Final Thoughts
Okay so I have official finished To Kill a Mockingbird. I have to say that it was pretty good. It was the best book that we have read this year and honestly probably my favorite of required high school reading thus far (the only things to compare it to are Haroun, Romeo and Juliet, Huck Finn, Catcher in the Rye and Great Expectation). I would probably give it about 4 out of 5 stars. There were a few things that I did not enjoy, but it was definitely a good and worthwhile read.
Atticus
Let me just say, I think that Atticus Finch was a brilliantly written character. He had a very pure heart, always trying to achieve justice for the innocent. Before we read the novel, we discuss the central theme of The Secret Lives We Live. When we did, I never imagined that we would be talking about Atticus. I envisioned him as the most honest person ever. In reality, I like to think that he is honest until he feels like his family is in danger with the truth. Obviously, there have been many sections throughout the novel, that give insight to Atticus's character. Specifically on after the accident with Boo Radley and Mr. Ewell. Mr. Tate attempts to convince Atticus to lie about the nature of the accident and Mr. Ewell's injuries and. The conversation between Scout and Atticus was a very poignant He says, "Scout, Mr. Ewell fell on his knife. Can you possibly understand?" And she simply responds, "Mr. Tate was right. " "Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird wouldn't it?"(Lee 276). This was a very important section for me because I could clearly see how Atticus evolved his character not only to protect his family from potential backlash, but Boo Radley as well. I think it is very smart that Scout can recognized that as well. She is honestly a very intelligent kid that has a really good attention to human behavior. I can tell that Atticus is very good father who would be proud of his kids.
Discussion
One of the most important things that someone brought up in the discussion our class had was about innocence. Earlier during the book, we talked about how the mockingbird reference deals with Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, but more importantly, innocence. I thought that that made a lot of sense especially because the point of view of the novel is Scout, who is just a little girl. Throughout the novel, Atticus and the people of Maycomb try to keep Jem and Scout their age by not involving them in the scandals of the town even though it is inevitable. But someone brought up the point about Boo still being innocent and a "mockingbird" if he committed a murder. I think that Boo can still be considered "innocent" because his intentions seemed pure. I mean we will never truly know because Boo did have a history of violence, but he loves Jem and Scout as if they were his own kids. He was willing to risk himself to help those children and I think that is why Atticus is willing to go along with Mr. Tate's plan to not disturb Boo's life by thrusting him into the spotlight. I was glad that someone brought this up because it really helped as a reader to see the world through a different character's eyes.
On a Certain Blindness in Human Beings
To go along with our reading of To Kill a Mockingbird, we also read On a Certain Blindness in Human Beings by William James. It was a very powerful essay that fit perfectly with the novel because James and Atticus had a lot of similar morals and beliefs.
I think that Harper Lee was very smart to allow the children (Jem, Dill and Scout) to be lens that the reader sees Maycomb County through. It really plays into the whole concept of innocence that the novel centralizes a theme around. They are similar to Atticus in that they inherently believe that everyone is good. I mean Scout had the ability to diffuse the entire situation where the mob was going to attack Atticus and Tom Robinson by simply talking about something that she did not understand. Kids are very observant and can pick up on characteristics that adults don't think that they are capable of. It allows them to see people for who they truly are as opposed to the "secret life" that they portray to others.
Maycomb is a very simple town, especially during the 1930s. People are used to doing things a specific way because that is how it has been done for at least 100 years. People could easily blind each other because each is caught up in their own business and problems. The years in which the novel is set is right around the beginnings of the Great Depression. No person had time to be all into the business of others. They were all just trying to survive. The way that the societal system in Maycomb was done itself allowed them to blind each other. They kind of operated as a "don't ask, don't tell" world. That being said, gossip was still spread easily, but only the surface gossip. People would present their lives how they wanted to them to be seen, not with the truth, hence "The secret lives we live".
This novel has reiterated the concept, don't judge a book by its cover to me. Atticus really encourages his kids to be kind and empathetic to all people as he says to Scout, "You never really understand a person until you you consider things from his point of view— until you climb into his skin and walks around in it" (Lee 30). I think that is a quote that everyone should be able to take away from this novel. We as a human race are quick to judge other people based on what we see on the outside. There is a lot more to people that they keep hidden. If we could learn to look deeper at others and notice them for who they truly are, we would be a happier group of people.
