To Kill A Mockingbird

When I began reading, Harper Lee's novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, I began to imagine what life would be like living in the deep south, in a city like the fictional, Maycomb. Lee does an amazing job painting a pitcure for us of how rascism was directed toward African Americans during this time period. As well, as a "woman's place" in the society. I also noticed that who you are, and what family you were born into seems to matter in this town.

This novel is narrated by a young girl nicknamed Scout. At first, I believed much of the book was going to be of her adventures with her brother, Jem, and their friend, Dill, who visits Maycomb in the summertime. The summer Scout and Jem met Dill, was the summer they became determined to find a way get the mysterious, Boo Radley, to leave the house, where he lived in silence with his brother, Nathan Radley.

Lee using the mockingbird to symbolize innocence in the deep south. In my opinion, Boo Radley, is too, the symbol for innocence. He mostly keeps to himself and stays at home, completely secluded from the outside world, other than his brother, he has little contact with the outside world. However, I believe the children's fasination with him began to make him want more human contact. He began leaving toys and other items in the hole in the tree trunk by the Radley house, which was later filled with cement by Nathan Radley, who claimed the tree, whos appearence seemed perfectly healthy, was dying. The young children had yet another encounter with Boo Radley during the fire at Miss Maudie's house across the street. Boo had placed a blanket on Scout, without Scout or Jem, noticing him or the blanket. The two children were unaware it was even there until their father, Atticus, pointed it out.

Atticus Finch, the father or Scout and Jem Finch, is a lawyer in Maycomb. Atticus is forced to defend an African American man named, Tom Robinson. Many people in Maycomb do not like that Atticus is defending a black man, especially since the case is against a white women. Naturally, with all the rascism and hatred toward Afrian Americans in the deep south, they will always take the side of the white man. Tom Robinson is being accuse of raping a young girl named, Mayella Ewell. Even though, in Maycomb, the Ewells are known to be scum and liars, people still will take their word over Tom's. There is much anger toward Atticus for defending him. People around town begin calling him "nigger-lover" and Scout, who was aware of its actual meaning, did not like it because of the tone of the people who said it. She believed it to be such bad thing. they she ended up getting into a scuffle, even after Scout had promised not to fight anymore. There were so many rumors flying around and Scout and Jem were being taunted by them everywhere they went, by neighbors and other children at school, even family members disapproved of Atticus' case.

Atticus is a good role model for his children. He allows them to speak their mind and to do the right thing. Because of his age, he is very intelligent andwise. He has taught his children to read, so they are well educated. Unfortunately for Scout, this later gets her in trouble with her first grade teacher. Scout could not wait to start school and now, all she looks forward to, in summertime with Dill. When the children's Aunt Alexandra, comes to live with them, she begins teaching, or trying to teach Scout how to be a lady. Jem is starting to mature with his age and he and Scout are beginning to drift apart. Being called a girl used to be an insult by Jem to Scout, but now he wants Scout to start acting more like a girl. Scout and Jem's relationship is changing and I'm curious how different things will become between the two siblings.

I can't wait to finish the book and read the outcome of all that is going on in the little town of Maycomb, Alabama.