This cult classic by Harper Lee basically deals with 'courage' as exhibited by a man and his children during difficult times and in a society marred by racial prejudices. This book has both it’s share of admirers as well as detractors. Some label it as the classic narrative of American cultural identity of 1930s deep south, while many rue it’s lack of depth as far as story and narrative is concerned.
The story revolves around the lives of its two main protagonists- Jean Louise Finch (Scout), a six year old girl, and her older brother Jem. They live with their father, Atticus Finch, who is a lawyer by profession, in the fictional town of Maycomb, the seat of Maycomb County in Alabama. Maycomb, like other southern towns of 1930s America, is sharply divided along racial lines. Though a superficially harmonious arrangement exists between the whites and the blacks, the prejudices against the latter run deep in the society and the psyche of the people. In a situation such as this, Atticus Finch- the conscience of the town in many ways – is entrusted with the duty to defend a black man accused of raping a white girl. This incident serves as a sort of eye-opener for the young Finches as they are confronted with the ugly side of racial arrangement in their day-to-day life. They also face personal attacks for being the children of a ‘nigger-lover’. Majority of the whites in the town of Maycomb disapprove of Atticus Finch’s decision to defend a black man accused of a heinous crime against a white. Atticus Finch, who is the epitome of rationality, courage and morality in personal as well as professional life, does not deviate from his path as he sincerely believes in the innocence of the accused, Tom Robinson, as well as in the necessity of ensuring equality in the dispensation of justice. He teaches his children the virtue of being courageous in the face of irrationality and injustice of fellow-beings. Things come to a head when the jury, composed exclusively of whites, pronounce Tom Robinson guilty in spite of strong evidence to the contrary. Tom, convinced that he would not get a fair trial in a system and in a society dominated by whites, attempts to escape the prison and is fatally shot at by the prison guards. The young Finches are deeply impacted by the incident. Furthermore, they are forced to come face-to-face with the dreadful reality of racism and its personal repercussions when they are attacked by the white man, Bob Ewells, against whose allegations Atticus Finch was defending Tom in the trial.
In many ways, it is a sort of coming-of-age story with regard to the young protagonists of the same. However, many feel that this does not hold true in the face of the fact that the kids retain their innocence throughout the story and do not change much in terms of their outlook towards life and the issues of society. However, it can be argued that one does notices a subtle broadening of horizon as far as Jim and Scout Finch are concerned. This subtle change and the resultant maturity is seen especially in Jem Finch who is shown in a nuanced way as being deeply affected by the happenings around him. Though not a coming-of-age story per se, it does attempt to highlight the issue of racism by showing this ugly practice from the perspective of impressionable children residing in the world of rigid adults. The story moves at a slow pace and is mostly episodic. The story touches upon the theme of racial prejudices and associated inequalities without ever losing the lightness in the narrative. Many would almost feel that the ‘Tom Robinson’ episode was one of the many episodes that took place in the life of the young Finches , around whom the story revolves. This is more so because this particular episode comes much later in the book. However, if one were to observe closely, it would become clear that the issue of racism is interwoven throughout the story but in a manner so casual and subtle that it passes off as mere references to the customs and usages of the time. In a way that serves as a reminder as to the casualness with which one views the inequalities in society in any time or age, be it inequalities related to gender, caste, class, race, colour or religion.
The narrative throughout is light and even the most dire of the incidents have been described with a lightness that is the hallmark of this Harper Lee book. This was necessary as Lee tells the story through her six-year old protagonist who is innocent to the ways of the world, yet very much a kid amidst adults beset with biased and irrational attitudes and thus, not unaware of the ways of the society of which she is a part. Many also label the story as shallow and lacking in depth. This is largely due to the fact that the narrative is mostly linear and there is a lack of layered and nuanced plot and characters. The story also lacks a climactic ending. Many find the ending of the book- in which Bob Ewells dies while attacking Atticus Finch’s children – too tepid. However, the beauty of the story lies in the fact that it brings out the harsh realities of a time and a society with a simplicity that is unparalleled. There is no melodramatic show-downs or long-winding preachiness that such stories are susceptible to. Harper Lee probably set out to achieve the objective of contrasting childhood innocence to the adult fragility in terms of attitudes and beliefs and, needless to say, she was successful in the same to a large extent.
Author:- Harper Lee
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:- Nell Harper Lee (April 28, 1926 – February 19, 2016), better known by her pen name Harper Lee, was an American novelist widely known for her book, 'To Kill a Mockingbird’, published in 1960. It won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and has become a classic of modern American literature.
A touching tale about a 15 year old girl, Madeline Grace, who runs away from home to escape her abusive step-father. She meets Eric, a 14-year old boy, while looking for food in a dumpster, and the latter helps her hide in his outhouse and takes good care of her. Set in the 1960s America, the story is a moving tale about the bond shared between the two children. It also highlights the issue of destruction of young lives due to the insensitivity and negligence of adults. It gives us an insight into the American society of the time with regard to treatment of children by grown-ups. The story moves at a comfortable pace and keeps the readers engrossed. The language is lucid and the narrative is engaging. The story warms the heart and breaks it too, thus making reading the book a moving experience.