saying the “Crank” is “filth in poetic form,” with other parents going further and saying that her writing exposes young adults to unhealthy sexual relationships. Much of Ellen Hopkins's writing focuses on the realism of life and how it doesn’t work out perfectly for everyone. Many of her books are personal, real-life journeys of Ellen Hopkin’s family. “Crank” is about her daughter and the real-life struggles with addiction she watched her go through, and “Burned” is about a Mormon girl from whom Hopkins visited and gained inspiration.  

            Banned books will always exist, but the hope is that they will become less common over time. It’s important to look at why a book is under scrutiny or has the potential of being banned. The article Book Banning from The Free Speech Center by Susan Webb has a very sound take, stating that fear might be the biggest instigator in book banning by further citing how “book banning is becoming a very known thing in the United States and children’s literature is always the focal point. This is because the people advocating worry that the children reading will be swayed by the contents, which could have potentially dangerous consequences” (This is a paraphrase; Webb). Books on controversial topics should be welcomed and not be feared. People should be more upfront about the issues within these banned books, as banning them won’t make those sensitive topics disappear anytime soon.

Citations Page

Black, Mitchell. “Buncombe County Schools Board Bans NYT Bestselling Book; Which One?” The Asheville Citizen-Times, Asheville Citizen-Times, 20 Feb. 2024, www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2024/02/20/buncombe-county-board-of-education-bans-nyt-bestselling-book/72662699007/. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.

Hopkins, Ellen. “Here’s What You Lose When You Ban My Books .” ACLU of South Carolina, 5 Dec. 2023, www.aclusc.org/en/news/heres-what-you-lose-when-you-ban-my-books. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.

Hopkins, Ellen, and Laura Flanagan. Burned. HighBridge Co., 2009.

Staff, NCAC. “Kids’ Right to Read Project Interview with Ellen Hopkins, Author of The Banned Book Week Manifesto.” National Coalition Against Censorship, 15 Jan. 2016, ncac.org/incident/kids-right-to-read-project-interview-with-ellen-hopkins-author-of-the-banned-book-week manifesto#:~:text=My%20book%20Burned%20had%20been,including%20stores%20and%20libraries%20%E2%80%93%20everywhere. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.