I always struggle with a book that has such blatantly racist and sexist language. It's a frequently banned book. The language and underlying attitudes are authentic to the narrator's time and situation. However, I never want the language to become normal for me while I'm reading the book. This is, of course, a huge challenge when you're up against a powerful author who's goal it is to pull you into the story. While I don't support the outright banning of books, I do believe in age-appropriate reading and discussion around the more controversial issues of the book. There is great literary value here, specifically in the captured voice of a mentally ill (?) narrator, including stream of consciousness during barbaric treatments. The storyline is captivating, in and of itself, independent of the inspired treatment of language.