Anti-heroes, Terrible People, or Products of Their Time?
Living Dangerously…
These are dangerous times to be an author or book lover. Especially with all of the talk surrounding censorship, book banning, and cancel culture. Is it right to censor or ban books just because they contain words or ideas that you don’t agree with? Taking this a step further, should an entire body of work by an author be “canceled” because an author said or did terrible things in their lifetime? For me, the answer is no, but alas I seem to be in the minority as of late. In a world that seems content with being perpetually angry at something all of the time, I quite often find myself to be on the outside looking in. This is especially true when it comes to how I see books, authors, and some historical figures. People can do great things and still be horrible people. Harper Lee taught me that with Go Set a Watchmen (the sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird). Many years spent in higher education have also taught me that just because you have said or done terrible things or held attitudes that progressive society no longer agrees with doesn’t mean that you can’t do good work.
Points for Consideration…
In Go Set a Watchman, Jean Louis “Scout” Finch is devastated by the idea that her idols aren’t perfect people. As the narrative unfolds, Jean Louis has to grieve the loss of what she thought she knew about the people she once idolized and slowly comes to terms with the reality that these people are flawed and the pedestal that she put them on was of her own making. This is similar to how many people react when they discover that their favorite author—or the author of their favorite book—held terrible worldviews or did appalling things. Authors and their works are products of their time and should always be kept in context because of that.
As you contemplate whether a book should be canceled because its author is problematic consider these points. Gandhi was found to be a sexist, pedophile, and racist but he did bring an end to British oppression in India. Martin Luther started the Protestant Reformation ending the complete control of the repressive Catholic Church yet he was later revealed to be a huge antisemite. MLK JR is said to have stood by and watched a pastor and friend rape a woman. He is also said to have had a string of mistresses and to have plagiarized passages of his dissertation. The great thinker Aristotle was highly sexist and very misogynistic. The founding fathers of the United States also created a nation based on the ideas of freedom and equality even though most of them owned slaves. Should we cancel the entire American Experiment because it was created by men who we consider racists? Seems silly right? Why then are we so willing to cancel entire bodies of work because an author did or said something terrible outside of the work?
I don’t have a readymade answer to that question but what I do have is a long list of authors whose work I find relevant and enjoyable even if I think the authors themselves are problematic. For your convenience though, I have narrowed things down a bit. Here are the 14 most famous authors who most agree are problematic and the reasons why you should read their work anyway.
Number 1: Lewis Carroll...
The charge against Lewis Carroll is that he was a pedophile that collected—and took— pictures of young children either half naked or in “suggestive poses”. Did he do this? Yes, he absolutely did. Does that mean that Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass should be canceled? No, it does not. Setting aside the fact that Victorians had very different views on childhood than we currently hold—and that there is very little to no textual evidence to make a case either for or against this claim—there are valuable lessons to be gleaned from these fascinating children’s books.
The themes of growing up, finding one’s own identity, adhering to or challenging social norms, and learning the consequences of being too curious are all valid things that children need to learn about. They are also very present themes in both of Carroll’s children’s books. These themes are also presented in these works in a fun and age-appropriate way that children can digest easily.
There are deeper, more adult readings of both of these works to be sure, and many a scholar has looked into the possibility that Carroll’s works contain things such as drug use and gaslighting. Some have even suggested that the mushroom that the Caterpillar sits on is actually a phallic symbol. Sometimes readers and scholars read far more into the text than is actually there though. Since I respect that reading is deeply personal, I will leave you to decide how much of this you see or don’t see in Carroll’s works.
Number 2: George Orwell...
In recent days, George Orwell has been labeled a rapist, a government snitch, and many other terrible things. Was he some of these things? The evidence leans towards yes in some cases. That does not make 1984 or Animal Farm any less relevant than they have been claimed to be by scholars and educated critics.
Setting aside the “problematic’ aspect of Orwell the person, 1984 still gives us insight into what can happen when we trade freedom for security. Indeed, as Ben Franklin once said, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” Animal Farm teaches a very similar lesson as well. For these reasons alone Orwell the person should be divorced from the works that he produced if it helps you stomach the reading of these pieces.
Number 3: JK Rowling...
The Tweets….Oh, the Tweets! Harry Potter himself did not approve of those tweets. Everyone knows what JK Rowling said (or rather Tweeted). If you don’t, basically she is accused of being transphobic and homophobic, and of incorporating racism into her narratives. Did she Tweet some pretty strange things that some people might find offensive? YEP!! Do some of her characters have stereotypical names? Yes, they do. Does that negate the messages of friendship, loyalty, family, and triumph over adversity that exists in her work? Absolutely not.
Rowling’s statements on gender and sexuality were probably the biggest heartbreaks for Millennials and Zoomers, but her work still stands. It still influenced two solid generations and taught them various life lessons while providing these same children with a wonderful world of fantasy to escape into when the world was confusing and scary. Her work also helped to inspire the two most recent generations to unplug from social media and open a book.
Number 4: Roald Dahl...
Jump into Roald Dahl’s 1964 work Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and you will find yourself in a world of pure imagination. Dive into his personal life though and things are not so wonderful. Accused of inserting racist imagery and messaging into his works by Eleanor Cameron in the 1970s, Dahl’s writing has not been without controversy. (Consider the word snozzberries and you will see what I mean.) Cameron is not the only one to have linked Dahl to racist ideologies either. Layla Eplett also published an article in 2016 that claimed orange was the new black for Dahl.
Dahl has also been accused of being an antisemite. Accused might be too light of a word though given that Dahl himself is claimed to have said in a 1983 interview that “there is a trait in the Jewish character that does provoke animosity. ... Even a stinker like Hitler didn't just pick on them for no reason." Dahl was thus clearly antisemitic in his views, but does that mean that such childhood classics as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, and James and the Giant Peach should be canceled? The answer is no.
It is entirely possible to separate an author from their work. It is also possible that even if an author’s worldview did seep into parts of his narratives that the overall lessons being taught are still worthy of merit. This is especially true in children’s stories. Think about how you were as a child. When you first read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (or watched Willie Wonka) you enjoyed the story. You did not see the nefarious motives of the author in every line. You probably didn’t see the Oompa Loompas as stand-ins for slaves. Instead, you learned that bad things happen to bad people and that honesty and loyalty will always win out. Give your children the same credit. Don’t steal their sense of childhood wonder just because you see Dahl’s work through the cynical eyes of an adult. Let them read it, or read it to them, and then have more age-appropriate conversations about the symbolism in the work when they are mature enough to understand the historical context and implications of these messages.
Number 5: Dr. Seuss...
By now, most people have heard about the “problematic” life of Dr. Seuss (aka Theodor Seuss Geisel). Did he create anti-Japanese propaganda for the US government during World War II? Yes, he did. To cancel him for it is to remove him from his historical context entirely though. Bear in mind that the United States was fighting a brutal war against Japan during this period in history. The war was so brutal that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt even signed EO 9066 which interned anyone with Japanese heritage. That’s right, Americans had their own internment camps right here in America.
The process of “relocating” Japanese Americans also displaced thousands of families and robbed them of their rights and livelihoods in the process. What is worse is that the measures taken against both Japanese citizens and non-citizens alike had widespread support amongst most Americans. This means that Geisel most likely felt that he was doing his patriotic duty by creating the racist images we now judge him for. His feeling concerning the Japanese were typical of the America that he was living in at the time.
Geisel may have been a man of his time, but his works are timeless. The works of Dr. Seuss also offer parents several chances to help their children express their sense of childhood wonder while learning valuable lessons about the world they live in and the types of people they may meet. For instance, Go, Dog Go teaches children that you will always come across people who will never fully be satisfied so you should just do your own thing and be who you are. If you like that hat then wear it. Others will either come around or won’t. Go, Dog Go also ends with a message of inclusivity as dogs of all colors wearing all sorts of hats party together in peace.
The Sneecthes is another wonderful story that teaches children about the power of prejudices, discrimination, and the need for inclusivity. It also helps children understand that
no matter how many stars a person has or doesn’t have on their belly those in power will always change the rules to suit their own ends. Like the Sneetches, children have to learn that they must master the rules of the game until they play it better than the ones who designed it. The Cat in the Hat teaches children the dangers of just following someone blindly. It also teaches important lessons like the importance of being honest and taking responsibility.
Green Eggs and Ham is another classic that teaches children to be open to new experiences and new possibilities. That is great advice for anyone thinking of discarding the work of Theodor Geisel. It is entirely possible that your children will learn the same valuable lessons from Geisel’s work, and that these works can later open up avenues for you to have conversations about how life is complicated.
Number 6: Charles Dickens...
Charles Dickens stands accused of being a racist and xenophobe. Like so many authors on this list though, he was a man of his time. The attitudes and thoughts that he expressed in his works that might be problematic today were actually perfectly acceptable attitudes held by most in society during the Victorian period. Dickens has also been accused of being a misogynist who tried to have his wife committed so he could diddle an 18-year-old. Did he try to have his wife committed? Yes, he did. Did he have an affair with a younger woman toward the end of his life? Yep! That is true too. Does it make him a misogynist? By today’s standards, the answer to that is affirmative as well. Once again though, by Victorian social standards and gender roles, this type of behavior was not just acceptable, it was often expected in the case of wealthy men.
Whether or not Dickens was a misogynist who tried to commit his wife so he could have sex with a younger woman does not change the fact that most of his novels give impactful and insightful social and political critiques of Victorian England post-Industrial Revolution. His racial views and xenophobia also do not negate that Dickens had a true gist for mixing comedy, tragedy, and pathos in such a way as to move readers toward desiring a better world for everyone. Dickens understood that it was not enough to call someone out on their bad behavior, you must also give them the opportunity for change where possible and accept both the good and bad in them as part of the human nature that exists within all of us.
Number 7: HP Lovecraft...
Talking about the racism found both in the life and works of HP Lovecraft seems a bit redundant at this point. Since it continues to be thrown up though, he made this list. There is absolutely no doubt that Lovecraft was a racist. There is also no doubt that his work had a deep impact on everything from the genre of horror and science fiction to the video games and TV shows that many of us consume today. Just look at the childhood TV program The Real Ghostbusters and you will find an episode entitled “Collect Call of Cthulhu”. Certain races of aliens in Babylon 5 also have Lovecraft to thank for their existence, and Dark Shadows as well as Army of Darkness also show Lovecraft influences if you look deep enough.
With the notable exception of HG Wells, Lovecraft was the only author who was truly writing about things that were way ahead of their time. His ability to cross-reference his works with each other also created a much larger interwoven universe for his readers that was unlike anything that had come before it. Lovecraft’s universe is much like the Marvel and DC comic book universes today that have inspired major motion pictures today.
Does Lovecraft teach the reader valuable moral lessons? Some might argue yes, and there is some textual evidence that could back it up. For me the lessons are different.
When I read his work, I see acknowledgment concerning deep and forbidden knowledge that could be linked to biblical stories in some ways. Lovecraft also acknowledges a darker side to the human mind than most of us like to admit we have. His acceptance of cosmic dread and madness makes his work worth reading as well. Will you gain some deeper insight into the meaning of life or the human place in the universe from reading Lovecraft? Most likely not, but he will force you to look inside yourself and to acknowledge that you are a VERY small piece of cosmic dust in a universe that is infinite.
Number 8: Flannery O’Connor...
With Flannery O’Connor, it is important to start with the basics. She grew up in Georgia in the early part of the Twentieth Century. That alone could account for the reason why she was a racist. Yes, I said it. Flannery O’Connor was a racist. Of course, such a statement removes her—and her works—from their historical context. It is here that her works become most relevant though because reading them can give us insight into other racial and social attitudes of her day.
O’Connor’s works do not just allow us to glimpse into the past and see what society was really like. They also provide us with an enjoyable way to understand hubris. This is seen most effectively in her short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find.” The grandmother demonstrates an excessive amount of pride. She is also very selfish and manipulative which will cost her in the end. As the story unfolds, O’Connor also forces the reader to wrestle with the ideas of sin, goodness, evil, and redemption. These are all worthy topics that many of us don’t give enough thought about in today’s world. We especially do not allow for the possibility of redemption very readily or a list such as this would not be necessary. If we allowed just a bit more for the possibility of redemption then perhaps it would be easier to see that although many authors are problematic their work offers up some of their redeeming qualities.
Number 9: Jack London...
Jack London is one of those authors that many of us are introduced to very early on in our academic careers. In fact, White Fang and Call of the Wild are unforgettable stories that many of us hold fond memories of. Even if we did not read these works, many of us have heard of them. We also remember the cautionary tale London presents in “To Build a Fire.” It is also hard to separate London from his works since so many of them contain elements of his own life experiences. It is true then that some of his works contain race-baiting or express ideas that are considered racist, xenophobic, and socialist by today’s standards. Here again, I must emphasize that London was very much a man of his times.
To say that an author was a product of their time is not to excuse their behaviors. Instead, it is a way of explaining them. Like so many others on this list, London was following the lead of both society and acceptable literary themes for his day when he wove elements into his narratives that we find problematic today. His leanings towards white supremacist attitudes do not change the fact that “To Build a Fire” warns the reader against both human arrogance and the power of nature. Call of the Wild also teaches the reader about the dangers of being an individual who stands out from the group just like White Fang teaches the value of loyalty and the importance of courage in the face of adversity. All of these are worthy lessons for any person wishing to read the works of problematic authors at a time when holding the “wrong” book in public could get you verbally assaulted.
Number 10: Rudyard Kipling...
Where to even start with Rudyard Kipling? His list of offenses is so long that it is hard to make sense of most of it in such a short post. Rather than tackle them all, I will just list the most prominent charges. These charges include that he was a colonialist, a racist, an antisemite, and a misogynist. From the modern point of view, the last three are without a doubt all true. When the historical context is given to his life and works though, Rudyard Kipling is not such a bad guy by the standards of his day. The charges of his being a colonialist are the most problematic for me; albeit not so problematic that I will never read Kipling’s work again.
There were most assuredly debates regarding the morality of colonialism happening during the late Victorian period. This was also the time in which Great Britain was reaching its height with regard to the practice. The peak would come around 1919. It is also during this period that Kipling began to write and publish such wonderful tales as The Jungle Book and his most problematic work “The White Man’s Burden.” The latter work is most definitely rife with themes of white supremacy by modern-day standards. It also proclaims that the British Empire had some divine right to reign over the earth and that it had the responsibility to civilize natives in the lands it concord.
If this all sounds a bit like the claims that white Southerners in America made regarding slavery or the claims of American in general when it came to manifest destiny you are right. So why will I continue to read Kipling’s works? Because I understand that his work in “White Man’s Burden” was written for the same reason that Theodor Geisel produced anti-Japanese propaganda. Both men felt that they were being patriotic. I don’t have to like all of the works of these authors, but I do have to accept that the times in which they existed were different, as were many of the social, political, and racial attitudes. These attitudes don’t make The Jungle Book any less enjoyable for me either; even if I can see the underlying themes of racism or colonialism in the pieces I am handling. Kipling’s works in particular also offer a glimpse into the attitudes that were prevalent during his time which gives anyone who reads them an opportunity to learn from his mistakes. For that, I will always be grateful.
Number 11: Ernest Hemingway...
When it comes to Ernest Hemmingway the number one charge against him seems to be his arrogance. This is a charge that has no historical context to excuse. Some people are just miserable souls, and Hemingway seems to have been one of them. He was also racist and misogynistic, but none of the charges against him make his story “The Old Man and the Sea” any less wonderful. As the reader struggles along with the old man he or she learns lessons about perseverance, heartbreak, respect, and pride. In the modern world where people seem to look for something to be offended by though, Hemmingway's stories such as The Garden of Eden have become the focus that gives them justification for their outrage. It is quite possible that something was lost in editing here though given that the work was technically unfinished when Hemmingway died.
In today’s highly charged society where politics seems to bleed into everything it is easy to assume that liberals are to blame for the cancelation of authors deemed to be problematic. That is not always the case though as the conservative effort to ban books across the United States proves. Looking deeply at some of Hemmingway’s works such as For Whom the Bell Tolls or “In Our Time” though reveals hints of themes that would offend anyone not sympathetic to the LGBTQ community. As a result, some conservatives have sought to cancel Hemmingway, albeit for vastly different reasons than their liberal counterparts. Make no mistake though, canceling authors, banning books, and shaming readers for their selections are just different sides of the same coin, and both sides are very dangerous to humanity and its progress.
Number 12: Virginia Woolf...
Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf? Men apparently. Woolf’s greatest crime seems to be that she was sexist according to many of her critics. Reading her suicide note reveals that she was in love with one of the creatures that many have claimed she reviled though. Woolf is also accused of being a snob and homophobic; both of which would have been typically British behaviors for her time. Here again, then, context is everything.
Woolf was most definitely a feminist who was ahead of her day. For this reason, she is a valuable addition to any literary canon. She is also worth the read by both men and women since many of the ideas she put forth to express the hidden thoughts and feelings of women even to this day. If you don’t read any other work by her you should at least explore “A Room of One’s Own” or To the Lighthouse. Both of these works reveal the burden that women carry which often goes overlooked and an insight into what women need in order to feel fulfilled.
Number 13: William Shakespeare...
This is one of those entries that feels silly to me. Yes, Shakespeare’s works are filled with ideas that are outdated, racist, misogynistic, homophobic, antisemitic, and classist. I am sure there are a lot more things wrong with Shakespeare’s works than these things by modern-day standards as well. These works were written in the sixteenth century though so cut a guy a break. For all of his antiquated issues, Shakespeare is still one of the best dramatists that ever lived. He is also responsible for a good deal of the way we use many of the words in the modern English language. Don’t believe me then just look at how he used the word reek in Sonnet 130. Here the word could imply that the woman in question either has bad breath or that her words have an almost ethereal feeling to them depending on how you define the word reek.
The works of William Shakespeare are timeless and teach us about everything from love and heartbreak to prejudice and treachery. They also give us insight into who we were as human beings. This allows us to take stock and make better choices moving forward. Getting over the initial shock of how English was written and spoken in the sixteenth century might take some doing, but it is worth the effort in order to understand how far we have come as a species.
Number 14: JM Barrie...
Like Lewis Carroll, JM Barrie has been accused of using his works as bait for his victims. That is to say that many believe the author of Peter Pan to be a pedophile. Yes, Barrie took inspiration for his work Peter Pan from an actual child in his life like Lewis Carroll, but were his intentions nefarious? The answer is ambiguous. There is no clear evidence that links Barrie to a desire for little boys no matter how many speculations persist. I don’t believe that he cozied up to the Davies family in order to steal their children either, as some have suggested. Until I am offered concrete proof I will hold fast to the idea that Barrie was an impotent man stuck in a semi-loveless marriage who desperately wanted a family of his own which is why he acted as a stand-in uncle for the Davies boys.
Peter Pan teaches children that growing up is not always as much fun as it seems. It also teaches them that becoming an adult is an eventuality that none of us can run from. Most importantly though, Peter Pan teaches parents to let their children enjoy the brief and wonderous time that is childhood and to let them explore their imagination since adulthood will siphon off all of the joys that childhood brings soon enough. To cancel the work of JM Barrie using adult reasoning defeats the lessons he tried so hard to teach us all.
Gray Areas…
Maybe some of the names on this list came as a bit of a shock to a few of you. Some of the names maybe not so much. Either way, you don’t have to like the author as a person in order to connect with the story they are telling. You are also under no obligation to like or dislike any book just because others tell you that you should. If you don’t agree with them about a book don't read it.
Yes, there is a piece of every author in everything that they write, but as a reader, you can take only what you want from their narratives. If Rudyard Kipling’s depiction of natives or JK Rowling’s anti-trans tweets don’t represent who you are, it is still possible that the traits of one of their characters might. Agree to disagree with the author, take what you want from their work, and leave the rest behind.
The bottom line is that you can learn a lot more from reading books by problematic authors than you can by canceling them. Maybe you learn what not to do, or how not to behave. Maybe you learn a lesson regarding loyalty and friendship. You might even learn a lesson about discrimination. What you see or don’t see in any given work will be up to you. Either way, censorship, book banning, book and author canceling, and reader shaming are not cool for any reason. No one should tell you what you can or cannot read. Their opinion on the contents of a book might influence whether or not you pick it up, but once you do if the story or characters connect with you then embrace it. You don’t have to approve of the author’s actions to like their work either.
Liking Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland doesn’t mean you support pedophiles any more than enjoying Harry Potter means that you are anti-trans. Likewise, just because you like The Jungle Book doesn’t mean you’re a racist. An author’s behaviors do not define the belief systems of those who read and enjoy their works. It also doesn’t make the story they are telling in their narratives any less relevant. Simply put, a good story is a good story no matter who is telling it.
Fair Warning...
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post, or at least found it entertaining. I’d love to hear from you either way. Just make sure that you come to me with more than “this book is trash,” “the ideas in this book are outdated,” or “the author was this or that…google it.” As a scholar trained in three disciplines, I’m well aware that not every book is for everyone, and that if you dig deep enough every author has flaws that could offend someone. I also know that many books use words that some find offensive. Sometimes those words are used to make a point though. Just because you missed the point or a book/author made you uncomfortable does not mean the BOOK should be canceled or banned.
Given some of the comments I received so far about some of the authors I’ve discussed (like George Orwell), I think it’s only fair to warn you that I will not entertain silly remarks that present arguments with no evidence. I also won’t respond to trolling or comments made so you can appear to be politically correct in a thread. I will, however, be willing to engage in educated and well-informed discourse over the works under discussion in any given blog post. If you want to have a literary debate with me then you better bring the meat and potatoes to the table or don’t pull up a chair. After all, in the world of true academic-based book criticism, no one cares what you think. They only care about what you can prove. If you don’t like a book then explain to me, in a well-articulated argument, why you didn’t enjoy the book. Bring me well-vetted research and textual evidence from the book to prove that the ideas it contains aren't relevant anymore. In essence, I want you to present facts to me about the book that are well-researched and thought-provoking. To do anything less does you a disservice as a reader.
Open Minds and Open Hearts Change The World…
As you can tell, my love of books runs deep. I see them as tools for learning and teaching, weapons against ignorance, and friends who never judge even if they are not paid the same courtesy. I also believe that a book isn’t any less worthy/relevant just because the author is problematic. I understand that any given book can be read and understood in a thousand different ways as well.
Now that I’ve laid it all out there I hope you will keep an open mind the next time you open one of my blog posts or a book. As always, Grace Slick and I would love to see you on Instagram. You can access that by clicking any of the pictures in this post. You can also find free online copies of many of the titles I mentioned here by clicking the links attached to the titles. Until next time, seek joy and go read!
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