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What Makes Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird a Literary Classic

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To Kill A Mockingbird is a prime example classic modern literature, having won the Pulitzer Prize. Elements that have helped deem worthy of such classification, consists of its exploration of universal themes, the memorable and relatable characters who help define the story, and its addressing of issues that even now are common in today’s society, being able to evoke thoughts and emotional responses from its audience, helping them to define the world around them. It truly is a masterpiece. To begin with, it is needless to say that To Kill A Mockingbird has transcended time and has broken cultural barriers through its universal themes, drawing attention to problems that are still prevalent in today’s society. The book takes place in Maycomb County at a time, where given the historical and political circumstances, racism towards blacks was deemed normal; it was common for whites to believe themselves as superior to them due to the color of their skin. Racial tension is made apparent throughout the town, and hints are constantly being dropped to make this clear in the novel. This can be demonstrated by Mr. Radley and his hostile attitude towards blacks. Miss Stephanie clearly quotes him saying, “Shot in the air. Scared him pale though. Says if anybody sees a white nigger around, that’s the one,” ( Ch 6 ), in reference to him believing that a negro had trespassed his property without any factual evidence, with that already being an indication of racism prejudice, whilst making

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