A Racial And Moral Hero, For Even Our Time

(My second blog entry, regarding the controversy surrounding 'To Kill A Mockingbird' by Harper Lee; approx. halfway through the novel.)

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it"-George Santayana. While reading the suggested pages regarding the controversy around Harper Lee's 'To Kill A Mockingbird', I realized the contoversy was a result of the considerable desire to have it 'banned', or revoved from school curriculum. Coincidentally, virtually all of the censure came from the United States, however, I was surprised to see how many African-Americans were behind-or even at the forefront-of this movement. I, however, can see why; the use of certain tabooed words, deemed very offensive, and the fairly risque subject matter, can be called questionable, at most. Nevertheless, the aforementioned risque matter, was a prominent part of American history, or "the past", and it should not be forgotten; every child has the right to know the history his/her country harbours, and depriving a child of those subjects, for any reason, is unjust. I do, although, see where the parents were coming from; it is human to want to sheild children from such dark times of humanity, and to want to rid this blemish from the otherwise spotless history of the United States. That, however, is no reason to deprive growing children of a great work of Modern American Literature, which teaches only acceptance, understanding, tolerance, to dicard our unjust prejudices, and to "do [your] best to love everybody" (P. 124).

Atticus Finch, may not have been the narrator, but he was a major character, and most importantly, a racial and moral hero who would serve as great role-model, even for todays time. The way he raised his children, adressed their questions, and instilled values, was admirable, to say the least, espcially in the environment and society he was forced to do so in.
He did not succumb to the pressure of society, and retained his beliefs; exemplified countless times in the novel, with not only his words, but with his actions: truly attempting to defend Tom Robinson to the best of his abilities alone was the perfect testament.


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