Books: To Kill A Mockingbird

 "To Kill A Mockingbird". I have heard from multiple people how this book is their favourite and a must-read. This book did not give me clarity. It gave me questions to think about. It doesn't make me happy or instill faith in people, it disturbed me. 

To Kill A Mockingbird touches upon those subjects which are taboo'd. Those subjects which society would consider best left alone and leave things as it is. This is because society is not ready to go through the humiliation and pain to undo what is wrong. 

The story opens with tomboy Jean Louise "Scout" Finch who is six years old and her ten-year-old brother Jem Finch. Their single parent Atticus Finch is a lawyer in the small town of Maycomb. Their mother figure is a black woman, Calpurnia, who has a personal connection with the Finches. Scout dislikes school as it is holding her back from reading and tells that to Atticus. In the summer, grumpy Ms. Rachel's nephew Dill arrives who fits in with the Finches. The Finch siblings tell Dill all about the Radley house and fascination turns to obsession  with the children. Gory skits, wild attempts to pull out Boo Radley and midnight adventures are a plenty. At Christmas , she gets into a fight with cousin Frankie for calling Atticus "a nigger-lovin' freak". Scout's pride is put on the line and the feelings of Aunty Alexandra about her tomboyishness are reiterated. When she tells her Uncle about the same, she is appreciated. School gives her the same trouble and she asks atticus what a Nigger is. He replies with A Negro. 

The children's friendship with Ms. Maudie near by grows and they begin visiting often. One Sunday, Atticus is busy and they go to church with Calpurnia. They explore the Negro side of things. They see the poverty and isolation and at the same time the joviality. Although there is some hostility to having white people in church, the reaction is overall delighted. This happens to be because they are the children of Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch is defending a Negro man - Tom Robinson, who allegedly raped a white nineteen - year - old Mayella Ewell. The plot thickens as this seems to be the worst situation Tom could be in.

As they learn about this case, their perspective of Negroes changes from just Negroes to real people. He compares them to mockingbirds. You can kill as many blujays as you like only if you can , but to kill a mockingbird is a sin. 

The children save Atticus from a near death incident at Tom Robinson's jail and Scout's deep , colloquial talk earns Atticus some supporters. Finally, it is the day. Mayella and Tom have drastically different stories to what happened on November 21st. Mayella claims that she just invited him to do some chopping work and then he pounced on her and took advantage of her. Tom said that she did invite him to chop a cupboard but she was the one who tempted him and tried to kiss him. Atticus goes to show that her father could have easily done it, and this was all done to do away with Tom, who was the greatest evidence to Mayella's act of sin - Tempting a Negro

Tom is sent to a prison where he tries to escape and is shot. Although Atticus could not save him, no one could have, he made a change in society. People seemed to be ashamed of their behaviour because the no one could argue the case Atticus presented. Tom's wife - Helen was fiercely defended against the Ewell's disrespect.

The story is heart-wrenching but ends with a death row decision. Even then, Mayella's father, Bob is out for vengeance, resulting in sordid violence against the Judge, the Finch kids and disrespect to Atticus. A badly injured Jem is watched over all night by Atticus, who will be there when he awakens. 

A few lines that I think summarise the message of the novel are  when Jem tells Scout that there are four types of people in Maycomb - ordinary ones, Ewells, Negroes and Cunninghams. And A is after B , B after C and so on. Scout disagrees "I think there's only one kind of people Jem. People. "

"But then, what makes them turn against each other? "

Quite a question to ponder. 

Another thing I found interesting is that the Negroes too did not fight for equality or anything at this point. They just accepted their position in society, feeling perhaps "unworthy". This has changed today, where people have mediums to openly express their feelings and claim their rights. Everything is open and free for everyone to view.

I have very few words for this book. It has touched the roots of racism and morality, and yet has more to offer. It is a fearless book, not afraid of the uneasiness and sickness of hearing a "complex matter" simply put by a child. What changed the town? It was another Negro death. It had happened before. I think the difference was that this time there was a real person being shown in court, not a Negro. A person who really loved Negroes and believed in his cause made a change. He made a change in the pattern of thinking, he pierced the very hearts of people with nothing but the truth. 

Thank you Nana and Harper Lee. For a lovely thirteenth birthday present.