Published 1960 / Length 336 pages
‘Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.’
Set in the fictional town of Maycomb in the Deep South, To Kill a Mockingbird tells a compelling tale of innocence and injustice. Our guide is young Jean Louise Finch, known as Scout throughout the novel, who shares with us her personal journey growing up in the 1930s in a small town where corruption and prejudice are rife. Yet against this politically charged backdrop, Scout’s father, Atticus, a model of moral guidance, teaches Scout and her brother Jem to understand others and counsels them not to judge people just because they are different. The book’s enduring motif of the mockingbird as a symbol of purity and beauty is dramatically enhanced when Atticus, a lawyer, agrees to defend a black man named Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a white woman. However, the woman in question, Mayella Ewell, comes from a family notorious for lying and stealing. It soon becomes obvious that this court case isn’t about justice, but racism. The resulting tensions force many of Maycomb’s inhabitants to show their true colours.
‘To Kill a Mockingbird is an inspiring tale of compassion, loyalty and unfailing love, as a respected small-town lawyer struggles to prove a black man’s innocence in a highly racist community. I found it to be a very moving read, highlighting social issues that are still relevant today, despite the fact that the novel is over forty years old.’ – MARIANNE, 26
• The persecution of Tom is much more obvious than that of Boo Radley. What purpose does Boo’s character serve?
• Lee uses the characters of Heck Tate and Miss Maudie to tell the reader about Atticus. How effective do you think this is?
• Even though Atticus is a morally righteous man, some of his actions are legally ambiguous. Does this change your opinion of him?
• How does the innocence of Scout, as the narrator, affect the way in which the plot is revealed?
• Do you think the issues raised in To Kill a Mockingbird are still relevant to modern society?
• To Kill a Mockingbird is the only novel Lee has ever written. It won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and has since sold over 30 million copies.
• Lee openly acknowledges that the fictional characters in the book are based loosely on her own family and friends, and positions herself as the central character Scout.
• Their Eyes Were Watching God by ZORA NEALE HURSTON – examines racial abuse.
• The Lovely Bones by ALICE SEBOLD (see here) – also scrutinizes crime and the community.
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by MARK TWAIN (see here) – tackles innocence and racism. Compare the treatment of Jim to that of Tom Robinson; also compare the way in which Scout and Huck behave.