To kill a mockingbird: preserving innocence and valuing truth

To kill a mockingbird by Harper Lee was one of those books where after reading it, more than just enjoying it, you feel like you have learnt something. It could perhaps be an aspect of human nature, or a deeper understanding of the world we live in - I am certain that this

book will have a lasting impact on the reader. Personally, after acknowledging the sheer magnitude and significance of the topic which the author chose to discuss, it came to my notice just how clever Harper Lee was when developing the story. She chose to teach these lessons about killing innocence through the eyes of the innocent themselves through the character Jean-Louise “Scout” Finch. 

Harper Lee was born in Monroeville, Alabama where she studied in the Monroe County High School at a young age before moving to Oxford University. After studying at Oxford, Harper Lee chose to move back to Alabama where she would study law. As an author, Harper Lee published 2 novels including To kill a mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman. To kill a mockingbird was published in 1960 whereas her second novel Go Set a Watchman was published in 2015. After its original publication in 1960 the initial critical reviews were mixed. However, as time went on, the book grew in popularity amassing a total 500,000 purchases in the first year and today there are more than 40 million copies sold worldwide. The book's publication earned Harper Lee the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961. The story was allegedly written as a portrayal of her life as she grew up in Monroeville. The court case which the book is centred around is actually a reference to a trial in which the author's father served as a defence counsel for a couple of African American men. While the book is loved by most today, it is still extremely controversial with some schools banning it claiming that it was troubling for students to read.

While reading the book, what stood out most to me was the struggle of one man for justice. Atticus Finch chose to defend an innocent black client who had been accused of committing a crime. In the time when the book was written, (not so long ago), racism was still institutionalised and very much a part of people’s everyday lives. This meant that Atticus, a well respected white man, choosing to defend a black person, (innocent or not) in trial left most people in the small town of Maycomb County astounded. In fact, even today racism plays a strong role in the opportunities which people of certain races are provided, as well as the way in which they are treated. In the United States of America, where the story takes place, police brutality towards people with darker skin colour is startlingly high with examples like the death of George Floyd and countless others that don’t get publicised. Cases are based on circumstantial evidence like Tom Robinson in the story, and sometimes on no evidence at all. This concept where law enforcement is prejudiced towards certain peoples means that the entire justice system cannot operate in an unbiased fashion.

A key theme in the book is the killing of innocence. In the story, the author uses the character of Tom Robinson to portray to the audience how easily the innocent can be damaged by a prejudiced society and how easily such things are overlooked or  dismissed. Miscarriage of justice is not uncommon, but it is horrendous - this is why there is the concept of innocent until proven guilty. Harper Lee discusses how after the death of Tom Robinson, he would be easily forgotten by the people of Maycomb. It shows how one person dying does not make a real difference. The sad reality is that the lives of people can just be casually discarded by those in power. Tom Robinson may not have died in the chair, however, he did die because of the racism present in society and was already sentenced by the town. The courtroom where he was convicted of the crime, quite evidently not committed by him, was just a farce.

This was my first time reading this book, even though I felt deeply moved, I wonder if I captured all the nuances in the story. I understand that some things will become clearer as I grow older and experience more. However, reading the book evoked an emotion of intense sadness within me. I felt outraged at the injustice of society and the way the world worked or rather still works. Even so, the dark concepts which were mentioned in the story were paralleled with hope in the form of Atticus Finch who continued to fight for the rights of people. The style of writing is engaging and you cannot but love Scout and Jem. Their innocence reflects the theme of the book beautifully. Despite the troubling plot, seeing it through their eyes makes it bearable, in fact, enjoyable. After the trial was over Bob Ewell tried to get his revenge on Atticus for his embarrassment in the trial and failed with lots of drama for the readers to enjoy. 

As part of a couple of projects in school (PYPX exhibition and Drama), I have been researching the Civil Rights Movement and Martin Luther King's contributions. Reading this book made me understand yet again, the significance of the Civil Rights Movement and the importance of the idea of justice for all, regardless of race, gender or any other bias.

I fully intend to reread this book again and again as I believe that the book will be forever relevant. The theme of standing up for what is right, even if you are a lone voice against an immensely powerful group that is far too prejudiced to separate right from wrong, is timelessly heroic. The ideas presented in this book are many, while some are clearly black and white others have shades of grey. Like I said earlier, you will always learn something after reading it, be it your first time or your tenth. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone; whatever age you may be, there is always something we can learn about the world - good or evil, despair or hope.