Harper Lee wrote the book called To Kill a Mockingbird, 50 years ago. She didn't know it would be a popular book and that today, it would be loved by Americans worldwide.

December 25, 1962, the movie To Kill a Mockingbird came out to theaters. It stared actors such as Gregory Peck who played Atticus Finch a lawyer, Robert Duvall who played Boo Radley, Mary Badham who played Scout and Phillip Alford who played Jem. This beloved book and movie was nominated for 8 academy awards, but won 3 for best actor, best adapted screenplay, and best art direction for a black and white movie.

To me, the book is the best book, I ever read in high school. It describes being young, how racism used to be and shows the best role model in a movie, Atticus Finch.

The book is not about killing a mockingbird. The book is about Atticus Finch defending an African American man wrongly accused of a crime. The mockingbird was Tom Robinson. It also displayed the theme of how delicate childhood is for Jem and Scout.

Atticus Finch is everything to any of us, a role model, a father figure, a hero- he's everything to us.

As for Gregory Peck, he is always considered Atticus Finch to us. He's a hero, a role model.

To Kill a Mockingbird goes down as history, Harper Lee wrote an amazing book. Justifiably, most of us are able to relate to the characters in the book. I relate to Scout because we're both big tomboys, hate wearing girly stuff and we always like doing stuff outside of our comfort zone.

The character Dill was based on Harper Lee's childhood best friend, Truman Capote, who also wrote novels. Harper Lee and Truman Capote spent every summer together in their childhood.

To Kill a Mockingbird is more than a book to me, it’s a book that describes what it's like to be an adult and a child at the same time. It means life isn't fair. It means that maybe our next door neighbors aren't even scary. It reminds us that there is an Attticus Finch in all our lives.

To Kill a Mockingbird gave us all the courage to stand up for things that aren't right. It gave us courage to fight for our rights. It gave us the courage to be who you want to be.

Atticus Finch is my hero not only because was he the father everyone wanted, but he defended someone who didn't commit a crime during the 1930's in Maycomb, Alabama. While we all have fought for our rights and after 80 plus years, we still are fighting for our rights now as Americans- we have legalized gay marriage in all 50 states, everywhere in America is desegregated, everyone is given a fair trial in America and when an African American man is committed of a crime, they didn't do, they'll still be released and not sentenced to death or to jail.

I couldn't have said it better, Atticus.

"Shoot all the bluejays you want if you can hit them, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."