To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is one of the most popular books of American literature. It takes place in the 1930s, at the height of the Great Depression. In the small Alabamian town of Maycomb, the story focuses on Scout and Jem, the children of Atticus, the town lawyer. The children’s mother has died, and so the family has hired Calpurnia, an African American woman who Scout and Jem look up to as their mother figure. Throughout the story, Atticus and Calpurnia teach the children life lessons and how to treat others. The events in the town over the next few years cause the children to recognize the prejudice happening around them.
The story starts off focusing on the neighboring house of the Radleys. Rumor has it that the son of the Radleys, Arthur, (or Boo as the children call him) has been locked up inside for years after one juvenile crime. One summer, Jem and Scout, along with their friend Dill, have the idea of trying to get Boo to come out of his house. The curiosity of the children leads them into trouble. A friendly neighbor, Miss Maudie, tells the children to remember that we truly never know what happens behind closed doors. The mystery deepens when the children find out more about Boo’s true personality in later chapters.
The plot shifts to the highlight of the book: the court case. Atticus is defending an African American man, Tom Robinson who has been falsely accused of harming a white woman. This part in the book portrays the racism in this town, and the children’s eyes are opened to the harsh class system prevalent in their lives. The mistreatment of Tom Robinson brings the children to the realization that racism clouds the minds of normally moral people, and can change their ability to think logically.
As the story draws to an end, Jem and Scout have grown a lot, physically and mentally, and have learned so much from their family and the people of Maycomb. Scout’s greatest realization is that you have to step in someone else’s shoes to really understand them before you judge them. This story brings up a lot of tough topics, but overall brings very important messages and morals that we will always need throughout our lifetime. Sometimes the plot line moves a bit slow and can get a bit confusing, but overall it is a great story teaching key lessons which still have a big impact today. I give To Kill A Mockingbird 4 out of 5 stars.
Hannah Adamson
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is one of the most popular books of American literature. It takes place in the 1930s, at the height of the Great Depression. In the small Alabamian town of Maycomb, the story focuses on Scout and Jem, the children of Atticus, the town lawyer. The children’s mother has died, and so the family has hired Calpurnia, an African American woman who Scout and Jem look up to as their mother figure. Throughout the story, Atticus and Calpurnia teach the children life lessons and how to treat others. The events in the town over the next few years cause the children to recognize the prejudice happening around them.
The story starts off focusing on the neighboring house of the Radleys. Rumor has it that the son of the Radleys, Arthur, (or Boo as the children call him) has been locked up inside for years after one juvenile crime. One summer, Jem and Scout, along with their friend Dill, have the idea of trying to get Boo to come out of his house. The curiosity of the children leads them into trouble. A friendly neighbor, Miss Maudie, tells the children to remember that we truly never know what happens behind closed doors. The mystery deepens when the children find out more about Boo’s true personality in later chapters.
The plot shifts to the highlight of the book: the court case. Atticus is defending an African American man, Tom Robinson who has been falsely accused of harming a white woman. This part in the book portrays the racism in this town, and the children’s eyes are opened to the harsh class system prevalent in their lives. The mistreatment of Tom Robinson brings the children to the realization that racism clouds the minds of normally moral people, and can change their ability to think logically.
As the story draws to an end, Jem and Scout have grown a lot, physically and mentally, and have learned so much from their family and the people of Maycomb. Scout’s greatest realization is that you have to step in someone else’s shoes to really understand them before you judge them. This story brings up a lot of tough topics, but overall brings very important messages and morals that we will always need throughout our lifetime. Sometimes the plot line moves a bit slow and can get a bit confusing, but overall it is a great story teaching key lessons which still have a big impact today. I give To Kill A Mockingbird 4 out of 5 stars.