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To Kill A Mockingbird Analysis

Decent Essays

One of the most pivotal and revolutionary literary works in the American classroom has stemmed from the 20th century and continues to influence the youth in modern times—Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Though the infamous novel exemplifies within it themes of race relations and justice, the overall elements that depict Southern society during this era are core factors in labeling this novel as “controversial.” Controversial enough that in his article, “If To Kill a Mockingbird’ makes you squirm, good!” Leonard Pitts utilizes the three Aristotle proofs to criticize the act of using discomfort as a ploy to disregard racism; he executes this by his use of indignant satire and several references to crucial events in the past and occurring history that were fueled by prejudice, bigotry, and ethnocentrism. In Pitts’ article, the use of satire and connotations serves as a supplement to promote his point of view. His repeated use of the word “uncomfortable” demonstrates the ignorance he feels is strongly prevalent in schools that merely use this term to shield the larger issues of prejudice, discrimination, stereotyping, oppression, and racism. For example, when summarizing the current issue of football players refusing to stand for the national anthem as a means to express their sentiments against racism, Pitts' points out, “These readers argued that protest should not make anyone-- here’s that word again-- uncomfortable” (Pitts). Though this current issue of objection to the

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