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1. 2 Live Crew."Banned in the USA." Banned in the USA.Atlanta Records.1990

   1. I chose to use this song as part of my unit because it displays a different perspective regarding freedom of speech in America. Although these lyrics are not recent, but it shows how many people still resonate with these lyrics of how diverse cultures have been censored or hindered in speaking out due to their race. 

 

1. Asher, Jay. 13 Reasons Why. Razorbill, an Imprint of Penguin Random House, 2017.

   1. Although we will just read sections of the novel in class, it is important for students to the earn controversy surrounding this novel and to also evaluate it themselves about its censorship. also used this novel because it is a current YA novel and also a popular Netflix series that might intrigue students in reading later. 

 

1. Woody Guthrie, "This Land is Your Land."1945.

   1. This popular folksong resonates with numerous people and hopefully, most students may have already heard this song (we are still going to listen to it in class). I will use this song as a basis of the national belief of what freedom means to us before we compare it with the novel and other songs that talk about freedom or the lack of it.  

 

1. Plato."Allegory of the Cave." Republic VII

   1. Plato's allegory of the cave discusses how enlightenment can cause isolation from the majority. This allegory connects with the main character as he discovers the truth but must be shunned by society. I can use this narrative with students to help them discuss the consequences of speaking out. In class, we will read passages of the allegory but watch a video helping to explain it more thoroughly. 

2. McLeod, Saul. “Asch Experiment.” CommonLit, CommonLit, 20AD, www.commonlit.org/texts/asch-experiment.
   1. This experiment helps uncover why people are willing to follow the status quo and how people's opinions are significantly influenced by others around them. It connects with the novel in how citizens blindly followed the orders of government without questioning it. This article will help students discuss what happens when our freedom of expressing our opinions are hindered. 

3. Rankine, Claudia. Don't Let Me Be Lonely: An American Lyric. Graywolf Press2004.  Print.

   1. This African American poet uses her poetical book to explain how media isolates individuals. In the novel, characters are isolated due to their heavy engagement with media and forgetting human interaction. This poetical book helps show how isolation affects everyone.

 

1. Soldier, Layli Long. WHEREAS. Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/91697/from-whereas.

   1. This poem by Native American poet, Long Soldier, expresses how censorship of history affects how society views cultures. This poem talks about how the history of the "38" was glanced over and forgotten in American history because it did not paint America in the ideal way. It ties back to the novel because it is still censorship of history and molding history in the name of the victors but not the survivors. In the novel, books are banned due to opposing ideas but it ends up erasing huge parts of history. 

 

1. Vonnegut, Kurt."I Am Very Real." 1973. Web. https://www.commonlit.org/texts/i-am-very-real 

   1. Vonnegut wrote a letter to Senator McCarthy in 1973 to express his displeasure in how a novel in an English classroom was banned. This letter will allow students to discuss whether certain books should be banned or censored to protect the public, but also question how far does censorshp limit freedom of speech.