To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee/Robert Mulligan

“Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird... Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us.” This was the advice that the wonderful Atticus gave to his children in a book went down in history. The lesson  was taken by all Literature lovers alike.

Tom Robinson is a victimized black man charged with the rape of a white girl. His justice is claimed by Atticus Finch- a virtuous lawyer, exemplary father and idealistic man.

This piece of literature, by Harper Lee is said to be a product of her own experiences in life and is presented through the narrative of young ‘Scout’ the six year old daughter of Atticus Finch. The scene of the novel is set in the small southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, one that is bogged down with rigid racial differences. The story sketches the experiences of Scout and her brother Jem through the trial of Tom Robinson and the lows of their father’s battle in sustaining his justice.

Summer begins as Scout and Jem become friends with Dill, who is about the same as their age and whose character is again known to be a possible real life inspiration from Harper Lee's own friend. The three of them together venture into their neighbour Boo Radley’s - (whose known to be as a vile and sinister sort of man) mysterious seclusion from the world. It is from here that the world around them unmasks to reveal a society which is prejudiced and irrational. The social pressure that Atticus encounters in providing the story’s (black) mockingbird justice, puts them through turbulence and the social hypocrisies that they are met with begin to shake their child-like simplicity - all this, to mark the formative years of their lives. Will they emerge with their optimism for humanity and people intact, or bruise like Tom Robinson and Boo Radley?

Well, Tom Robinson is declared guilty in the end thus providing every foundation for their scarred belief system, but a father like Atticus sees that the realities of the world are unlocked for his children to see, while keeping them guarded with hope all the same. Although the story ignites crucially sombre themes like injustice, racism and irrationality it wisely illuminates through Atticus, the need for forgiveness of evil and faith in human goodness.

“If you just learn a single trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”

Boo Radley is probably one of the only characters who is deservingly redeemed in the end. After being prejudiced as a nightmare for so many years he is discovered to be a kind and sensitive soul- keeping a vigilant eye on the children, he is the same someone who secretly stitches Jem’s torn pants, leaves them gifts and saves their lives!

This story is not about the victorious end of the right, or the hateful vengeance against evil, instead it’s so unique to convey the importance of justice alongside forgiveness, acceptance and hope. “Courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. Real courage is when you fight for what is right, regardless of whether you win or lose.”

Atticus is one of those few sketched out characters in English literature that deserve to be placed very highly. There are these magnanimous traits and these little somethings that you come to admire in him. His simple courage, his relentless hope or his character which is subtle yet so strong. Scout’s narrative is so sweet and heart-warming! As you keep reading you'll have, the innocence of these children redeem your rawness with their developing perspective in life becoming your evolution. The book is prescribed in many schools as compulsory English literature reading, and sensibly so.

As for having more readings of the like, sadly for us this book is Harper Lee’s first and only work and it makes me wonder why… Probably because once you reach writing something so fantastic, it’s nearly impossible to get any better!

Note: The movie "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a an adaptation of the same book, directed by Robert Mulligan, starring Gregory Peck and Mary Badham. For those who are cinephiles, I recommend the movie as well. Gregory Peck proves that he only had himself to compete with, by delivering one of the best performances in a Hollywood film.

The night Boo Radley came out - A visual clip