I love to read. I will read anything you put in front of me. Most people my age focus on unrealistic book series like The Harry Potter, The Percy Jackson, and The Mortal Instruments Series. I cannot say that I do not like those books. They are very good, and I do read a lot of fantasy and mystery.
Along with the popular books, I also tend to occasionally read books that have a deep meaning to them. For instance, The Giver and The Help are some recent books I've read.
To Kill A Mockingbird is the most recent book I’ve finished. It is a high level book, and I struggled with the terms at times, and had to often remind myself what I was reading.
Book: To Kill A Mockingbird
Author: Harper Lee
Genre: Historical Fiction
Summary: The book is narrated by a girl named Scout Finch. Scout lives in Maycomb, Alabama during the time of segregation. The white people did every possible thing they could to make themselves more superior than the black people. Fortunately, there are a few people who didn't care for skin color, race, religion, etc. Scout’s father, Atticus, is a lawyer. Atticus tries his hardest to raise Scout and her brother, Jem, to understand that you do not judge people because of their appearance. Calpurnia is the Finch family’s black maid, and Jem and Scout treat her like a mother. As she may scold them and come down hard at times, Scout and Jem respect her and like having her around. Scout and her brother think everything is good. The siblings and their friend, Dill, spend most of their time talking about a strange man named Aurther Radley, though he is commonly refered to as Boo. Boo hasn’t came out of the house in as long as anybody can remember. It is Scout’s dream to meet Boo, and become his friend. While the three children waste their life dreaming about the impossible, Atticus is working on a court case. He is defending Tom Robinson, a young man accused of beating and raping Mayella Ewell. But, Tom is black, and Mayella is white. Never has it been heard of a black person winning a case against a white person. It is up to the jury to decide the outcome of the case. If Tom wins, he is a free man. If he loses, he will be executed. Racial tensions spark up, and many other minor side problems occur. What will the verdict be? Either way, bad things are guaranteed to happen. And after a rumor spreads that Boo walks out at night and looks for a woman named Stephanie Crawford, and when it snows for the first time ever in Maycomb, it seems as if downhill is the only way things can go. The whole book keeps you wondering nonstop. What will happen to Tom Robinson? Will Boo ever come outside? Even the ending still left me wondering.
Characters: Scout Finch-The main character
Jem Finch- Scout’s older brother
Atticus Finch- Scout and Jem’s father; a Lawyer
Calpurnia- The Finch family’s maid
Aunt Alexandra- Scout’s “so called perfect” Aunt; Atticus’s sister
Uncle Jack- Atticus’s brother
Dill- Scout and Jem’s friend who gets passed throughout the family all year; Stays in Maycomb with his Aunt Rachel during the summer
Tom Robinson- The person accused of beating and raping Mayella Ewell
Mayella Ewell- The daughter of Bob Ewell; Person Tom is accused of harming
Heck Tate- The Maycomb Sheriff
Boo Radley- The person who rarely comes out of his house and Scout wants to meet really bad; Real name is Arthur Radley
Setting- Maycomb, Alabama
Messages- Before you judge someone, walk around in their shoes first
Don’t harm anyone/anything that does not do harm to you
This is an important quote in To Kill A Mockingbird. Atticus says this to Jem when he lets him learn to use a gun. This passage from To Kill A Mockingbird means that no matter what you do, harming the innocent is the worst of all. Tom Johnson is the mockingbird Atticus is referring to. Atticus believes that Tom is innocent in every possible way, and if Tom loses the case, his death will be a burden the jury will be forced to carry for the rest of their lives.
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This book has had a huge impact on my life. If you read it, I am willing to bet it will impact your life as well. This book was very emotional, also. In America, at the time this book set in, 1933, this kind of stuff actually happened. It still does! I’ve always known about these kinds of issues, and that they happen everywhere. But, it was a huge eye opener. I would recommend this book to mature, high level readers. Even now, I still have trouble believing the horror of this book, yet it happens right under our noses, every day. Harper Lee knew what she needed to do: Make citizens get a grip on the world and create equality for ALL to enjoy. Even today, it is known as a great American novel.
Please comment books that have had an impact on your life, and books you would recommend.
