To Kill A Mockingbird

The location I chose to read To Kill a Mockingbird turned out to be highly appropriate for its story.  I was at home over Spring Break, lounging in the sun in my backyard, where I grew up playing outside incessantly with my neighbors, much like Scout did with her brother and Dill.  Being at home already put me in a nostalgic mood; reading the tales of Scout’s make-believe adventure and ridiculous games filled my mind with numerous comparable memories of my own childhood.

            When I first started reading To Kill A Mockingbird I instantly connected with Scout.  Like her experience spending her pre-school summers with Jem and Dill, my two favorite companions before I went to elementary school were boys: two of my neighbors, brothers who were about my age.  My connections with the main character made the book very relatable to me and made it a quick, fun read. It was probably my favorite assigned reading that I’ve ever read, and not just because of my similar experiences as Scout.

            I also was fascinated by Harper Lee’s exquisite capture of the small-town, southern society during the Great Depression.  The racist themes and the setting reminded me somewhat of The Help, especially the scene where Aunt Alexandra has the neighbors over and the ladies gossip while Cal serves them.  Knowing some background into the society portrayed by The Help I think gave further insight into the setting of To Kill a Mockingbird.  Having this background knowledge led me to more quickly presume that the society was at least covertly racist.  The stunning human-like portrayal of the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird as well as the strong moral presence of the father Atticus reminded me of my favorite book as a child, Because of Winn-Dixie.  There are a lot of other similarities between the novels, another reason that I enjoyed To Kill a Mockingbird so much.

            I also enjoyed the novel because of Atticus Finch.  As I read further into the novel, I found that I respected his character more and more.  I think Harper Lee created in Atticus an example to her society about what real Christianity looks like.  Atticus embodies many of the values I associate with my faith; he is honest, courageous, accountable, and stands up for what is right; he is also humble and slow to anger, and takes great care in instilling these values in his children.  Atticus stands in great contrast to the society in which he is written, but does not let his sanctimonious yet immoral and racist surroundings take away from himself or his family.  I think we all have a lot we can learn from Atticus Finch about how we can be a positive example, not just saying but demonstrating what we proclaim is right.