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Discuss The Racial Epithets In 'To Kill A Mockingbird'

687 Words3 Pages

The racial epithets in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee should not be removed for various reasons. The use of such slurs strengthen the impact of the message while making the speech of the characters more accurate, and it also gives the reader an idea of how the people of Maycomb function as a whole in terms of their treatment of African-Americans. To Kill a Mockingbird is an iconic novel that has played a definitive part in the lives of millions of people, whether they read the book with their class or picked it up just for fun. The book focuses on a racist and judgmental town, so the vocabulary used should align with the views of the characters. The use of the n-word is crucial to the plot and sets up the overall image of life in Maycomb, …show more content…

Regularly using the n-word reflects a character’s idea that colored people are less than them. The following statement from a Mic article reflects the prevalence of racism in today’s society: “America is far from having quelled its racism problem. Whether it's treatment by police or susceptibility to poverty, one's skin color can determine a whole range of variables in life”. The use of discriminatory words helps one realize that not only were people prejudicial in Maycomb, but people still share the same qualities nowadays. It can be strange to think that after so many years, we still have not reached the place that we would like to be as a society. It is inevitable that people in Maycomb would use the n-word, and Harper Lee does a good job incorporating the use of the word in a way that helps the reader gain a better understanding of the town’s people. The Washington Post cleverly makes the argument that: “Banning the word, in a sense, is an attempt to exert another degree of power over it.”, which is something that many people can agree with. Removing the n-word completely from the novel only makes the slur more powerful. It creates a bigger buzz and more controversy over the topic all together, which is something that can be avoided by simply keeping the book the

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