Secondly, it displays an important period of time in our nations history.

Not just a work of literature, TKAM is also an accurate historical reference. Even after the civil war and the civil rights movement, blacks were treated inferior to whites. Women were still treated as household objects and expected to only do house duties and wear dresses all the time. The book allows us to see the best and worst parts of American society. ( source) For example, Scout is told to act more like a woman multiple times. Aunt Alexandra says to Scout that she could not possibly hope to be a lady if she wore breeches and wasnt supposed to be doing things that required pants. While reading the book, students can also learn and enhance their knowledge of life in the South during the 1920s. The last, and most important, reason is that because it instills morals. Atticus Finch, a major character, teaches how to be well mannered, fair, and human. His actions make him notable as a moral guidance for everyday people and lawyers. Through out the book, Atticus shows how to put aside racial discrimination (both in and out of the court system), sexism, and judgmental negativity. He tells Scout you can never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of viewuntil you climb into his skin and walk around in it (30). Also, the book revolves around the case of Tom Robinson where an obviously innocent black man is wrongly accused of rape and treated like dirt. People who supported the blacks were called by with derogatory terms. By reading the book, students will realize how they cannot act cruel and must respect differences, even if they do not agree. Over all, TKAM is a book well worthy to have in classrooms because of its literacy merit, historical references, and moral guidance.