BBW: One kind of folks

"...Atticus said one time the reason Aunty's so hipped on the family is because all we've got's background and not a dime to our names.”       

“Well Jem, I don't know—Atticus told me one time that most of this Old Family stuff's foolishness because everybody's family's just as old as everybody else's. I said did that include the colored folks and Englishmen and he said yes.”      

“Background doesn't mean Old Family,” said Jem. “I think it's how long your family's been readin' and writin'. Scout, I've studied this real hard and that's the only reason I can think of. ” Jem laughed. “Imagine Aunty being proud her great-grandaddy could read an' write—ladies pick funny things to be proud of.”      

“Well I'm glad he could, or who'da taught Atticus, and if Atticus couldn't read, you and me'd be in a fix. I don't think that's what background is, Jem.”      

“Well then, how do you explain why the Cunninghams are different? Mr. Walter can hardly sign his name, I've seen him. We've just been readin' and writin' longer'n they have.”      

“No, everybody's gotta learn, nobody's born knowin'. That Walter's as smart as he can be, he just gets held back sometimes because he has to stay out and help his daddy. Nothin's wrong with him. Naw, Jem, I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks.”  

Jem turned around and punched his pillow. “That's what I thought, too,” he said at last, “when I was your age. If there's just one kind of folks, why can't they get along with each other? If they're all alike, why do they go out of their way to despise each other?"

-- To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee, end of Chapter 23, 1960.

This week is the 30th Annual Banned Books Week, and once again, Harper Lee's classic makes the list of the 10 most frequently challenged books in the country.

Bill Moyers Discusses Our Freedom to Read