“She doesn’t even realize that these “offensive” novels are actually powerful anti-racist classics.”
Here’s an analogy: It’s like looking at the windshield of your car. If you just look at the glass, all you’ll see are the dings and chips, bird droppings, mud or ice, and smears, etc. But is you look through the glass, you’ll see the world outside.
In like manner, if all you see in “To Kill a Mockingbird” are the racial smears, then you miss the whole meaning of not killing a mockingbird—Addison Finch, Tom Robinson, Boo Radley are all the mockingbirds that get “killed” in one way or another. Teachers should teach students to look through the glass, not at the glass.
Excellent analogy! Thanks for sending.