To Kill A Mockingbird: Finding Common Ground

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Bringing people together, or finding common ground, is something that similar memories or experiences can do. It was strengthen or even create bonds. The assigned readings To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee, Once Upon a Time written by Nadine Gordimer, Rituals of a Memory written by Kimberly M. Blauser, and Views of the Wall written by Alberto Rios all focused on the idea of locating common ground between individuals.

The book To Kill a Mockingbird related to the idea of finding common ground by having the protagonist(s) understand other poeples problems and actions. Scout and Jem learned about why Mrs. Duose acted the way she did (Lee 128). They also learned about why Atticus was so adamant about defending Tom, an action that was viewed as somewhat traitorous by the other inhabitants of Maycomb. (Lee 269) Discovering and relating to these happenings shaped and developed those characters, as well as teaching the audience a possible lesson.

The short story/fairy tale Once Upon a Time, written by Nadine Gordimer, focused on the idea of locating common ground and bringing people together. A few ways the reading focused on that were the parents not exposing their child properly to the real world, instead gifting him with a book of fairy tales (Gordimer 16, line 194)- further cementing his naivety to what could and could not actually injure
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He describes the time he went to the Vietman Wall and the despair he had felt and witnessed. Although he was not directly involved with any of the people who had passed away, he still cried and witnessed other men crying. (Rios, line 40) The pictures included in the text, slideshow, and beneath the poem also helped paint the picture. He described how he almost left the vicinity and how it made people act differently, in mourning perhaps. The others who visited the place the author spoke about probably felt the same feelings he

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