The Invisible Censor

"The Invisible Censor" by Francis Hackett is a compilation of essays from the early 1900s that investigates the hidden rules that affect how stories are told and understood. Hackett introduces the idea of an "invisible censor" after someone calls a book "cheap", meaning that society's ideas about what is proper guide what we consider acceptable to say or show. He looks closely at how biographies and stories are shaped, arguing that we learn the most when we ignore these unspoken rules and present people and problems honestly. By questioning these limits, Hackett aims to challenge the usual ways of thinking and behaving in society, and explore underlying biases in literature and history.