SOCIAL LITERATURE AND CENSORSHIP IN THE USA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY

The text examines the manifestations of censorship on socially engaged literature in the USA during the first half of the 20th century, focusing on three emblematic works: Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, Theodore Dreiser’s An American Tragedy, and John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. The author consid...

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Main Author: Aleksander Sivilov
Format: Article
Language:Bulgarian
Published: University of Library Studies and Information Technologies 2025-06-01
Series:Издател
Subjects:
Online Access:https://publisher.bg/en/articles/?article_id=124
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author Aleksander Sivilov
author_facet Aleksander Sivilov
author_sort Aleksander Sivilov
collection DOAJ
description The text examines the manifestations of censorship on socially engaged literature in the USA during the first half of the 20th century, focusing on three emblematic works: Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, Theodore Dreiser’s An American Tragedy, and John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. The author considers censorship not only as the restriction of information but also as a means of political and moral control within so-called democratic societies. Each of the three works provoked sharp public and institutional reactions due to its social critique, leading to bans, surveillance by agencies, and pressure on the authors. Specific censorship mechanisms are indicated – from laws like the Comstock Acts to self-censorship by publishers and editors. The text defends the thesis that social literature in the USA played a crucial role in exposing societal contradictions, despite efforts to suppress it.
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spelling doaj-art-06ce5f75cc8f4df595a1cd9bfbd6bc902025-08-20T02:35:30ZbulUniversity of Library Studies and Information TechnologiesИздател1310-46242367-91582025-06-012713647https://doi.org/10.70300/sBNvYaEmNe122SOCIAL LITERATURE AND CENSORSHIP IN THE USA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURYAleksander Sivilov0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4315-1293Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Faculty of HistoryThe text examines the manifestations of censorship on socially engaged literature in the USA during the first half of the 20th century, focusing on three emblematic works: Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, Theodore Dreiser’s An American Tragedy, and John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. The author considers censorship not only as the restriction of information but also as a means of political and moral control within so-called democratic societies. Each of the three works provoked sharp public and institutional reactions due to its social critique, leading to bans, surveillance by agencies, and pressure on the authors. Specific censorship mechanisms are indicated – from laws like the Comstock Acts to self-censorship by publishers and editors. The text defends the thesis that social literature in the USA played a crucial role in exposing societal contradictions, despite efforts to suppress it.https://publisher.bg/en/articles/?article_id=124censorshipusaxxth centurysocial literaturepublic receptionstate policies
spellingShingle Aleksander Sivilov
SOCIAL LITERATURE AND CENSORSHIP IN THE USA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY
Издател
censorship
usa
xxth century
social literature
public reception
state policies
title SOCIAL LITERATURE AND CENSORSHIP IN THE USA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY
title_full SOCIAL LITERATURE AND CENSORSHIP IN THE USA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY
title_fullStr SOCIAL LITERATURE AND CENSORSHIP IN THE USA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY
title_full_unstemmed SOCIAL LITERATURE AND CENSORSHIP IN THE USA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY
title_short SOCIAL LITERATURE AND CENSORSHIP IN THE USA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY
title_sort social literature and censorship in the usa at the beginning of the 20th century
topic censorship
usa
xxth century
social literature
public reception
state policies
url https://publisher.bg/en/articles/?article_id=124
work_keys_str_mv AT aleksandersivilov socialliteratureandcensorshipintheusaatthebeginningofthe20thcentury