3 reasons James Ravalese

James Ravalese

9/7/16

English C

3 Reasons Why I Loved To Kill a Mockingbird

The masterpiece classic To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is the story of a trial of a black man set in the 1930s in the south in Macomb county Alabama. However, the story is through the eyes of a little girl named Jean Louise Finch (Scout). Her father Atticus Finch the best lawyer in town and attorney of the state, decides to take the case of the black man named Tom Robinson who is accused of raping and beating a white woman. Even when the town urges Atticus not to take the case he does because he knows it's the right thing to do. This book is a classic for a reason seen through a young 8 year old eyes and this is pulled off exceptionally well. Second the book really highlighted how cruel and awful racism was without sugar coating or making it very realistic. Finally this book is known and loved because of its trial scene. This scene consists of racism, court conduct, prejudice, and the truth all perfectly described and depicted.

My favorite part about this book is that the narrator is a 8 year old girl and how authentic the writing feels and because I was reading  at a young age there is a strange connection. For example “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view . . . until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (Chapter 3) I have heard this saying many times almost word for word especially because my mom is also a lawyer. In this example Atticus is talking to Scout to tell her she needs to be more understandable of other people. For Scout this is hard to grasp because she growing up in a racist world learning to hate african american she has to understand what people are going through. Scout is portrayed as young reckless and immature but as the book goes on it is very noticeable she has matured and become a brave person like her father.

In To Kill a Mockingbird they do not pull punches with racism they make some scenes in the book very realistic to what is was like in the 1930s. For example even though all the evidence was in favor of Tom Robinson he was still found guilty. This was not unexpected at all because Tom Robinson is black. When Atticus fought for Tom Robinson he showed the true meaning of bravery “It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” This is what Atticus did for Tom Robinson He defended him the case even though he had no chance but because he saw that an innocent man would be killed because of his skin color he had to be brave. Throughout the book racism is a recurring theme which causes many of the main character to be brave and fight for what they stand for.

This is by far my favorite part of the book and that is the trial scene. The trial scene is intense and it keeps you on your toes and focused on every detail during the trial I was hoping that Tom Robinson would be found innocent but it was always know that because he was black he had no chance. Finally Atticus’ courtroom speech he describes how all men were created equal and in the courtroom that is in effect and he touches everybody's heart with this speech. “But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal—there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court. It can be the Supreme Court of the United States or the humblest J.P. court in the land, or this honorable court which you serve. Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal. With this very speech was the beginning of the end of racism.

To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite books because I have so many similarities with the main characters. The sheer intensity of the book makes me tremble every time I read it. First because the story is narrated by a child so when I read this I had the same thoughts and ideas as her. Second this book showed how real and terrible racism was that an innocent man would be killed because his skin was a darker tone than someone else's. Finally the trial this is very intriguing interesting and always kept me on my feet for what was to happen next. With the culmination of all those elements it was one of my all time favorite books.