Attack Of The Black Rectangles

After Mac argues with Ms. Sett about the way she is teaching his class about Christopher Columbus, he makes a list of all the terms he knows for avoiding the truth. He writes down “gloss over,” “sweep aside,” and “turn a blind eye,” among others, but the one he likes best is “kick something into the long grass” (94). He feels like he spends a lot of time in the long grass trying to figure out what other people aren’t talking about or are pretending isn’t happening. Throughout the book, Mac makes references to a topic being in the long grass when someone tries to lie or avoid talking about something, like his dad’s behavior or the realities of American history. The image of long grass gives weight to Mac’s feelings as he feels things are being concealed from him, but it also lends the image of Mac himself being concealed. This dichotomy is illustrated when Mac keeps his family conflicts in the long grass away from his friends and consequently feels guilty because of it.