To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

Just like every young child, innocent Scout lived a carefree life filled with exploring and playing with her older brother, Jem and friend Dill. Her summer days also included acting out the mysterious life of the never-seen Boo Radley, who they were so intrigued by. Soon Scout and her companions would come to learn the evils of the world, the injustice of human nature, and just how unfair people can be because of the color of someone's skin. When Scout's father, a lawyer, is assigned to defend a black man for a crime he did not commit, the reality of discrimination really comes into play for Jem and Scout. They see how cruel people can really be to others, and are forced to face the evils of mankind. Atticus tells his kids, "As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don't you forget it - whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash." (Pg.220) Their father's guidence help these kids make sense of these difficult issues. As you can see, their father's wise instruction plays a significant role in their childhood.

I really admire the characters in this book. The author gives them such unique personalities that really come alive throughout the whole story. She does such a great job of capturing the kind of characters and attitudes the book needed to make it the kind of story it was. There's Scout, the feisty tomboy girl who doesn't understand why things are so unfair. She looks up to her older brother, Jem, who's learning to comprehend some of the darker aspects of human nature. He's smart, and wants to be just like his dad. Also, he's very protective and understanding of his little sister, and can always explain to her what's going on. Then of course there's Atticus who's the dry humored, hands off, yet unconditionally loving and caring father who sometimes thinks, "I'm a total failure as a parent, but I'm all they've got." (Pg. 288) People say that, "Atticus Finch is the same in this house as he is on the public streets." (Pg. 46) This shows that he's a consistent man. He's also very respected. His children look up to him and believe in everything he is. He is an extremely calm and wise man who fights for justice and does the right thing no matter what people think of him. He doesn't tend to worry, and has impacted his children more than he'll ever know.

This book is exceptionally good at showing you just how humans really are. It teaches so many great lessons, and the author did an amazing job of capturing those lessons and themes without telling you too much. Scout, Jem, and Dill learn the hard way that people don't accept, and are cruel about things and people that they don't understand. They're scared of them and therefore assume the worst, like the characters did with Tom Robinson, the black man who was accused of rape, and Boo Radley because he never came outside. In this book you see how prejudiced most people are, and deals with a lot of issues involving racism, and discrimination, which really has an effect on the outcome of certain issues. This book definitely opens your eyes and lets you walk around in each person's shoes, allowing you to see things from a variety of perspectives. And that's really kind of cool because all the characters have their own opinion about things, and they're all so different, yet also alike.

Yes, it's true. This book does start off slow. It seems as though the narrator is just rambling on. But then towards the middle, the random observations and stories are intertwined with more of a purposeful storyline. Later you see that the narrator was actually skillfully setting the stage for the kinds of people there are in Maycomb, and all the major events that take place. So really, all the little things are actually very important to the story.

Harper Lee did such a fabulous job writing this book. She used very colorful writing that got her many points across, and helped capture what the book was saying in just a few sweet, well-chosen words. It was a really unique style of writing that was partly what made this book so phenomenal. "Somehow, it was hotter then: a black dog suffered on a summer's day; bony mules hitched to Hoover carts flicked flies in the sweltering shade of the live oaks on the square. Men's stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o'clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum." (Scout) (Pg. 11) I also liked the way the book was laid out. At the end of each chapter, the author/narrator would leave you hanging about what unbelievable thing just occurred, or how so-and-so reacted, which made it so you had to immediately start in on the next chapter. You never really knew what to expect next, or what the next amazingly- written chapter would bring. It was hard to put this epic story down.

Set in the early 1830's, this timeless classic went above and beyond. It was just so believable, and was written with such care. Harper Lee really captured the mood of the period. She did a wonderful job of keeping me intrigued, and every time I opened the book, I was taken back to a nostalgic time. Also, I really liked how the book included so many different events that caused a variety of emotions and responses. Not only did this book teach many great and useful lessons, it also dealt with many regular life issues that we can all relate to, and does it with thought-provoking insight. I most definitely recommend it to those who can grasp some of the deeper issues of life, and who want to really get something out of a good book. I found it perfect for snuggling up on the couch with on a rainy day, and for a breezy sun-filled day out on the lawn. You won't regret reading this American classic.