To Kill a Mockingbird
As a reviewer there are some reviews that you just can’t wait to get down and write. The book you read was just so incredible that you want to tell the whole world about it. Those were precisely my feelings when I finished reading “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee.
Set in the 1930s in the fictional town of Maycomb Alabama, the story is about a white American family which consists of Atticus Finch (the father), Jem (his Son), Scout (his daughter), Alexandra (Atticus’s sister) and Calpurnia (their black American maid). When Atticus Finch agrees to defend a black man who is accused of raping a white woman, he sets in motion a series of events that will test the town’s justice system in a prejudiced atmosphere.
The story is told from the point of view of Scout Finch, Atticus’s young daughter. The book initially takes a little time to build up and the reader may take some time to get used to the language but once you get past that stage, the book is literally unputdownable. It has even got court room drama in it and I love court room dramas! At the same the book is equally fun in its own way. Harper Lee presents the prejudices that people have in a light and funny manner. For the rest of the review I thought I’d present it in the form of a character analysis of some of the three main characters.
Scout Finch - After reading a few books like The God of Small Things and Wonder, I really think I have a special liking for books that have been written from the point of view of a child. It definitely isn’t an easy thing for a grown-up author to pull off though. It takes something special to bring out that honesty that only children seem to have. Something that people often forget is that they aren’t always born hating another person. Hate and prejudice comes because of the environment. Scout is a typical kid who always asks the most logical and simple questions before forming her opinion about any person. Questions that adults are simply never able to answer because they’ve just learned to hate without any basis for the hate. Other than questioning racial prejudice, Scout often questions what it means to be an “ideal” lady. What she wears, the way she speaks and the activities she involves herself in was starkly different from the behavior that was expected from women at that time. She’s the best choice for the narrator as she brings in the element of fun and honesty to the whole story.
Jem Finch – A few years older than his younger sister, Jem Finch personifies the typical teenager. Jem has a good heart but is often conflicted with what society expects from his family. He is at that stage in life where he is expected to play the responsible role with a cool head on his shoulders but that often doesn’t end up happening. He very comes across as moody and irritable but in my opinion that’s only because he is slowly coming to terms with how the world really is. He’s the perfect counterpart for Scout who ends up being brash compared to him.
Atticus Finch – I wanted to save the best character for the last. Atticus Finch will most certainly go down as one of my favorite characters in all the books I’ve ever read. He’s the type of guy who would be a hero for everyone. He is the perfect example of an ideal father. He cares deeply for his children, understands their points of view and most importantly never stops them from questioning everything. Now that’s saying a lot considering the times that they were living in. Aside from how he deals with his children, Atticus is a model human being who you would never hurt a fly. He is brave enough to stand up for what he believes is right and never lets the expectations of society get in his way. He is also a brilliant lawyer. The way he presents his defendants case is one of the best I’ve come across and that’s saying a lot because I love shows like Boston Legal.
Overall, To Kill a Mockingbird is a brilliant read and it’s no wonder that it is one of the most popular books of all time. It was a privilege to read such a piece of literature and I would recommend that everyone give this book a shot. I’m so glad to have found another five star book only weeks after my last one. 2016 is turning out to be a very good book reading year indeed!