Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Title: To Kill a Mockingbird

Author: Harper Lee

Finally, I’m done reading this book! I decided to read the book when I saw the video from Sparknotes.com. I have downloaded videos from them and I started to listen to each of them. I like the way they review the whole story and the lessons you will learn from it. This is basically a family and growing up story. *Spoiler Alert*

The story revolves around with the main characters, Scout, Jem and Atticus Finch in a sleepy town of Maycomb Alabama. Atticus Finch is a lawyer and a widowed father living with his two children, Scout and Jem with their loyal black cook Miss Calpurnia. One summer, Scout and Jem befriended a boy named Dill. One day, Dill was fascinated by the mysterious house on their street which was called the Radley place. The house was owned by Mr. Nathan Radley, living together with his brother Arthur known as Boo. Dill dared Scout and Jem to let Boo come out of his house. Boo has been in the house for as long as Scout or Jem could remember and both never seen him before, not even his shadow. They have made attempts but to no avail. 

Atticus soon learned their scheme and reminded Scout a very important lesson. Atticus said to Scout, "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". Scout doesn't know what it meant that time. 

“Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it.

“Your father’s right,” she said. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” 

Atticus agrees to help a black man named Tom Robinson who has been accused of raping a white woman named Mayella Ewell. On this part of the book, you can identify the racial discrimination. The white people in their community don’t like colored people or the Negroes. Atticus tried his best to defend the poor man but the jury (all white people) decided that Tom was guilty. Tom later on tried to escape from prison but was shot to death. Bob Ewell, the father of Mayella holds a grudged to Atticus for defending a black man. 

When Jem and Scout head home from Halloween party, Bob Ewell attacked them that ended Jem’s left arm broken. Boo Radley intervenes and accidentally killed Bob Ewell to save the children. Boo carried them home. Scout realized that it was Boo who saved them in that incident. The Sheriff, in order to protect Boo, insisted that Ewell tripped over a tree root, fell on his own knife and killed himself eventually. 

Scout understands that making a hero out of Boo would be like killing a mockingbird. Scout understood her father’s advice to practice compassion though life may be so unfair at times. 

I liked the story a lot. I learned a lot of things and lessons worth sharing. The best part of the book was the end part, Chapter 31. Scout learns the moral outlook on killing a mockingbird. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend. Sometimes, it takes a single occurrence to realize you have to broaden your mind and understand an individual. Don't be so quick to judge people.

Personally, I wanted to thank Sheena for introducing this book to me. At first, I never give it that much attention. Somehow, I gave it a try since it was one of Sparknotes top books. I truly digested a lot of positive lessons from this book. Please if you have time read this one.  

Photos credit to: SPARKNOTES