This book is a true classic. Even though I had read it once or twice back in school, it’s been many, many years. Thank you Karen, for sending this for me to read again. Harper Lee first published it in 1960, though it’s set in the 1930s in rural Alabama. The timing is important—the book takes place just after the Great Depression and as Hitler was rising to power. Lee wrote it at the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement.
Most people remember To Kill a Mockingbird for the trial of an innocent Black man in the Deep South. That’s definitely an important part of the book, but it’s only one piece. The trial doesn’t even begin until the last third of the story.
More than that, it’s a coming-of-age story centered on Scout, a young girl learning about the world—the good, the bad, and the deeply unfair. Through her eyes, we see how different kinds of people behave and how different forms of evil can exist in ordinary life. The story spans a few years, and you really get to see Scout and her brother Jem grow as characters.
It starts with their childhood obsession with Boo Radley, a reclusive neighbor rumored to be dangerous. Over time, they come to learn that he’s actually the one who saves them in the end. (Spoiler alert!) This follows the familiar theme in children’s literature—sometimes the person you fear is actually the one who protects you.
One powerful part of the story is when a teacher compares Hitler’s treatment of the Jews to racism in America. Scout asks why Hitler is so bad for hating a whole race of people, while just moments before the teacher had been making similar judgments about Black folks in their own town. It’s a sharp commentary on hypocrisy, and it hits hard.
I also appreciated Atticus Finch, the lawyer and father figure, and his insights on mob mentality. He explains how many people, individually good, can get swept up into a mob and become cruel or irrational. It’s a timeless message: even decent people can lose themselves in a crowd.
Final Thoughts
Another great read. This book 100% deserves its place in the “Classics” category.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Wonderful insightful report on one of my favorite books.
Thank you, Karen.~ Larry