To Kill a Mockingbird in Overdue Podcast

Jul 13, 2015 Chandler rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, classics, 301-499pgs, 5-star, adult-fiction, books-i-own, books-for-boys, top-ten-books-2015, pulitzer-prize, banned-books

Okay, I have to admit it. Yes, I am reviewing this book because I got a copy of Go Set a Watchman. Is that a bad thing? Not really. The fact that Watchman came out only insures that I review this book now, and not a month, or a year from now. Yet, because of the tremendous amount of hype surrounding the new book, I couldn’t help but hear some things about it, despite my best intentions. I usually try to go into a book could, only going into other reviews when I can’t seem to decide what to make Okay, I have to admit it. Yes, I am reviewing this book because I got a copy of Go Set a Watchman. Is that a bad thing? Not really. The fact that Watchman came out only insures that I review this book now, and not a month, or a year from now. Yet, because of the tremendous amount of hype surrounding the new book, I couldn’t help but hear some things about it, despite my best intentions. I usually try to go into a book could, only going into other reviews when I can’t seem to decide what to make of the novel I just read. In the case of To Kill a Mockingbird then, my viewpoint on this novel hasn’t really changed, despite some of the controversial things that occur in Watchman.

As with my Hunger Games review, I don’t think that my review of this novel is absolutely necessary. With this novel, that statement holds even more weight. This story has become so interwoven into the American culture over the past 50 years that I’m surprised a beer cooler that says “I *heart* ‘Merica”, with the heart dressed up to look like the American flag no less, doesn’t come with every purchase. This novel does teach about the racism of the south during the 1930’s, but it also teaches about empathy, and has more moral lessons than you can shake a stick at, which is perhaps the best portion of the novel.

These many moral lessons come to the novel because of Scout, the main character. Because she is the main character, there are many more moral platitudes that she is told by her father Atticus. Because she is a child, she is still learning about things like empathy and how to work with others in different social settings. Her brother Jem is also an awesome character. This is really a coming of age story for him, more so for Scout. He goes from a boy at the beginning if the story who reenacts plays with his little sister, to a man who understands the racism of his hometown, and how black people are treated unfairly.

One advantage that I like is that many different lessons that are taught by Atticus, are not simply there for the reading audience, they are actually exhibited in the novel, later on. For example, in one scene, Atticus explains to Scout about empathy, with his now famous words about how you can’t know what someone is going through until you get into their skin and walk around in it. What I like is this plays back on the novel later on, when Mr. Ewell spits on him after the trial. Atticus allows this to happen because, from Ewell’s point of view, Atticus destroyed any reputation he had left. This empathy shows that Atticus knows how to not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk.

I have heard some critics say that Atticus is a character who does not seem real, and who is more comparable to a shining knight whom we all should look up to. I think this is both correct, and incorrect. Yes, he is put into a positive light, but I believe that this is only because of the fact that Scout, the main character is a woman writing about her time as a child. When one is a child, everything seemed to be nicer and better, especially in hindsight. Scout may be showing us the side of Atticus that she wants us to see, and that she saw herself. Atticus may have not wanted to let others see his worry and self doubt about his job and the Tom Robinson case. Regardless, this character was one whom I really enjoyed, and is someone who I want to read about next in Watchman.

I think that this novel is an excellent story about life in a small southern town, told from the viewpoint of a child. Despite the language, which some may find difficult to get into, I thought it was humorous and very entertaining. The only time I was confused by the text was when the text mentioned southern slang for certain items. I still think that it was very well written, especially the phonetic spelling of the language. It made for a very good read, and it is one I won’t soon forget. I give it a five out of five. ...more

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