{"id":14697,"date":"2020-07-28T11:45:21","date_gmt":"2020-07-28T09:45:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humanrightscareers.com\/?p=14697"},"modified":"2020-07-28T11:45:55","modified_gmt":"2020-07-28T09:45:55","slug":"essays-about-to-kill-a-mockingbird","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humanrightscareers.com\/issues\/essays-about-to-kill-a-mockingbird\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Essays About \u201cTo Kill A Mockingbird\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 1960, Harper Lee published To Kill a Mockingbird<\/em>. Taking inspiration from her family and an event in her childhood, Lee told a story of racism, injustice, and growing up in 1930s Alabama. The book was an instant classic but became one of the most challenged books in schools around the country. What makes this book so enduring and so controversial? How can readers wrestle with its themes and flaws? Here are five essays about To Kill A Mockingbird<\/em><\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cHow Do We Teach \u201cTo Kill a Mockingbird\u201d and Honestly Confront Racism?\u201d – <\/strong>DJ Cashmere<\/em><\/a><\/h2>\n

The author of this essay read To Kill A Mockingbird <\/em>in 8th grade. He loved it. Later, when he tried teaching the book to his students, the kids didn\u2019t connect to it. This isn\u2019t unusual. Why? Cashmere states that it\u2019s because too many white teachers neglect to discuss how racial justice has changed over the years. This gap in understanding also hurts students of color. Cashmere explores five ideas on how to teach this book today, including decentering whiteness and including Go Set A Watchman, the sequel that shook white readers’ view of Atticus Finch.<\/p>\n

DJ Cashmere is a print and audio journalist in New York. He covers urban policy, culture, and education.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe Shouldn\u2019t Always Feel Comfortable: Why \u2018To Kill a Mockingbird\u2019 Matters – Christina Torres<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n

Similar in theme to the first essay, \u201cWe Shouldn\u2019t Always Feel Comfortable\u201d addresses a recent reason schools aren\u2019t reading Mockingbird<\/em>: its racial themes cause discomfort. Torres, a middle-school English teacher, believes that discomfort is a sign the novel should still be read. The use of the N-word in the novel should make both students and teachers uncomfortable. Torres writes that it\u2019s important for teachers and students to wrestle with the word. Good education includes facing uncomfortable things. It\u2019s the only way to change. Note<\/u>: In the comments section, Torres does say she understands that in majority-Black classrooms, the novel may be too problematic. The \u201cgood discomfort\u201d she\u2019s describing applies to classrooms where non-Black students wrestle with their own biases and history.<\/p>\n

Christina Torres is a teacher and writer. Her work has appeared in Honolulu Civil Beat, Teaching Tolerance, and EdWeek Teacher. She writes about culture, education, race relations, and fitness.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo Kill a Mockingbird: a story for white people\u201d (2019) – E.R. Shipp<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n

Aaron Sorkin adapted To Kill A Mockingbird <\/em>for Broadway, where it opened in 2018. It was a huge success. Jeff Daniels played Atticus Finch, who is centered as the main character instead of Scout, the novel\u2019s narrator. E.R. Shipp saw the play, describing Daniels as \u201cmagnificent.\u201d There were updates she appreciated, such as Calpurnia having a bigger role. Still, as Shipp watches the stage, she realizes how clear it is that Mockingbird <\/em>is for white people. They like to imagine themselves as friends of Atticus and fighters for justice. Even adjusted for the times, Mockingbird<\/em> still centers whiteness.<\/p>\n

E.R. Shipp is a journalist. In 1996, she won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. She\u2019s the journalist in residence at Morgan State University\u2019s School of Global Journalism and Communication.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Courthouse Ring\u201d (2009) – Malcolm Gladwell<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n

Drawing on the history of Southern politics, this essay compares Atticus Finch to Jim Folsom, the populist Alabama governor in the 1940s and 50s. On the surface, Folsom and Atticus are both progressives. However, even though Atticus stands up to racists, he doesn\u2019t address the racist system. When Tom Robinson is found guilty, Atticus just hangs his head. He isn\u2019t angry with the town\u2019s blatant disregard for justice. While many readers adore Atticus, seeing him compared to a real person – Jim Folsom – reveals the problematic aspects of his character.<\/p>\n

Since 1996, Malcolm Gladwell has been a staff writer for The New Yorker. He\u2019s also a best-selling author, podcaster, and public speaker.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo Set A Watchman: Why Harper Lee\u2019s New Book is so Controversial\u201d (2015) – Dara Lind<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n

We shouldn\u2019t ignore Lee\u2019s controversial sequel in an article about To Kill A Mockingbird<\/em>. Announced in 2015, many questioned Lee\u2019s involvement in Go Set a Watchman<\/em>. Did she give informed consent? Was this just about money? Then the book came out. Many readers were horrified to learn that Atticus Finch is racist. This essay digs into that revelation and asks what this means for To Kill A Mockingbird.<\/em><\/p>\n

Dara Lind has worked at Vox since the site\u2019s launch in 2014. She\u2019s one of the US\u2019 leading immigration reporters and also covers stories on federal data, police shootings, and more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14892,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8805],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-issues","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-50"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n5 Essays About \u201cTo Kill A Mockingbird\u201d | Human Rights Careers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.humanrightscareers.com\/issues\/essays-about-to-kill-a-mockingbird\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" 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