Tolog Review: To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
reviewed by Emma Condit

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a thought-provoking novel full of injustices and prejudices. Set in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930’s, the novel is told from the point of view Jean Louise Finch, a six year old girl. Jean Louise Finch, also known as Scout, is the daughter of Atticus Finch, a lawyer who is defending Tom Robinson in court. Atticus Finch is a man of many morals. He teaches Scout and Jem how they should see the world. In the first half of the book, Scout Jem are very interested in learning about their odd and mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley. Lee uses Boo Radley as a symbol to show that first assumptions are often proven wrong. 

Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird opened my eyes to how biased and prejudiced our world can be. By reading To Kill a Mockingbird, I acknowledge the many times I have made assumptions about people I do not know. It causes me to rethink the way I perceive people in the world today. Harper Lee says that to kill a mockingbird is a sin because it is destroying innocence. Atticus uses a mockingbird as a symbol for Tom Robinson. He claims that mockingbirds “don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 119). Reading this novel compels me to have more compassion for others who are in different situations than I am. I realize that there will be people in the world who are biased and prejudiced, but you cannot let those people get to you. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Miss Maudie says “We’re so rarely called upon to be Christians, but when we are, we’ve got men like Atticus Finch to go for us” (Lee 288). Miss Maudie is saying that Atticus can help out Maycomb when necessary because he does not let the negativity of his town bring him down. I highly recommend To Kill a Mockingbird for anyone who is looking for an extremely engaging novel. It will really broaden your horizons about the world around you and make you think.