Should To Kill A Mockingbird Be Taught In Schools

Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is a great novel that has been a nationwide sensation. The success of the novel in America led it to be translated into many different languages and shipped to many different countries. The novel was best known for its themes and characters who had to overcome some problems. Since this novel was published in 1960 people have argued that the messages about race are outdated; however, the novel still teaches readers about controversial issues and highlights racial injustice. To Kill a Mockingbird should be taught in schools because it can teach younger kids controversial topics that are hard to explain without lying. Instead of letting kids find out about topics such as sexual assault, racial discrimination,

This is shown through Atticus and how he never lies, is trying to be the best father he can, and always answers his kids truthfully on questions that are hard to talk about or controversial. Atticus has been seen as a role model and as someone to follow. Atticus shows his values all over the story but shows how he always tells the truthful answer when talking to Uncle Jack about telling the kids the truth when they ask you something, “When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness sake. But don't make a production of it. Children are children, but they can spot an evasion quicker than adults and evasion simply muddles 'em up” (Lee 116). Atticus is a positive influence on the reader and helps develop many good values. He shows that the truth is very important even to go and talk to his brother about it. Even Thomas L. Shaffer says in Atticus Finch Is a Hero Because the Truth Is an Innate Part of His Character, “Atticus insisted on, and lived by, telling the truth” (105). Many people see Atticus as a hero as a person that will always be truthful and stay to be truthful. Many kids can learn from this and incorporate this into their

One of the main criticisms is that the messages about race are outdated. It would make sense to say this because the novel was published in 1960, and the story took place in the 1930s. One of these critics named Millie Davis has written a blog called Let’s Stop Pretending To Kill a Mockingbird Is Progressive on Race and said, “I’ve been trying to pull To Kill a Mockingbird from the curriculum for decades. … because the messages about race and the status quo are so very outdated” (Davis). To Kill a Mockingbird does highlight racial injustice in courts and lynch mobs threatening people’s lives. Even though these problems have been mostly fixed, To Kill a Mockingbird also highlights that colored people are still somewhat unfairly treated, that there is still racial prejudice, and that some people are just plain racists. These are still problems that linger today. To Kill a Mockingbird does an excellent job of talking about these topics and helping kids understand what they are and why they are wrong. Atticus even tells Scout, "As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don't you forget it—whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash" (Lee 295). The quote shows that some people are just racist and think they are