Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion
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To Kill a Mockingbird
New School Classics- 1915-2005
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To Kill A Mockingbird Discussion, Part Two/Book as a Whole *SPOILERS*
Some background for our May Contemporary Classic book:To Kill a Mockingbird
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
First edition cover – late printing
Author Harper Lee
Country United States
Language English
Published July 11, 1960 (J. B. Lippincott & Co.)
Media type Print (hardback and paperback)
Pages 296 (first edition, hardback)
To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee published in 1960. It was immediately successful, winning the Pulitzer Prize, and has become a classic of modern American literature. The plot and characters are loosely based on the author's observations of her family and neighbors, as well as on an event that occurred near her hometown in 1936, when she was 10 years old.
The novel is renowned for its warmth and humor, despite dealing with the serious issues of rape and racial inequality. The narrator's father, Atticus Finch, has served as a moral hero for many readers and as a model of integrity for lawyers. One critic explains the novel's impact by writing, "In the twentieth century, To Kill a Mockingbird is probably the most widely read book dealing with race in America, and its protagonist, Atticus Finch, the most enduring fictional image of racial heroism."[1]
As a Southern Gothic novel and a Bildungsroman, the primary themes of To Kill a Mockingbird involve racial injustice and the destruction of innocence. Scholars have noted that Lee also addresses issues of class, courage, compassion, and gender roles in the American Deep South. The book is widely taught in schools in the United States with lessons that emphasize tolerance and decry prejudice. Despite its themes, To Kill a Mockingbird has been subject to campaigns for removal from public classrooms, often challenged for its use of racial epithets.
more at link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Kill_...
A Guide with some questions, for those who like prompts to think about, while reading:Studying To Kill a Mockingbird
Introduction
This guide is written for teachers and students who are studying Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The guide is written specifically for students in the UK, but I hope it may be helpful to users from other parts of the world. To Kill a Mockingbird is a set text for GCSE exams in English literature. It may also be studied for teacher-assessed coursework in English in Key Stages 3 and 4 (GCSE reading).
About the novel
To Kill a Mockingbird was first published in 1960. It won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize and was adapted for the cinema, winning Oscars (Academy Awards) for the script and for Gregory Peck (best actor in a leading role), who played Atticus.
Harper Lee was born in Monroeville, Alabama, which may be the model for the fictional Maycomb. She has not written any more novels but her neighbour Truman Capote, has become one of the most distinguished of modern prose writers in the USA. Some people believe that he is the original for Dill in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Studying the text
There are many ways in which one can write about a literary text, but among those most commonly encountered at Key Stages 3 and 4 would be to study character, theme and technique. These terms are explained below, and some pointers given as to how to study them in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Chapter-by-chapter questions
The questions below should help students and teachers find what is important in the novel, and could prove useful for revision. You can answer them on your own, but they are suitable for discussion work. Your answers to these questions (if you write them) could form a useful summary of the novel. A class of students could share this task, and paste the results together. If you do this, then try to be consistent in pronoun choices and verb tenses. Some teachers and examiners will use the past tense to refer to events in a work of fiction, but the convention for scholars and critics is to use the present tense.
Continued at source - http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/gc...
Another Guide, with questions, from the publisher, Harper Collins:To Kill a Mockingbird
By Harper Lee
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize
"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."
Introduction
To Kill a Mockingbird is the story of the early childhood of Jean Louise "Scout" Finch, chronicling the humorous trials and tribulations of growing up in Maycomb, Alabama, from 1933 to 1935. Maycomb's small-town Southern atmosphere -- in which nobody locks their doors at night and the local telephone operator can identify callers solely by their voices -- contributes to the security of Scout's world, just as pervasive forces of racism threaten to unsettle it. Scout's devotion to her older brother, Jem, and her hero-worship of her father, the defense attorney Atticus Finch, infuse this story with an uncommon intimacy and affection.
(snip ... )
Discussion Questions
1. How do Scout, Jem, and Dill characterize Boo Radley at the beginning of the book? In what way did Boo's past history of violence foreshadow his method of protecting Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell? Does this repetition of aggression make him more or less of a sympathetic character?
2. In Scout's account of her childhood, her father Atticus reigns supreme. How would you characterize his abilities as a single parent? How would you describe his treatment of Calpurnia and Tom Robinson vis a vis his treatment of his white neighbors and colleagues? How would you typify his views on race and class in the larger context of his community and his peers?
3. The title of Lee's book is alluded to when Atticus gives his children air rifles and tells them that they can shoot all the bluejays they want, but "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." At the end of the novel, Scout likens the "sin" of naming Boo as Bob Ewell's killer to "shootin' a mockingbird." Do you think that Boo is the only innocent, or mockingbird, in this novel?
4. Scout ages two years-from six to eight-over the course of Lee's novel, which is narrated from her perspective as an adult. Did you find the account her narrator provides believable? Were there incidents or observations in the book that seemed unusually "knowing" for such a young child? What event or episode in Scout's story do you feel truly captures her personality?
5. To Kill a Mockingbird has been challenged repeatedly by the political left and right, who have sought to remove it from libraries for its portrayal of conflict between children and adults; ungrammatical speech; references to sex, the supernatural, and witchcraft; and unfavorable presentation of blacks. Which elements of the book-if any-do you think touch on controversial issues in our contemporary culture? Did you find any of those elements especially troubling, persuasive, or insightful?
6. Jem describes to Scout the four "folks" or classes of people in Maycomb County: "…our kind of folks don't like the Cunninghams, the Cunninghams don't like the Ewells, and the Ewells hate and despise the colored folks." What do you think of the ways in which Lee explores race and class in 1930s Alabama? What significance, if any, do you think these characterizations have for people living in other parts of the world?
7. One of the chief criticisms of To Kill a Mockingbird is that the two central storylines -- Scout, Jem, and Dill's fascination with Boo Radley and the trial between Mayella Ewell and Tom Robinson -- are not sufficiently connected in the novel. Do you think that Lee is successful in incorporating these different stories? Were you surprised at the way in which these story lines were resolved? Why or why not?
8. By the end of Kill a Mockingbird, the book's first sentence: "When he was thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow," has been explained and resolved. What did you think of the events that followed the Halloween pageant? Did you think that Bob Ewell was capable of injuring Scout or Jem? How did you feel about Boo Radley's last-minute intervention?
9. What elements of this book did you find especially memorable, humorous, or inspiring? Are there individual characters whose beliefs, acts, or motives especially impressed or surprised you? Did any events in this book cause you to reconsider your childhood memories or experiences in a new light?
more at link: http://www.harpercollins.com/author/a...
I did, Matt. I was wondering if Lee was even aware of it, or if it was so much a part of the time she was raised in, that she didn't see it herself.As to the book, amazing. I just finished. I'm on kindle, so I'll stick with brevity. Really powerful book.
Mod
Matt I don’t know if I can give any details or specifics in answering your question. It’s been 10-15 years or more since I last saw the movie. The first and only time I read the book was in 2011, so again details are much weaker in my memory than remembered emotions and time diluted observations. I don’t remember anything from the movie or the book that indicated Atticus treated white or black differently. What I remember is that Atticus was formal in all his communications with people, including to some degree his kids. The only time he seemed to lose his composure was near the end when Scout’s location and safety was unknown. For a moment Atticus seemed perfectly capable of shooting the human type of rabid dog. Even that agitation was short lived and the real Atticus was back in control, worrying about what was right or wrong and what would or would not be required by the law.
I teach this book to my college students, and the odd thing is, I have never been able to find an essay topic about it that is challenging but also can be expanded on for two or three pages. I'm stumped.
Shelley, http://dustbowlstory.wordpress.com
Shelley wrote: "I teach this book to my college students, and the odd thing is, I have never been able to find an essay topic about it that is challenging but also can be expanded on for two or three pages. I'm ..."
What about historical basis speculation for the trial and character of Tom? Seems there might have been a few real life trials that went into the model for that character and story arc, I bet there's enough meat there to fill a couple-three page paper with interesting thought/analysis?
I'm a bit divided over Lee's process. Is it sloppy or just very subtle? For example, when Tom says, "She said what her daddy does don't count," that implies a lot of awful scenarios, so I'd chalk that up as subtle. On the other hand, we get a lot of hints about Dill's home life in Part 1, but I've never been clear on what exactly happened in Part 2. Was that subtlety, or did Lee just lose track of that plot element?
Phil, I'm guessing you're much more familiar with this than I am but I am past this scene already. I'm up to the court house scene. It still amazes me that something as simple as Scout and Jem sitting in the colored section of a courthouse or church causes an entire town to panic. Now it wouldn't make waves at all. Discussing courage, Atticus tells the kids that Mrs DuBose has courage, which she had in battling an illness. Yet it is he who has the most courage- in my opinion- of all taking on an entire way of life, his own family included. I have 150 short pages left in my paperback edition and look forward to discussing the rest.
Ch. 24 QuestionI'm sitting here on teacher records day grading my students' work on TKAM. Every one of them says that Tom gets shot trying to escape. Every year I wonder about that. Isn't "shot while running away" sometimes a euphemism for "shot because the cops felt like it?" In the next chapter, Bob Ewell says, "One down, two to go," as if he's claiming some credit for Tom's death.
Was Tom actually trying to escape, or was he just executed?
Phil - I thought the same thing when I read the book, that Tom was killed while trying to escape was a little too convenient. It seemed like something happened, but that was the story the prison guards told to cover up what happened.Overall - I listened to this as an audiobook and Sissy Spacek was an exceptional reader. Everyone has their own voices and it made the story come to life like a movie.
Finished today and it was beautiful. Appreciated it much more as an adult than as a 14 year old. I believe cops felt liked it as well, Tom was one less n--- to them in the prejudiced pre civil rights movement south. The depressing thing is that had he had two good hands he might have escaped. Now that I finished I'd love to get the audio to listen to the movie. Thanks for the lovely review of Sissy Spacek, Erica.
Brina, I feel the same the way. I didn't enjoy required reading for school and don't remember ANY of this book. In fact, I almost question if we did, in fact, read it! Anyway...Although I think a lot of good points are being made about a "cover up", I do think Tom was trying to run away. He didn't have any faith in the "white men" setting him free. I could almost see and feel his desperation as I read the recount of him running. SO SAD :(
Melissa wrote: " I could almost see and feel his desperation as I read the recount of him running."I think that's probably Lee's intent. Atticus makes a frustrated comment about Tom giving up when they still had a chance at an appeal, which implies suicidal motives for running.
As a teacher, I wince a little at all the complaints re: required reading. I used to require most of my 8th graders to read this. Some of them got a lot out of it, but some of them just copy/pasted all their written work off Sparknotes. This year, I made it voluntary. I had zero plagiarism issues, but I did have several students quit reading after the trial scene and take a lower grade rather than finish the novel.
Mod
Phil wrote: As a teacher, I wince a little at all the complaints re: required reading. I used to require most of my 8th graders to read this. Some of them got a lot out of it, but some of them just copy/pasted all their written work off Sparknotes. This year, I made it voluntary. I had zero plagiarism issues, but I did have several students quit reading after the trial scene and take a lower grade rather than finish the novel...."
I'm curious did any of these students say why they perfered a lower grade rather than completing the book?
Bob wrote: "My first reaction at reading Tom had been killed was that he had been murdered. The issue became a little cloudy with Atticus’s reaction to Tom’s death and his certainty that an appeal would have b..."Reasons given: Don't care, book is too hard/confusing, demotivated after seeing the movie, all I want is a C so I can play sports
Real reason: adolescence and senioritis/8th grade-itis
message 18:
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Katy, Quarterly Long Reads
(last edited May 16, 2016 10:09AM)
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rated it 5 stars
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Phil I remember when I student taught 8th graders and also 12th graders after spring break they didn't care about school. Is it possible to teach this book at the beginning of the year? Or to 7th or 9th graders who might be a little more interested? True between the court scene and the end there is a little bit of a let down, but perhaps more engaged students might be more motivated in class. Just a thought.
Brina wrote: "Phil I remember when I student taught 8th graders and also 12th graders after spring break they didn't care about school. Is it possible to teach this book at the beginning of the year? Or to 7th o..."Thanks for the thoughts.
I teach TKAM in March of 8th grade. I do not teach it earlier because of the content.
My 8th graders are barely mature enough for it, and some of them are not. Some of them get so worked up the first time they get see the N word that I have to pull them out of the book because they start using it outside of class. Others get so distracted by it that they can't focus on the rest of the book. In addition, some parents choose not to have their students read it on account of the sexual content.
For these reasons, I absolutely cannot move it earlier in the school year or into 7th grade. It takes a mature, well-developed classroom community to handle this book.
I usually start off the year with free choice reading and then move into the Odyssey. I use the Mary Pope Osborne version: The One-Eyed Giant. That' s a less intense way to get things going.
That makes sense. I read in ninth grade. No senior or eight gradeitis. I don't think many of us were mature enough to handle then either but no one wanted a poor grade so we read, discussed, wrote an essay. Reading now through adult eyes gives a more enriching perspective of the novel, in a nutshell teenagers will always be teenagers in terms of required work for school.
Brina wrote: "teenagers will always be teenagers in terms of required work for school."That quote belongs on a de-motivational poster.
Unfortunately yes. More my point that even a wonderful book like TKAM students will not appreciate simply because it's school work. Yet if they read the same book outside of school, they would probably enjoy a lot more. I am making it a point to go back and read a lot of my required school books and gain depth in perspective of them.
I think it's a fantastic choice for a school read. Even those who don't read much will say they've read TKAM, and loved it - just because they read it at school.
Personally, school reads were quite memorable. I think required reading gives students an opportunity to be introduced to and enjoy books they otherwise wouldn't have picked up till later or ever :)))
Also, TKAM is not a difficult to understand text. As you would with other books, I'm sure second readings and re-readings when you are older will mean you gain further understandings and insights about it.
Personally, school reads were quite memorable. I think required reading gives students an opportunity to be introduced to and enjoy books they otherwise wouldn't have picked up till later or ever :)))
Also, TKAM is not a difficult to understand text. As you would with other books, I'm sure second readings and re-readings when you are older will mean you gain further understandings and insights about it.
Brina wrote: "Unfortunately yes. More my point that even a wonderful book like TKAM students will not appreciate simply because it's school work. Yet if they read the same book outside of school, they would prob..."Point taken, Brina, and it's something I struggle with as a teacher. I try to provide my students a lot of choice as an antidote to that, but I also want to push some core texts.
I'm reading Wuthering Heights right now, and I have to keep fighting the urge to write an apology to Mrs. Amato for blowing it off in the spring of my Senior year.
Nargus wrote: "Also, TKAM is not a difficult to understand text. As you would with other books, I'm sure second readings and re-readings when you are older will mean you gain further understandings and insights about it."I get so much more out of books now than I did even just a few years ago. I'd read TKAM on my own in high school. It wasn't one of the books covered in my English classes (we read Animal Farm, The Stone Angel, some Shakespeare, and another book whose title I can't remember). I think I reread it a couple or few years later, and then again the last few days, and it's amazing, how something so simple and easy to read is ringing with profundity. I'm pretty sure the lawyer quote at the beginning was lost on me when I was in my teens, as well as the whole innocence/experience theme.
Phil wrote: "I'm a bit divided over Lee's process. Is it sloppy or just very subtle? For example, when Tom says, "She said what her daddy does don't count," that implies a lot of awful scenarios..."
I found that odd, too: to me, that heavily implied that not only was her father beating her, but that he was sexually abusing her as well. Either way, it's jarring to us nowadays that this wasn't something any of the characters saw fit to look into. Why wasn't anything being done to pull Mayella and the other children out of that situation or offer them some kind of protection? And if this was a normal occurrence for the time, that such things weren't interfered with, did Lee mean for it to be casually mentioned like this and not brought up again, for it to just be swept under the rug like it would have been in real life?
~
It was the group that led to me picking this up for a reread, rather than my own inspiration, but am I glad I picked it up! I thoroughly enjoyed it and was moved by it, and look forward to picking it up yet again in a few years time. As someone with reclusive tendencies, I can relate to and sympathize with Arthur a good bit, and on this reading even found myself relating to Aunt Alexandra a bit nearer the end, appreciating her concern for Atticus's wellbeing. Jem's struggle to accept the way the world is and how people are spoke to me more than ever.
Kim wrote "And if this was a normal occurrence for the time, that such things weren't interfered with, did Lee mean for it to be casually mentioned like this and not brought up again, for it to just be swept under the rug like it would have been in real life?"I took this as a statement of the time. Women and children had few rights, and like Tom Robinson, they had no one to defend or protect them from inequality or abuse. Also if we take Atticus' approach and "walk in Mayella's shoes" I can see where fear would lead her to falsely accuse Tom. Her dad would probably have killed her if she hadn't, and it is clear that no one was going to interfere.
Phil- this was required reading for me in 9th grade. I didn't remember all of the details, but I remembered loving the book. I may not have ever read (or re-read as an adult) if I hadn't been exposed to this by a wonderful teacher. It is a deep book for teenagers, but trust me, some of them will carry this book close to their hearts into adulthood
Glad to hear that, Holly! :) By the way, wonderful review of TKAM!
Here's another point for discussion - would you agree that Atticus is depicted as a perfect person? I admired him so much, he stood for what was right, in many respects. You don't see any flaws. Usually I think you would question it when a character is portrayed like that, so perfect. But I've come up with justifications for that - 1) it's coming from the perspective of Scout, a child who admires her parent and sees no flaws in him, and 2) the reader is cast in Scout's shoes and I couldn't help but feeling that childlike admiration and respect for someone of such stellar moral values, to learn from, as a role model.
thanks Nargus! I enjoyed your review as well.
Holly wrote: "It is a deep book for teenagers, but trust me, some of them will carry this book close to their hearts into adulthood .."Thanks for the encouragement!
Nargus wrote: "Here's another point for discussion - would you agree that Atticus is depicted as a perfect person? I admired him so much, he stood for what was right, in many respects. You don't see any flaws. Us..."I think so too. The story takes place before she starts to see his flaws. I remember that transition in my own kids. There's this age of understanding when they start to see imperfections.
Either way, Atticus was better than most people. It took courage to do what he did.
Phil wrote: "Brina wrote: "Unfortunately yes. More my point that even a wonderful book like TKAM students will not appreciate simply because it's school work. Yet if they read the same book outside of school, t..."She'd probably say you weren't the only one lol!
Nargus wrote: "Here's another point for discussion - would you agree that Atticus is depicted as a perfect person?"Has anyone here read Go Set A Watchman? I've not, but I remember encountering some comments/reviews on it awhile ago that said it gave a fuller picture of Atticus, revealing some mildly racist attitudes. For instance, even in TKAM, he makes the case that it's especially wrong for white people to take advantage of black people, presumably on account of their "handicapped" status in society. You can definitely make a case that there's nothing wrong with him having held this attitude, that he's just acknowledging reality, that some groups of people are at a disadvantage. But I know some people have taken issue with the book, that it paints this picture of white heroes and poor black victims, incapable of helping themselves. I'm not convinced that's fair, though. I don't think we can ask every book to represent every person, their potential, etc. It would absolutely be a problem if there were no literature showing different kinds of black people and their triumphs and struggles, preferably written by black people, and perhaps there isn't enough of it (a situation that's being remedied now, I think, but there's a huge vacuum in the past, so many stories not told, that won't be told). Harper Lee was probably never qualified to tell that kind of story, though.
It's the same problem with much of literature not depicting women accurately, not describing us to our full complexity and potential, and instead tending to make us pretty one-dimensional background objects, flirts/temptresses, dutiful housewives, etc. while giving more air time to the male characters. If read as being from the perspective of men, maybe it's fine - we can read these as accurate portrayals of how they've seen the world, and at the same time, seek out writing by women that depicts us as we really are.
Holly wrote: "I took this as a statement of the time. Women and children had few rights, and like Tom Robinson, they had no one to defend or protect them from inequality or abuse. Also if we take Atticus' approach and "walk in Mayella's shoes" I can see where fear would lead her to falsely accuse Tom. Her dad would probably have killed her if she hadn't, and it is clear that no one was going to interfere. "
That sounds like the most likely interpretation to me as well.
Go Set a Watchman- I don't know if I want to read it. It is about Scout as an adult, and after reading some reviews, both she and Atticus appear flawed. The reviewers are chalking this up to being a product of the time they lived in, but this still doesn't make sense to me- how does one go from being honorable to racist. Almost makes me want to read the book, even though most likely I am setting my self up for disappoint. Atticus is probably flawed in TKAM as well but as mentioned because we are reading through Scout's POV, she views her father as Superman.
Mayella- her father seemed to want to kill anyone who crossed his path. I also believe he would have killed her if he wasn't locked up and killed in jail first. For this topic, it is no wonder why some of the parents of Phil's students are apprehensive about letting their adolescent children read novel.
The main thing to know about Go Set A Watchman is that it is not a sequel to TKAM. It is an early draft of TKAM that was entirely discarded by the time Lee was finished writing TKAM.My somewhat harsh review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A lot of people claim that Watchman shows a different side of characters we already know, but that's not precisely true. What it shows is an early version of characters that were eventually rewritten to become the ones we know.
Phil wrote: "The main thing to know about Go Set A Watchman is that it is not a sequel to TKAM. It is an early draft of TKAM that was entirely discarded by the time Lee was finished writing TKAM.I have been waffling about reading watchman, and after reading your review I will probably pass. Like Brina I thought Watchman was a sequel. I love TKAM as it is, think it is best to leave it alone;)
I don't think I'm going to read Go Set A Watchman. The fact that there is confusion over the book's status reflects the dubious nature of its publication. I mean, Harper Lee knew of the manuscript's existence many, many years ago, so why wasn't it published earlier if that's what she wanted? Plus, she was such a careful and humble person - after reading and loving TKAM, I was puzzled as to why she had not published any other books during her career (apart from helping Truman Capote with "In Cold Blood" and GSAW). One of her comments I came across was that she was overwhelmed by the reception to TKAM, how could she possibly top it? Such a humble and careful person, don't you think?
I just don't trust GSAW's publication. If it was a draft, people reading it should bear that in mind. Let her be judged by what she put forth to be judged, rather than a work that probably was best kept a private draft. At this stage, I'm not keen to read it. If I become curious and change my mind, well, that's only my human nature to blame.
I just don't trust GSAW's publication. If it was a draft, people reading it should bear that in mind. Let her be judged by what she put forth to be judged, rather than a work that probably was best kept a private draft. At this stage, I'm not keen to read it. If I become curious and change my mind, well, that's only my human nature to blame.
I read GSAW and wasn't particularly fond of it. I blame myself because I love TKAM so much that I was mostly looking for more of the same, and it is completely different. Also, TKAM left me feeling that Atticus was a hero among men, and GSAW portrayed him as what was probably more typical of whites at that time. Also, side note, I read TKAM back in school. 7th grade, I think. I certainly didn't mind reading assigned literature, but I also have loved reading since I was a child. The only thing I didn't like about reading in school was when the teacher had students read aloud, because it was difficult for me to get absorbed in books that way. But TKAM and Animal Farm remain 2 of my all-time favorites to this day. :)
One day maybe (big if) if I don't have anything else to read I might try GSAW just to pique my curiosity. I will pretend the two books are not linked because TKAM is so dear. Interestingly enough now that I know it's not a sequel, it explains why Scout as a child seems so mature, if she was originally going to be characterized as an adult. My review focused on courage. I'm going to add that Harper Lee had courage to publish a later draft that characterized Atticus as being sympathetic toward negroes. Nargus I would have to agree that she was very humble as well if her reasons for not writing more books is what you noted above.
Is it normal for the buddy read thread to be the same thread others read 7-8 years ago?
Mod
Yes.
I started this book in January , and have reached page 163 . It's a pleasure to read such a well written book . It keeps the reader's attention consistently engaged . Chapter 1 gives an introduction to the Finch family , to Dill and to the mysterious Radley family . I thought I had read this book long ago , so I was waiting for the protagonists Meggie and Ralph to appear . When I had read about one third of the novel , and neither Meggie nor Ralph appeared , I became doubtful . So I looked up Google and found that Meggie and Ralph belonged to The Thorn Birds , by Colleen McCullough ! I was so surprised - I had thought that I had read To Kill a Mockingbird ! 😲
Oops, Savita! So it´s totally new to you? ;) Sorry I haven´t started reading yet, but hope to do so soon. New to me too, though I saw the film an eternity ago.
Michaela wrote: "Oops, Savita! So it´s totally new to you? ;) Sorry I haven´t started reading yet, but hope to do so soon. New to me too, though I saw the film an eternity ago."
Yes , Michaela , I was really taken by surprise by my discovery 😁 . However , To Kill a Mockingbird is turning out to be a lovely book. To Kill a Mockingbird , according to Google , means to destroy innocence . I have reached page 168 and am feeling nervous about the implication of the book's title . 🤔
You will be able to catch up soon , the book is a very easy read . My reading is slow because I am reading The Goldfinch alongside .
I hope Paula and Sam join in soon too .
Sorry , not Sam , I meant Alexw .
I have finished Part 1, though Chapter 11. It isn’t my first read, but I am doing my best to pick up on some things I might have missed before, to really enjoy how fantastic the writing is and how carefully Harper Lee crafted this book. I love that Atticus is supposed to be the hero (more on that later if someone wants to compare the book and the movie, which I have definite unpopular thoughts about), but our protagonist and narrator in the book is Scout. Early in the book we are told that this is an older Scout recalling memories, but the narrative is still told through young Scout’s eyes. She isn’t old enough at the time to understand everything going on; she is very naive and full of children’s superstitions. It is up to the reader to read between the lines of her naive and innocent narrative to see what’s really happening. I dont know that I have ever read a book quite like this, where a very very adult story is told to a us through the eyes of a child who doesn’t quite get it. Great way to do a coming-of-age story, because Scout will surely have to deal with adult themes before this is all over.
Paula W wrote: "I have finished Part 1, though Chapter 11. It isn’t my first read, but I am doing my best to pick up on some things I might have missed before, to really enjoy how fantastic the writing is and how ..."Actually , Paula , though the story is written through the eyes of a child , still then , from the remarks made by the adults , the reader can get a fairly good picture of what's going on .
Savita wrote: "Paula W wrote: "I have finished Part 1, though Chapter 11. It isn’t my first read, but I am doing my best to pick up on some things I might have missed before, to really enjoy how fantastic the wri..."Yes, that’s what I meant. Because of her age, we don’t get a clear narrative from our 1st person narrator but must look at contextual clues and comments from other characters.
Am also through Part 1 and reminds me of Tom Sawyer growing up. Surprised on the fixation with the Radley family who has gone to great lengths to be left alone. The title of the book is revealed on Chapter 10, 2nd page.I have also read Harper Lee's Go Set A Watchman. Anyone else read her other book?
Catching up on Classics (and lots more!)
Books mentioned in this topic
The Origin of Species / The Voyage of the Beagle (other topics)Wuthering Heights (other topics)
The One-Eyed Giant (other topics)
To Kill a Mockingbird (other topics)
Mockingbird was chosen from monthly nominations as our May Contemporary Classic Group Read. This thread is open to full discussions about the book, go ahead and spoiler away! :)
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For discussions that don't include plot spoilers, here is the link to the Non-Spoiler thread.
For discussions limited to Part One of the book ONLY, here is the link to the Mockingbird Discussion, Part One ONLY - Spoilers!.
Thankyou! Happy Reading :D
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Link to nominating thread - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Link to poll - https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/9...
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There is also a film adaptation of this book. If you've seen the movie, and/or would like to discuss it, here's a link - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
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