What's On Page 174 Of 'To Kill A Mockingbird,' And Does It Give Teachers And Students A 'Free Pass'? The 'Page 174' Meme Explained

In American English classes everywhere, students have been reading To Kill a Mockingbird as a staple of high school education. But Harper Lee's book has something in it that students and teachers have been trying (and likely failing) to handle appropriately during class.

Here's the secret that lies on page 174 and why it's evolved into a meme over the years.

What's On Page 174 Of 'To Kill A Mockingbird'?

It's common for teachers to have students read certain passages from books together in class, but if a teacher is having students read page 174 of To Kill a Mockingbird out loud, they're likely just doing it to disturb the peace. Those who willingly volunteer to read this page are probably doing the same.

Educators and literature experts often debate whether or not reading certain words aloud is appropriate, or if skipping over these words is respectful of the text and cultural context. Page 174 of To Kill a Mockingbird has one of these such words. Yes, it's the N-word.

Why Do People Make Memes About Page 174 Of 'To Kill A Mockingbird'?

Having the whole class read a passage containing the N-word out loud is a surprisingly common memory for those who grew up in American schools — it's not clear why teachers pick these passages to read aloud, knowing the consequences, which usually involve one child who boldly says the word, completely undeterred, and everyone else assumes they sort of wanted to say it. Yes, it's part of the book, but it creates a pretty awkward silence.

The reliability of this school memory has led many to create memes about it, and since To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most widely read controversial books, it's easy to see why referencing page 174 became a meme. The first meme of the sort was posted to /r/Teenagers by /u/El_Papa_Jackal in early 2019:

From there, the concept of the meme and its humorous scenarios caught on. Referencing page 174 became a notable reference for those "in the know," which pretty much encompasses everyone who's taken a high school English class, regardless of whether or not they've read To Kill a Mockingbird.

For the full history of page 174 of 'To Kill a Mockingbird,' be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.