To Kill a Mockingbird

At the beginning of the semester, my cousin Kylie and I who is in this same class jumped at the opportunity to go see a classic playing on BYU campus-To Kill a Mockingbird, and at the same time witness a Great Work by an inspiring author.

I had read this book before, actually quite unwillingly, I had to read it for my high school English class, and after just finishing an epic love story like Pride and prejudice, I was not too excited to read this ratty old book, so brings the cliché to mind-"don’t judge a book by its cover”

As I finished this book at late hours of the night, in my room when I should have been sleeping, I found myself sobbing at the end when although it seemed like a slight justice, it just didn’t seem to be enough to rationalize what Tom Robinson had been through.  I, being naïve had never even heard and seen such hateful horrible racism except in movies.  This book made me feel like I was there in that court room, I was boiling with frustration at the blatant one sided trial.

When I sat there watching this film again, I was reminded of the true classic that it is, the story engulfed me completely, I loved Scout and her spunky personality, and how protective Jem was and how they both had to grow up so fast.  Atticus was the true image of a good man and a good father and the moral voice in this book.  Again, I was reminded of the horrible prejudice this book illustrates, and yet the light in which it is portrays reminds you that even amidst the appalling treatment of black people at this time, man is good.  It is hard to imagine a time like that, when such hate existed so openly, it makes me ponder my own values and judgments, if I was there at that time, what side of the courtroom would I be on? 

To Kill a Mockingbird is a story that needs nothing other than its story to make it great, I am usually bothered by black and white movies, but this film I didn’t even notice.  As this book shows us so much social inequality, we can also see, especially through Jem and Scout’s eyes, that there is still good in the world.   Even though they both see such evil, the mob at the jailhouse wanting to lynch an innocent man, the pure racism that exists in the trial and the way people treat Atticus because he is defending Tom.  Scout is so innocent and she believes that amongst the evil acts she sees, that humans are innately good, in the scene at the jailhouse she illustrates this by calling them out Mr. Cunningham whose child she knows and tells him to tell him hey, this makes the men feel ashamed of themselves and they clear out.

Scout and Jem, although difficult continue to see the good in the people around them.  Boo, who they were scared of and made fun of, shows them such kindness and saves their lives, this helps them realize the good in people as well.  It is hard for me sometimes as well to believe that people are good when I hear such tragic, horrid stories of human acts of evil that go on around me.  Like Atticus to his kids, I also have “moral voices” in my life and those examples help me see that there is still so much love and good in our society.  I see so many acts of kindness and maybe those overshadow the evils I see on the news every day.  Fifty plus years later after this film, there is still racism, social inequality and hate crimes, it is sad to see that in so much time, so much change in so many areas, people still are unfair and unjust.  It makes me take a deep look at myself and make sure that I am not judging the people I see, that no matter how they look or act, that I see them as a human being, someone who I have no idea what their life is. 

This story, this film will forever be one of my favorites, it is still a ratty old book and a black and white movie, but I still know that if it was in front of me I would not be able to look away. Atticus's final argument is truly amazing and inspiring and if I was on that jury I could not live with myself if I denied Tom’s innocence.  It is a story that is genuinely timeless and it provides us with so many moral questions and for an introverted look at yourself and our world, but it will always remind us that man is good, and if we see the world like any of them, Jem, Scout or Atticus, we will see the good in people and in our world, and be happier for it.