Book Review

The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.

Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill A Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behaviour – to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humour and pathos. Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into ten languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature.

It’s not easy being the black people in the year 1960 in America. If there are a robbery and 49 white people and 1 black people becoming the suspects, I’m sure the black will be jailed. Harper wrote this book from the view of Jean Louise Finch (Scout) going through her childhood adventure together with her brother Jem Finch and Dill.

Growing up without a mother and memory of it, Scout only has her father, Atticus Finch and as she grows up, she learnt that she knows nothing about Atticus. A 51-years old lawyer, whom she always saw reading a newspaper at his room, she thought he knows nothing about physical activities. Later it was revealed that Atticus was a known good shooter in Maycomb town when she saw herself Atticus shoot a rabid dog at their neighbourhood.

The beauty and conflict of the stories come together in the courtroom scene which Atticus defending Tom Robinson who falsely accused of raping Mayella Ewell.

Everyone knows Tom is innocent, but if all the juries are racist, no matter how hard Atticus fight, Tom will still be charged as guilty.

“Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it. “Your father’s right,” she said. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

This is my second time reading the book and this time because I want to read the sequel “Go Set a Watchman”, but still, I can’t get over it. Personally, I feel everyone should read this book, whether it’s a kid, teenager or adult. There are so many layers of meanings we can acquire, things we can learn from Scout, Jem and Dill and the coolness of Atticus action. The story is impactful that we keep thinking about it even we are finished reading. Please, pick up and read the book, you will never regret it.

Notes: The story was inspired by Lee’s father, who is a lawyer, unsuccessfully defending two African American which later they were convicted of murder.