Why Is To Kill A Mockingbird Be Taught

To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel that is very much still relevant today. Many people believe this book should not be taught but it should because it teaches valuable life lessons and raises awareness about racism. The bestseller is not only one of the most beloved books; it’s a world full of knowledge on just two hundred and eighty-one pages.

The N word is used in To Kill a Mockingbird, but not in an atrocious manner. Atticus, the lawyer who defends Tom Robinson-who’s accused of raping a white woman, explains to his daughter, “Nigger-lover is just one of those terms that don't mean anything—like snot-nose. It's hard to explain—ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody's favoring Negroes over and above themselves.” To which

The majority of the lessons he has taught Scout throughout this paperback, I have kept in my brain. Scout and Jem are two very intelligent children. In the beginning of the book they’re inexperienced, but as the plot carries on, you get to read about how they grow and mature. One of the many lessons taught in this book is not to judge a book by its cover. On page 13 Jem gives a reasonable description of Boo, "Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that's why his hands were bloodstained—if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time." Towards the end of chapter 28 Boo Radley saves Scout and Jem. While Heck Tate and Scout were talking she notices Boo, “...and his gray eyes were so colorless I thought he was blind...as I gazed at him in wonder the tension slowly drained from his face. His lips parted into a timid smile, and our neighbor’s image blurred with my sudden tears.” (270) Scout begins to understand and accept Boo as a friend and not a scary character. Boo Radley is an amazing example of a guy who was inaccurately judged because he was too shy and uncomfortable to step outside his house. This teaches students that judging is no

Some may say this book was written for adults and not teenagers because of the vocabulary, for example the word “Flivver” was used on page 10 and students may lack the knowledge to notice the references made. Nonetheless there’s nothing wrong with students learning new words but it may also prevent a lot of students from understanding and connecting with the novel.

To Kill a Mockingbird has become one of the world’s most famous books for a reason. The novel is a lesson in history. Reading this book will help students realize how sensitive the topic of segregation really is, It won’t go in one ear and out the other. Reading “To Kill a Mockingbird” in highschool moves the discussion of equal rights, increases the awareness of History, and teaches valuable life