Taught in most high schools or middle schools, Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a renowned book, memorable for its take on racism and family bonds. Yet, what truly makes "To Kill a Mockingbird" such an acclaimed novel? Why does it continue to be taught in schools around the country? With as little spoilers as possible, I hope to convey how truly inspiring this novel is.
First and foremost, "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a bildungsroman; it's a coming of age story of a little girl named Jean Louise Finch (Scout) and her brother, Jeremy Atticus Finch (Jem). At the beginning of the novel, these two aren't very different from any other children. They play games around the yard and disturb neighbors, causing mischief for their loving, single father, Atticus. Yet, by the end of the story, both kids (especially Scout) learn not to judge someone based on social gossip told between townspeople or based on the harsh views associated with racism. Placed in some unfortunate situations and challenges, these kids learn more about the critical world than some of the adults in the story. And, since the story is told from Scout's point of view, the reader learns along with her.
Even though racism has died down quite a bit since the novel was published in 1960, it is still a relevant aspect in today's society. By simply reading "To Kill a Mockingbird," people that have never even experienced racist comments or discriminating treatments are thrust into a viewpoint of a child who, while innocent and susceptible to the influence of society, still sees racism as crude narrow-minded discrimination against a group of people.
Scout's encounter with racism at such a young age gives her a genuine opinion on the matter, and with Atticus's guidance and wise words, she (along with the readers) understands that accepting all types of people is the only way to become better individuals and grow as a national unit.
Atticus, in general, is a profound teacher for his children. He has so many insightful quotes like, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it," and, "The one things that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience." He has such an honest take on the world around him that it's easy to see from where Scout gets her candor.
However, one of his most profound speeches isn't about interactions with other people, but rather about doing what is morally right to oneself: "I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do." Most of Atticus's quotes talk about how to deal with other people that don't believe the same thing you do, about standing up for what you believe in despite what others think. This quote, on the other hand, is introspective; it's about standing up for what you believe in despite what you think is going to happen, about fighting your own self-doubt. It shows that racism isn't just a societal concept; it's also an individual mentality that people have to overcome because it's morally wrong.
"To Kill a Mockingbird" takes the subjects of growing up and stamping racism, and it combines them into one idea: that in order to truly grow up, we have to recognize that people -- no matter their skin color -- are still people. In the wise words of Scout, "I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks." That accepting and unbiased thought are enough to make "To Kill a Mockingbird" a novel that deserves to be taught in every school around the country, now and for years to come.
