‘To Kill a Mockingbird’
WORDS WITH MR. KAUMANS- KEVIN KAUMANS
What makes a book “offensive?”
Surely it’s not just because it talks about difficult topics that a book is banned or because it’s seen as inappropriate to young readers, otherwise all history books pertaining to war would be banned as well. Perhaps its the language that is used that makes the book uncomfortable, or when heavy topics such as rape and murder are mentioned.
Whatever the reasons for a book being banned, it’s usually, in my opinion, not a big deal.
Let’s say you don’t want to read a book that mentions rape because that’s a heavy topic you’ve experienced in your own life. Which is fair, you shouldn’t feel pressured to read a book if it makes you uncomfortable.
That being said, you shouldn’t stop others from reading certain books just because you don’t like them.
This brings us to today’s episode of Still Worth Reading. This week’s book is To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. The book tells the story of Scout Finch, a young girl growing up in the deep south in the 1930s.
Most people know the book for its portrayal of racism and criticism of southern bigotry, but the book is actually much deeper than that.
Think of the book as more of a slice of life story; most of the book is about Scout growing up in twentieth century Alabama. The topic of racism doesn’t really take place until the end.
It’s really more of a collection of adventures of Scout, her older brother, and their father, Atticus, the town lawyer. Overall, this book is worth the read; Scout is a quirky protagonist and Atticus has some of the best quotes in fiction.
My name is Kevin A. Kaumans, thank you for tuning into this week’s column.
Make sure to pick up a new newspaper from NWOSU News every week, and until next time friends:
Stay Educated
