Why ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Keeps Getting Banned
By Becky Little
A school board’s decision to
remove To Kill a Mockingbird from eighth grade curriculums in Biloxi,
Mississippi, is the latest in a long line of attempts to ban the novel. Since
its publication in 1960, the novel about a white lawyer’s defense of a black
man against a false rape charge by a white woman has become one of the most frequently
challenged books in the U.S.
Typically, challenges to the
book over the past century have usually cited the book’s strong language,
discussion of sexuality and rape, and use of the n-word.
“The Biloxi School Board “just
says it ‘makes people uncomfortable.’” This argument is unconvincing because
“the whole point to classics is they challenge the way we think about things.”
One of the earliest and most
prominent challenges was in Hanover County, Virginia, in 1966. In that
instance, the school board said it would remove the book from county schools,
citing the book’s mention of rape and charged that the novel was “immoral.” The board changed its
decision, however, after residents complained about it in letters to local
papers. One of the most prominent critics of the decision was Lee herself, who
wrote a letter that began “Recently I have received echoes down this way of the
Hanover County School Board’s activities, and what I’ve heard makes me wonder
if any of its members can read.”
Into the 1970s and 1980s,
school boards and parents continued
to challenge the book for its “filthy” or “trashy” content and racial slurs. Over
time, attempts to ban the book shifted from removing it from school libraries to
removing the book from school curriculums, as is the case with Biloxi (the city
will keep the book in school libraries).
The book, though imperfect,
can spark important discussions among students about racial tolerance.
Moving Beyond the Ban
Discussion
Many have denounced Biloxi’s
ban by citing the book’s message of racial tolerance. Still others have taken a
slightly different approach. Writer Kristian Wilson argues that although the
novel shouldn’t be banned from schools, its use as a teaching tool should be
reassessed.
“Lee’s is not the best book to
teach white kids about racism, because it grounds its narrative in the
experiences of a white narrator and presents her father as the white savior,” she writes.
Again, this doesn’t mean that To
Kill a Mockingbird shouldn’t be taught in schools. But it does suggest that
teachers should encourage their students to think critically about the text as
whole.
-What are the various reasons
that people have been trying to ban To
Kill a Mockingbird for years?
- Do you agree books that make
people uncomfortable should be banned? Or do they make people uncomfortable with
the purpose of teaching them something? Explain your response.
-Based on this article, can
you make any predictions about To Kill a
Mockingbird? Do we know what kind of case Atticus might be dealing with
later on in the book?
People been trying to ban the novel To Kill a Mockingbird because of its strong language thats used and discussion of sexuality and rape . Its one of the challenged books in the U.S . It makes people uncomfortable but its all bout how you take it.
ReplyDeleteNo books that make people uncomfortable should not be banned , kuz it teaches you something .I still dont kno really anything bout the book so i cant predict anything yet or i dont kno anything bout whats going to happen next .
The various reasons people have used to try to ban To Kill a Mockingbird are that they don't like the use of the N word or it doesn't teach kids to not be racist like it should.I think that this book shouldn't be banned just because it still teaches.Even though its a white person point of view it teaches us about The Great Depression and racism. I don't think that all uncomfortable books should be banned.I think that if there's history in it then it should be taught.If its just an uncomfortable book then yeah it should be.I think that yes I could predict what happens next but i honestly don't want to id rather continue to read and be surprised. I know that Atticus is going to deal with cases that involve rape or murders he's a lawyer so its expected.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletei agree well said out
Deleteexplained it well , I agree with what you said
DeletePeople might be trying to ban how to kill a mockingbird for a couple reasons. I don't think it should be banned but some people do think that and i think i know why. The book How to kill a mockingbird does show racism in many ways. The book may also make some people feel like their uncomfortable in some ways. Me personally i like the book so it doesn't make me feel uncomfortable but i can see why it would make some people feel this way. Some people can relate to the characters in the story. Like someone can relate to walter and have to money or anything and that could make them feel uncomfortable because the way they talk about him not having any money or having friends and everyone picking on him. If i related to a character like that i would feel uncomfortable too. But in my opinion i don't think we should get rid of the book like i know it's about real life and it happened and stuff but like it's just a book so idk that's just how i feel. And i predict that this book will get deeper into people's feelings and hit harder. It's going to get more intense and people are going to start relating more when we get into the book more. Get more into the things that happened and racism and stuff like that people will get more interested. Atticus might be dealing with a racist case that he can't control.
ReplyDeleteSome of the various ways people are trying to ban Kill A Mockingbird from schools. One of the few reasons is because of the books Strong Language, rape and the use of the “N” word. A school in Virginia decided to ban the book because they think the book is “Immoral.” Some parents they think the book is trashy. So some parents and the school board is trying to ban the book from all schools. They are also trying remove it from the criticism to pass. Those are some of the ways they are trying to get rid of the book.
ReplyDeleteNo I don't think they should ban the book. That is because in History you already learned about that stuff. Last year in history I heard about rape numerous of times. And the book is about segregation. And all you learn in history now is segregation. And yes this book can make people uncomfortable but if one person is uncomfortable it doesn't mean they have to ban the book for everyone. So I think if you learn about it in History you should be able to read about it without a problem. That is why they shouldn't ban the book from schools.
My prediction on one of the cases Atticus might have to deal with later in the story. I think he might have to deal with a book trying to be banned from schools. That is because the article is about TKAM trying to be banned by the court. And Atticus is a lawyer and in Scouts school there going to try to ban a similar book. And Atticus is going to be the lawyer to try to keep the book and not get it banned. And I think Atticus is going to win the case to keep the book. Until everyone complains about it and there going to try to ban it again and this time Atticus is going to lose the case and the book gets banned in all schools in the Maycomb area. Then a few years later when Scout gets older and after she reads the book she is going to complain and try to get the book back into schools. And this time it works and she gets the book back into schools for good. That is what I think will happen later in the story.
The reasons that people have been trying to ban To Kill A Mockingbird for years is because the book has strong language, discussion of sexuality and rape, and the use of the n- word.
ReplyDeleteI don’t agree that books should be banned because it makes people uncomfortable. I think that because other people don’t feel uncomfortable and for some it gives them advice and what might be right to do and how to treat other people. Yes it can probably be that people don’t like the book because it can teach them something they don’t want to learn.
Various reasons like that the racial slurs and harsh language that is being used is inappropriate for school critics say that the book speaks too much about sexuality rape and the harsh n word and that this should not be exposed to the kids reading the book. Also parents of the children reading the book dislike how there children are being exposed to such ‘trashy’ and ‘filthy’ language the book uses to demonstrate the terms they used.
ReplyDeleteI think that it makes people uncomfortable with a purpose because there will be uncomfortableness like when your learning in health class obviously you will be uncomfortable but its for a good purpose you need to know about things that could harm you and learn about the different ways in the past and how they used to think compared to how it is now.
Honestly with how the track of the book is going im guessing he will be going to deal with a case that involves the scottsboro boys that have nine boys ages thirteen to nineteen where they were accused with rape when they got out of a train with two white women just because the women didn't want to get in trouble because she sat in the colored section of the bus but atticus will try to help them but he would be disappointed in that he can't help all of them but he would most likely deal with a case close to that by all i've heard about the book
People want the book to kill a mockingbird to be banned because it uses racial slurs. Parents call the book trashy and filthy. People say the book uses strong language, discussion of sexuality and rape, and the use of the n-word. They also say the book makes people feel uncomfortable. Yea I agree books that make people feel uncomfortable should be banned because they obviously have a strong reasons why it should be banned. But it has to be a lot of people that want to ban the book not just a couple and that have to have strong reasons why. People are not going to want to learning about something they are uncomfortable about it. They forcing somebody to do something they don’t want to do. But if they books not ban kids are still have to read it and they will still feel uncomfortable and nobody can do anything about it. Based on the article I think people are going to start to not like Atticus because he’s help black men to be free and back then people might have not liked that. But I think the he’s going to get the man free from saying he raped the white women.
ReplyDeletePeople have been trying to ban to kill a mockingbird for years because of the way it talked about rape/ sexual assault, and the strong Language it uses to describe African Americans. They say it makes people uncomfortable when reading these words. Some people even have the idea that it is teaching kids to be racist and hate colored people. I believe that books that make people uncomfortable should not be banned. It makes them uncomfortable for a reason. While reading this book people tend to realize how the world is and was. It’s a cruel living place but we all get through it because we learn to respect everyone. It’s teaching them that life isn’t always going to be easy but that when there are rough patches that you just have to deal with it. Some predictions I can make abou to kill a mockingbird are that the rape case gets to into detail and even though the women admits he didn’t do it they still will take him to kill him because they will take any reason to kill a colored person. Atticus will be dealing with the rest of the town being of his case about taking this case because he will be defending a colored guy who has no chance of winning. Atticus says that there is no lint if not trying, even if the odds look bad you still keep trying because there is still a possible chance of winning. Some more predictions I can make are that boo Easley gets involved somehow but takes the finches side because they have been somewhat nice to him. I feel that even thought Scout doesn’t quite understand everything that is going on she gets the idea that her dad had no choice but to take the case. I do not believe that this book should get banned though. It’s teaching kids the truth to the world, how we minimize someone because of their looks. If someone was black, they were hatted. It’s as simple as that. It is simply teaching them that what people say hurts. We all want to be liked but not everyone will like us and that’s okay. This book comes across major points that a lot of other books haven’t done yet, and that’s why I think it should not be banned.
ReplyDeleteWhat are some reasons there trying to get rid of this book. Some reasons there trying to get rid of this is book is due to ts racists slurs throughout the story. And for its it filthy trash or content through the book. I think if your kid feels uncomfortable wall reading something, as a parent why should the book get banned. So for example if a kids is learning about sex ed and he feels uncomfertable should we now ban sex ed. No they to get over its here as a learning tool not to keep you in your comfort zone. I think its there to teach them about even if they feel uncomfortable. Do i agree that books that make people feel uncomfortable should be banned? No i don't, I feel this way because there will always be a tie when you feel uncomfortable if its at a party or even around people in a class you don't know r if its reading a book we shouldn't get rid of it, we just have to deal with it. LIke yesterday i had a teacher read some pages in a book and inside those pages were some words that i'm sure she didn't feel comfortable reading. And i'm sure she did want to read them but it's a part of our curriculum. This is stuff we need to learn, and like i said earlier we need to get over it. What about the diary of Anne frank there's a chapter or two in that story that would make me uncomfortable, but you have to read it. Um from the short passage i have just read, My guess is that he's gonna be dealing with a case that involves him defending a man of different color. Either that or a rape case that arises, out of nowhere.
ReplyDeletePeople have always tried to ban to kill a mockingbird for years because of the way it talked about rape and sexual assault and the Language it used to describe African Americans.A lot of people even have the idea that it teaches kids to be racist and hate other people's race. While reading this book people tend to realize how the world is. It’s a horrible place to live in but they all get through it because we learn to respect everyone's race.
ReplyDeleteFirst off i would like to say i did not finish reading the book how to kill a mockingbird. Im actuallg in the mits of reading it, so i don't know much about the book. So this what am going to say about the little that i know about the story.
ReplyDeletePeople have been trying to ban the book How To Kill A Mockingbird since its publication in the 60s the novel about a white lawyer’s defense of a black man against a false rape charge by a white woman has become one of the most frequently challenged books in the U.S.for years because. of its strong language that used and discussion of sexuality rape.
They are trying to ban it for the use of the word sex,rape, race, and the N word some people say it makes then uncomfortable.
And i think a school board’s decision to remove To Kill a Mockingbird from ninth grade curriculums in Biloxi, Mississippi, is a bad decision because it looks like there are trying to prevent others from knowing about the story.
This happen back in 1960. And it's 2018
where so much like that is still going on today and it shouldn't be going on at all smh.
The school board is trying not to let the younger generation of kids coming up in Biloxi Mississippi; know about the things that they used to do back then.
I don't think the book should be banned base on race sex rape are the use of the N word. That would be a bad thing for the generation of Biloxi Mississippi school kids and other kids all over the United States and world.