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To Kill a Mockingbird

Book 1 in the series:To Kill a Mockingbird

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To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a classic novel set in a small Southern town during the 1930s and 1940s. The story is told through the eyes of Scout, a young girl, and revolves around her father, Atticus Finch, a lawyer who defends an African American man accused of rape. The book delves into themes of racial inequality, prejudice, family dynamics, and the loss of innocence, capturing the social issues and moral dilemmas prevalent during that era. The narrative style is engaging, with a mix of heartwarming moments, social commentary, and a child's perspective on the complexities of life.

Characters:

The characters are richly developed, showcasing a mix of innocence, moral integrity, and prejudice, with Scout Finch as the voice of the younger generation and Atticus Finch as the moral exemplar.

Writing/Prose:

The prose is simple yet powerful, characterized by a Southern dialect and delivered through Scout's perspective, blending humor with heavy themes of racism and morality.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot intertwines the innocent adventures of Scout Finch and the serious racial injustices surrounding her father's defense of Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman, against the backdrop of the 1930s South.

Setting:

The setting in 1930s Maycomb, Alabama serves as a crucial backdrop, reflecting the societal norms and racial tensions of the time.

Pacing:

The pacing is initially slow as it establishes setting and character but accelerates during the trial, maintaining a well-balanced flow throughout.
When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. When it healed, and Jem’s fears of never being able to play football were assuaged, he was seldom self-conscious abou...

Notes:

The novel was published in 1960 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961.
To Kill a Mockingbird is set during the Great Depression in the 1930s.
The story is narrated by Scout Finch, a young girl who is six years old at the beginning of the novel.
Atticus Finch, Scout's father, is a lawyer who defends Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman.
The character of Boo Radley is a reclusive neighbor who becomes central to the children's understanding of kindness and humanity.
Harper Lee based some characters on real people from her own life, including Truman Capote, her childhood friend, who inspired the character of Dill.
The title refers to the moral idea that it's a sin to harm innocent beings, represented by mockingbirds.
Scout and Jem learn about social injustice and racism through their father's trial and their experiences growing up.
The novel addresses themes of moral growth, empathy, and the coexistence of good and evil in humanity.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of racism, sexual assault, and violence.

From The Publisher:

As seen through the eyes of his children, this is the legendary, wrenching story of lawyer Atticus Finch, who takes on a case that cuts deeply into the heart of racism in the 1930s Deep South. Mature content*

* Title may contain language or content considered inappropriate for younger readers.

Ratings (1439)

Incredible (276)
Loved It (460)
Liked It (382)
It Was OK (227)
Did Not Like (68)
Hated It (26)

Reader Stats (1957):

Read It (1514)
Currently Reading (8)
Want To Read (260)
Did Not Finish (19)
Not Interested (156)

26 comment(s)

Incredible
55 minutes

This book is so good. Fantastic and nothing had really changed with some of the blatant racism. Sad but reality.

 
Loved It
1 week

characters and theme

 
Liked It
1 week

I did not like the racism

 
Hated It
1 month

I was forced to read this in 9th grade, maybe it was 10th grade, about 30 years ago. I hated this book. I just remember it being ridiculously boring, peoples' interactions just being boring, and very slow paced. But, I was a kid back then, with my attention a bit focused on what teen boys like, such as Star Trek TNG, Quantum Leap, Beavis and Butthead, girls, football, etc. So, my review probably isn't worth much. I was a very different person back then, 30 years ago, so I wouldn't give this review much weight if you are interested in this book. I love the thinking/writing of Michelle Foucault, so I'm surprised I found this book so boring, but I did.

 
Liked It
1 month

I found the societal critique and the point of view to be profound

 
Loved It
3 months

This is my first reading of

To Kill a Mockingbird since high school. Although the book stayed with me in subtle ways, I didn't remember much of the plot.

I'm not quite sure what I want to say about this book. Scout Finch is one of the greatest narrators I've read in a long time. Harper Lee's ability to convey the complexity of race, class, and sex relations through the eyes of a child is remarkable; like Scout, I probably didn't understand all of what the adult characters say during my first reading. At the same time, viewing these relations through the eyes of a white child necessarily skirts around the truly dehumanizing nature of racism. The black community rallies around Atticus after the trial, bringing him food as thanks for his effots to help Tom Robinson. Link Deas goes out of his way to defend Helen Robinson from Bob Ewell's attacks. There is a sense that the black citizens are nothing but grateful to the white citizens who support them: they quickly give up their seats for Jem and Scout in the courtroom, and the only black person who objects to their presence at the black church is quickly overthrown by her peers. Maybe I'm only noticing this because I just finished reading

Kindred, which is absolutely unflinching and unforgiving in its condemnation of racism. However, it seems to me that

To Kill a Mockingbird is a "safe" read for contemporary high school students. It points out the brutality and dehumanization of racism without asking too much of its white characters.

At the same time, I loved the book and understand why it is so important to the American canon.

 
Loved It
3 months

Aunque hay gente que se queja de que los personajes son muy planos. Y quiza es asi. El padre es moralmente perfecto por ejemplo. Pero aun asi creo que es una maravilla. Un libro que es a la vez interesante y que provee de lecciones de humanidad grandiosas. Creo que leer este libro me ha hecho mejor persona.

 
It Was OK
3 months

Read it for school. Definitely something all people should read but not something I read for fun

 
Incredible
4 months

Who wouldn't wonder at this book

 
Incredible
5 months

Thought-provoking book.

 
More Comments...

About the Author:

Harper Lee was born in 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama. She attended Huntington College and studied law at the University of Alabama. She is the author of the acclaimed novels To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman, and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and numerous other literary awards and honours. She died on 19 February 2016.

 
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