To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird is a good story for many reasons. One reason is that the story has a great plot. Another reason TKAM is a good book is that it has great characterization. A third reason why TKAM is well written is the themes in the book. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the protagonist, Scout, grows up with her brother Jem and her father Atticus in Maycomb County, Alabama during the Great Depression. She is a tomboy and always questions her world as she sees it. She does not know the meaning of blunt and will always ask a question, always say something. Scout’s innocence plays a large role in To Kill a Mockingbird and allows Harper Lee to create a different view of the world Scout lives in. Her bluntness occasionally gets her into trouble, but her unfaltering honesty is one of the best (if not the best) things I like about the book. Additionally, Scout’s loyalty to her family and her fearlessness shape her a s a character. She never backs down from fights, and starts quite a lot of them herself. Especially during the stressful times during the Trial of Tom Robinson, her traits become heartbreakingly apparent. For instance, when Atticus was outside of Tom Robinson’s cell at night and was reading to him, surrounded by and angry mob of townsfolk, Scout, heedless of the danger, runs up to Atticus, says hello, and immediately starts making polite conversation with Mr. Cunningham. Scout has no idea whatsoever of what is going on, but that doesn’t stop her from trying to be polite, which inadvertently saves Atticus from some unpleasant fate. Additionally, at the time of the trial, right after Atticus makes his defense, Jem says to scout that there is now way they’ll convict Tom. Their complete innocence and cluelessness about racism and cruelty is heartbreaking. Because Harper Lee changed the viewpoint, she transformed the story of To Kill a Mockingbird to a completely different level. Additionally, To Kill a Mockingbird has important and well written themes throughout the book. To Kill a Mockingbird addresses the current issues when Harper Lee wrote this book, especially racism. To me this is ingenious because Harper Lee wrote a culturally relevant book that conveys her viewpoint on all the hotly debated issues in society at the time, yet made it accessible to all ages. Also, Harper Lee has many important and positive themes in the book about family and growing up. For example, in the book Scout learns about table manners from Calpurnia after questioning a poor boy’s choice of food at her house. She is rebuked about her table manners, but there is also something more. She is being taught to respect her guests, to treat them the way she would like to be treated. This is just one of many possible examples in To Kill a Mockingbird that teaches basic life lessons that are essential for a child to learn growing up. However, on the other end of the spectrum, Harper Lee talks about the more unpleasant things in society at the time. Scout sees racism, greed, and bigotry all around her as she lives in Maycomb. At her family reunion, one of her cousins accuses Atticus of being a N*gger lover. Also, at school, when the other kids accuse Atticus of the same thing she defends him by saying that he isn’t. This illustrates the common racism in the south at the time, how being racist was normal, and if you weren’t, you were an outlier. Using Scout’s innocence Harper Lee is able to raise the issues on these controversial themes with great detail. Also, To Kill a Mockingbird has an amazing plot. The story follows the Finch’s journey through life. Scout meets many people, and journeys through life as an explorer who is never afraid to ask a question. She has many interesting experiences, from watching Tom Robinson’s trial to finally meeting Boo Radley. Harper Lee takes you on a journey through the life of a young girl in the Great Depression, and lets you go back in time for a few short hours.

This is why I think To Kill a Mockingbird is a good book.