Tolog Review: To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
reviewed by Mattison Interian

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is an amazing book filled with innocence, kindness, cruelty, love, and hatred. This best seller is a Pulitzer Prize award-winning book and has won over the heart of millions. Harper Lee won my heart over with Jem, Scout, Dill and Atticus by plunging me deep into who they were and the struggles they were experiencing in Maycomb. The book seemed to have almost two halves to it. One half of the book is consumed with Jem, Scout and Dill’s obsession with Boo Radley. The other half is mostly consumed with the trial of Tom Robinson. To Kill a Mockingbird addressed many controversial conflicts including that Scout was not treated well because of who she is, Tom was treated unfairly because of his skin color and Boo was judged because of his behavior.
Scout is a tomboy who refuses to act just like a proper woman after the Great Depression. She is constantly told that she needs to wear dresses and to stop going outside and playing with boys. Tom Robinson has the same issue; he was classified by his appearance and not by his personality. Tom Robinson was just being a good person and helping Mayella Ewell but when something goes wrong, the whole situation turns around and Tom could find himself locked up. Boo Radley never leaves his house, and in Maycomb, that causes rumors to start. Boo, whose real name is Arthur, has a few mental problems but he is still a nice person. He is viewed to be a monster who has become more of a myth than a person. They are all wrongly labeled and this creates many problems for them throughout the book.
Towards the middle of the book, everything takes a turn for the worst. Atticus is defending Tom in court and everyone is being mean to him and his family for defending an African American. Scout gets bullied even more for who she is and for what Atticus is doing for Tom. Can Scout stay strong and persevere through the tough times that she is going through or will she break down and believe the bullies? This book deals with being yourself and not caring about what others think of you.