To Kill a Mockingbird

Image credit: Spicyip

Harper Lee’s mesmerising Pulitzer-winning novel about prejudice, racism, and the superstition that stems from ignorance is quite possibly one of the finest novels in American literature and definitely one of my new found favourites. While I know the story and have seen the film many times, I cannot believe it has taken me this long to read the book. Well, better late than never right?

To Kill a Mockingbird tells the story of Scout and Jem Finch growing up in Depression-era Alabama. Their father Atticus is a lawyer whose mission it is to instil in his children a sense of empathy and philosophy to combat the racist, prejudiced, and superstitious attitudes of their small town of Maycomb. Their values are put to the test when Atticus agrees to defend a black man charged with the rape of a white woman and the family comes under fire from the locals.

It is simply one of the most beautiful stories ever told and has everything you could ever want in a dramatic novel: there’s wonderful messages about equality and acceptance –something that remains relevant to this day- as well as a coming-of-age tale, the exciting depiction of youth, and a courtroom drama. The story is told from Scout’s point of view, giving it this beautiful sense of innocence as well as intelligence and while you can argue that it takes away a some of the drama of certain events, it is actually a wonderful way to view the world: a special perspective that we lose as adults. And that is why this book is so beautiful, it allows us to look at the world that way again: it might not be our own world, but that sense of innocence and wonder is in every sentence and it’s gorgeous.

Image credit: Houston Chronicle

Despite its being told from a child’s perspective it’s a wonderfully complex story. Not only does it depict some very adult things happening like a rape charge, racism, and prejudice (amongst other things), but it explores the moral, ethical, and philosophical intricacies of these things and using a child’s voice actually makes the bare bones of it all show through and make it all more accessible. Scout, Jem, and Atticus might not be a perfect nuclear family unit, but individually they are beautiful forward-thinking characters struggling to progress in a backwards world. Atticus is not like any father depicted anywhere else because there’s this wonderful sense of love for his children and the need to protect them, but at the same time he treats them as adults and there are moments within the story when even he does not have the answers. You can’t help but automatically respect and admire Atticus –even more so when you’ve got scenes from the movie running through your head starring Gregory Peck…sighs.

It’s truly one of the most beautiful books that I have ever read!

To Kill a Mockingbird was written by Harper Lee and first published in 1960 by Lippincott. In 1961, Lee won a Pulitzer Prize for it.