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To Kill A Mockingbird Research Paper

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To Kill a Mockingbird, I think should not be required text because despite its positives themes that touch on subjects not only on race, but justice, feminism, and compassion, the novel cannot surpass how outdated it really is. Likewise to how progressive the book was for its time, it still doesn’t beat out a lot of books we have today that will resonate better for students who are not able to see themselves in Atticus or Scout. Plus, Harper Lee’s depiction of Tom Robinson’s demise might give a lot less hope to students of color, give others the idea that only a whole healthy person is capable of rape, or make some more suspicious of sexual assault survivors. But, although these concerns can be avoided with an excellent teacher; in the off …show more content…

That’s because although the book was made to bring awareness to the civil rights movements during the 1960s, it targeted a generally more white demographic. Which helped spread the awareness more, but disappointed readers who do not relate to a white privileged family living in the South. I agree more that the book deals with compassion mainly more than race, because the book uses only the trial of Tom Robinson as a growing experience for Scout, Jem, and Atticus and in turn gives Boo (Arthur) Radley more character depth than Tom ever got. Plus, how the book reveals that because Tom was crippled reasoned out that he couldn’t have possibly raped Mayella, might make students think that maybe only a healthy person can commit sexual assault or give off the impression that how Atticus badgered Mayella on the stand is the right way to treat a rape victim whether they were lying or not. Of course, these claims can be handled correctly by an excellent teacher but I don’t think a good teacher can explain to a student of color in class how he feels not represented in a book about

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