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Reasons to ban to kill a mockingbird
Why should how to kill a mockingbird not be banned from schools
Why should how to kill a mockingbird not be banned from schools
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Rape is not a light subject. It is a serious felony that no one should take lightly. For that reason, To Kill a Mockingbird is a highly controversial book. Many argue whether the novel should be banned from public schools because of its contentious themes, rape being one of them. To Kill a Mockingbird should be taught in schools because rape is a matter that needs more awareness so people realize the severity of both the crime and the accusation of it. Mayella Ewell was a young girl who was neglected by her father and claimed to have been raped by a colored man. Whether her accusation was true or not was up to the jury to decide, but her stomach-wrenching description was enough to toy with the mind of any juror. “So he come in the yard
The problem: A disgusting creature by the name of Bob Ewell claimed that a colored man assaulted and raped his 19 year old daughter, bruising and hurting her badly. He demanded justice for this crime, which he pronounced was a hanging. The father of our main character, Atticus, was the defending lawyer in the case. He proved well and thoroughly that the young colored man, Tom, was innocent of the crime. Not only that, but he proved that the perpetrator was none other than the girls father, Bob Ewell. Unfortunately, Tom did not believe that this was enough to r...
To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel written by Harper lee in 1960. The novel tells the story of Atticus Finch, a white lawyer, and Tom Robinson, a black servant, accused of raping a white female. Finch defends Robinson in court arguing lack of evidence as his main point. However, the judge and jury still believe the woman’s testimony and orders Robinson to be killed. The novel has been praised for its outstanding literature since its publication. However, it remains a banned book by the American Library Association for its use of racial slurs and profanity. Due to it being banned, many high schools have reconsidered the notion of teaching it to their students. Two prominent authors wrote articles pertaining to this piece of literature: Angela Shaw-Thornburg wrote an article on her re-reading of the novel and her opinions on it; while Malcom Gladwell wrote an article comparing Atticus Finch to a state governor liberalist, James Folsom, and the restraints of liberalism in the south. In addition, Rebecca Best contributes her thought on how the novel should be taught by introducing the idea of “the other.” Regardless of the modern day political arguments surrounding this piece of literature, this novel contains a large insight into the time period of the 1960s which is an influential topic that should be taught to young high school students.
Why should this novel be banned from use in schools? Students should be able to hear these words and talk about them and not use them offensively. Racial content, tension, and slurs are used in people’s everyday lives. If people can use these words outside of school why would they not be allowed to be talked about in school? It is important for everyone to be informed about these racial tensions. This book also shows the reader what is was like to be growing up in this time period. Although this book uses the n-word, it uses it in a historical way. Using these racist words explains the way of thinking of the south in the 1930s. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is appropriate to use and read in school.
In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, nine-teen year old Mayella Ewell is forced to go against Tom Robinson, an African American who is accused of raping her. Although it is obvious that the rape didn’t happen, the author portrays Mayella as a victim of circumstance. Lee makes it somewhat easy to sympathize with Mayella by describing Mayella’s homelife, indirectly characterizing Bob Ewell throughout the novel, and describing Mayella’s actions while in court.
Tom Robinson is innocent in the case of Mayella Ewell’s rape. When Tom was younger he got his left hand caught in a cotton gin, and could not use that hand. So, Tom couldn’t have hit Mayella Ewell on the right side of her face. Based on how Bob and Mayella Ewell’s testimonies didn’t match, they were lying when they told the jury that Mayella was rape by Tom Robinson. Because of this Tom Robinson’s case should have been ruled not guilty. This suggests that even though Tom Robinson was innocent, in the eyes of the court he would always be guilty because of his race. Since the Ewell’s lied about everything in their testimonies, Tom Robinson should have been innocent and set free.
...ieved. The color of Bob Ewell’s skin gave him power, therefore the jury believed Bob Ewell’s lie as the truth and Tom Robinson’s truth as a lie. Bob Ewell was able to persuade the jury and town that Tom Robinson, an innocent black man, had raped his daughter by provoking the stereotypes of black men.
The night of Novemer 21 Mr Bob Ewell ran to fetched the sheriff, Mr Heck Tate. Calming his oldest girl, miss Mayella Ewell had been raped. After rushing back to Mr Ewells cotet behind the dumpster, Mr Tate found the girl lying on the floor in the middle of the front room. He witness that she was “Pretty well beat up”. After helping her up on her feet he tells us he asked her who hurt her and she had
During the time of Tom’s trial, the biased jury ignored the evidence that was provided that proved Tom did not rape or harm Mayella Ewell. For instance, during the trial, Heck Tate, the town sheriff, testified that Mayella was beaten on the right side of
Mayella Ewell accuses Tom Robinson of raping her. Although she is pressing charges, she has very little power in this situation. Race had a huge impact on power in the 1930’s. White people garnered more power and respect than black people in society in this time, which also extended to the court of law. However, race was the only aspect that Mayella had going for her. Although Mayella was white, she was poor and women did not get a lot of respect back in this time period. Mayella had the power to change Tom’s life, but not enough to change her own.
As a result of the depression, many Americans were forced to hitch hike on trains going to neighboring states in order to escape the vast sea of unemployment to find a work. On March 25th, a fight broke out between the Scottsboro boys and some white boys, later after being charged with a minor charge, Vitoria Price and Ruby Bates accused the nine black boys of raping them. Being charged with the crimes of rape and being black was a lethal combination in the south where Jim Crow laws stood tall as pillars of southern values. Not even a month later all boys charged with the exception of one were charged with death. These events can be compared to the events in the book To Kill a Mocking Bird where Mayella Ewell accused Tom Robison of rapping her after he helped her chop up an old dresser. Just like the real life trials his case moved swiftly without sufficient evidence to prove that Tom Robison committed this crime just like the nine boys who were wrongfully convicted. In both cases the evidence didn’t support the claims of the prosecution, in the Scottsboro case is was later revealed that Victoria Price showed little to no signs of being forcibly raped by six men. Just like in the fictional case in To Kill a Mocking Bird there was little evidence to show that Mayella Ewell was raped by Tom Robison; a man who was physically crippled. In both of these cases Mayella
An important reason why To Kill a Mockingbird is relevant today is the ever growing resurgence of racism throughout the country. Events such as the ones in Jena, Louisiana seem to become more common each day. Recently, a black professor at Columbia University had a noose placed on her door. The novel, which was an attempt to spread knowledge of the racism in the south, was trying to stop the very things that happen everyday now. As racism becomes more and more prevalent, this novel will be a good tool to help teach the next generation about racism, and about how it is wrong.
Such issues have supplemented the controversial nature of the book and in turn, have sparked the question of whether or not this book should be banned. The novel, The Catcher In the Rye, should not be banned from inclusion in the literature courses taught at the high school level. & nbsp;... ... middle of paper ... ... Banning books is unconstitutional.
Lee’s use of conflicts illustrates the concept that racism affects justice in a court of law. Mayella Ewell accused, Tom Robinson, a twenty-five year old black male of
The case is about a black man who is being accused of raping a white girl. The alleged rape took place on November 21. Tom Robinson, a negro, is on trial for the alleged rape of a white female. The victim is nineteen year old Mayella Ewell, the daughter of Bob Ewell.
In early May of 1959 four white men made the decision to rape a young woman named Betty Jean Owens on the way to a school event with a few of her friends (McGuire, 160). Owen was forced to a smear campaign when she faced her attackers in court, but it payed off when she won her case and her rapists were sent to jail (McGuire, 181-183). While her rapists didn't spend as long as many African-American men had when accused of raping women in years past, allowing one of the rapists to kill another women in an attempt at revenge, it was a victory that had been unprecedented in years past (McGuire, 184). Also, not only did this case work as a victory for allowing African-American rape victims to finally be able to prosecute their attackers, but it