My English class is going to read the book Germinal by Emile Zola. I just found out Zola’s writings were on an edition of the Index, so my question is: Is this book still forbidden for me to read?
The Index of Forbidden Books is no longer maintained, but one should consider carefully the warnings it contained. One can read a book on the list if one has just cause to do so (e.g., such as for a literature class), but should use prudence and care in reading the book in question.
Emile Zola was a nineteenth-century journalist and novelist who was instrumental in defending Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish man who was falsely accused and falsely convicted of treason by France (cf. Dreyfus affair). Zola was also extremely anti-Catholic and anti-clerical, using his writing skills to lambaste the Church. This should be kept in mind when reading his work.
DISCLAIMER: Catholic Answers has turned over the archive to Catholic-Questions.org and no longer owns, manages, or moderates the forums. For additional apologetics resources please visit www.catholic.com.
