Fears in Alberta, Canada: What's Driving the Concern?
In a surprising turn of events, Danielle Smith, the governor of Alberta, has lifted the ban on 200 books, including Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel, "The Handmaid's Tale". The ban, which sparked a heated discussion, had seen some of the world's most influential books, such as "1984" by George Orwell and "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley, being removed from Alberta schools and libraries.
The decision to ban "The Handmaid's Tale" had reflected the fears of the political right in Alberta, who were wary of federal government interventions and legal actions, such as those involving border blockades and judicial decisions seen as limiting their protests and movements. The subsequent events, including the lifting of the ban and the publication of a humorous response by Atwood, have brought attention to the power and importance of reading.
Atwood, aged 85, responded to the banning of her book by urging Canadian children to read it. In a surprising twist, she published a short fairy tale as a response, which featured a couple who had five children despite having no bowel movements, no acne, and no sex. The fairy tale, set in a dictatorship similar to the one described in "The Handmaid's Tale", also depicted women as disempowered and only seen as breeding machines.
The governor, Danielle Smith, has stated that the school board had gone too far in banning the books. However, she did not find the humorous response by Atwood amusing. In the fairy tale, Smith would supposedly have a new blouse in the dictatorship, but her role and the implications of the fairy tale's dictatorship are open to interpretation.
The banning of "The Handmaid's Tale" and the subsequent events have sparked a discussion about the fear of reading by the political right. The fairy tale, while intended to be humorous, serves as a stark reminder of the importance of reading and the potential consequences of censorship. As the debate continues, one thing is clear: the power of literature to challenge, provoke, and inspire continues to resonate.
