I held off reading this book for ages. Mainly because someone described it as a book about growing up in the South. While accurate, this is not all it is, and it is not the best selling point when describing a book to me: the bildungsroman has never been my favourite genre, and the American South not my favourite region. I also tend to be more drawn to European classics than the American ones (I do not know why; I am sure there is a sensible explanation that does not make me look like a bigot).
I do, however, feel drawn to the Truman Capote/F. Scott Fitzgerald New York scene of American writing, and it was via this avenue that I finally discovered Nelle Harper Lee for myself. She was a childhood friend of Capote, and I had heard that one of the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird was based on him. Naturally, I had to read it. Thus my discovery of one of the truly great books of the world.
It reminded me of all that is lovely about the American South; equally importantly, it dealt with the difficult questions of the region without becoming tiresome. I quickly lost sight of my original reason for reading it (the Capote character), although the semi-autobiographical side to the book kept my interest up in the beginning.
Words like "compelling" have lost much of their meaning through over-use, which is sad because it suits the book perfectly. It is also perfectly plotted, quite apart from the important themes it deals with. Each strand of the story, which is skilfully made to seem like simply an episode or moment of small town life becomes important in the story as a whole: Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, the pride of the Cunninghams, the difference between the Cunninghams and the Ewells, Mrs Dubose, the rabid dog, Atticus' sense of honour and his ability to do what is necessary, all come together; and I cannot find fault with the claim that opens the book, that to make sense of Jem's broken arm, the story must begin where it does. The variety of impressions and local sketches, then, do not only have a value in their own right as creating an image of a particular time and place, they also have a place in a tightly constructed plot. Still, I would argue that the road to the end is still the main point.
The treatment of racism is of course a central theme, and one which makes it all the more mind-boggling that people keep trying to have the book banned for its use of the word "nigger". It is so clear in its denunciation of the racism as the blight on an otherwise good society, that one must question whether those who object to it can read at all (as I believe Harper Lee did at one point). Still, reducing the book to its treatment of race is as problematic as presenting it as a book about growing up. Its many-facetedness is part of its particular charm: it deals with gender, class, ethics, law and morals as sides to the same problem as the question of race.
I cannot end this without noting that I loved her language. I have always had a secret love for the Southern American dialect (some versions of it, anyway; and Alabama is high on the list, as is Louisiana), and I could hear it while reading. This is rare. It is not the dialect I fall into while reading, usually; I must therefore conclude that it is due to the rhythm of the words themselves. In addition, the voice of the narrator, that of a little girl who has grown up, held a particular appeal for me. The story, which weaves through terrible questions of a travesty of justice founded in racism, domestic violence, terrible poverty, class distinction, gender questions, education and crime, does so in such a light, simple and straightforward way, and with lovely such humour and ironic treatment of absurdities, that you are left with all your energy intact. As I said, I love the style.
More than all this, however: I love Atticus Finch. I defy anyone not to.
I do, however, feel drawn to the Truman Capote/F. Scott Fitzgerald New York scene of American writing, and it was via this avenue that I finally discovered Nelle Harper Lee for myself. She was a childhood friend of Capote, and I had heard that one of the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird was based on him. Naturally, I had to read it. Thus my discovery of one of the truly great books of the world.
It reminded me of all that is lovely about the American South; equally importantly, it dealt with the difficult questions of the region without becoming tiresome. I quickly lost sight of my original reason for reading it (the Capote character), although the semi-autobiographical side to the book kept my interest up in the beginning.
Words like "compelling" have lost much of their meaning through over-use, which is sad because it suits the book perfectly. It is also perfectly plotted, quite apart from the important themes it deals with. Each strand of the story, which is skilfully made to seem like simply an episode or moment of small town life becomes important in the story as a whole: Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, the pride of the Cunninghams, the difference between the Cunninghams and the Ewells, Mrs Dubose, the rabid dog, Atticus' sense of honour and his ability to do what is necessary, all come together; and I cannot find fault with the claim that opens the book, that to make sense of Jem's broken arm, the story must begin where it does. The variety of impressions and local sketches, then, do not only have a value in their own right as creating an image of a particular time and place, they also have a place in a tightly constructed plot. Still, I would argue that the road to the end is still the main point.
The treatment of racism is of course a central theme, and one which makes it all the more mind-boggling that people keep trying to have the book banned for its use of the word "nigger". It is so clear in its denunciation of the racism as the blight on an otherwise good society, that one must question whether those who object to it can read at all (as I believe Harper Lee did at one point). Still, reducing the book to its treatment of race is as problematic as presenting it as a book about growing up. Its many-facetedness is part of its particular charm: it deals with gender, class, ethics, law and morals as sides to the same problem as the question of race.
I cannot end this without noting that I loved her language. I have always had a secret love for the Southern American dialect (some versions of it, anyway; and Alabama is high on the list, as is Louisiana), and I could hear it while reading. This is rare. It is not the dialect I fall into while reading, usually; I must therefore conclude that it is due to the rhythm of the words themselves. In addition, the voice of the narrator, that of a little girl who has grown up, held a particular appeal for me. The story, which weaves through terrible questions of a travesty of justice founded in racism, domestic violence, terrible poverty, class distinction, gender questions, education and crime, does so in such a light, simple and straightforward way, and with lovely such humour and ironic treatment of absurdities, that you are left with all your energy intact. As I said, I love the style.
More than all this, however: I love Atticus Finch. I defy anyone not to.
*MySmiley*
structured procrastinator
structured procrastinator
To Kill a Mockingbird by Nelle Harper Lee
22/05/2011 06:28:11 PM
- 8320 Views
I reviewed it last year
22/05/2011 07:45:48 PM
- 1979 Views
Huh. I seem to have missed that.
22/05/2011 11:17:11 PM
- 1884 Views
As you noted, though, it's a fuller depiction of the South than "racist people."
23/05/2011 12:00:01 AM
- 1860 Views
It's a beautiful, incredible book.
22/05/2011 08:21:48 PM
- 1816 Views
Also
22/05/2011 11:33:27 PM
- 1748 Views
Don't you think that, you know, too many people have read it already?
23/05/2011 09:55:52 PM
- 1850 Views
Re: Don't you think that, you know, too many people have read it already?
24/05/2011 12:05:11 AM
- 1924 Views
Does that disqualify it?
24/05/2011 01:49:54 PM
- 1785 Views
I don't know, if a lot of people want to have this book in a Book Club, I have no objections.
24/05/2011 07:01:38 PM
- 1805 Views
Bah. This seems like a lame book. It will never catch on.
23/05/2011 01:31:10 AM
- 1918 Views
Um, there's already a rfilm version of this.
23/05/2011 01:11:36 PM
- 1666 Views
Suspect he knows that. *NM*
23/05/2011 01:15:46 PM
- 955 Views
Boy, that sarcastic subtext can be so hard to grasp in this virtual madness. *NM*
25/05/2011 06:49:03 AM
- 967 Views
I don't think I've ever met anyone who doesn't like this book. *NM*
23/05/2011 09:37:52 AM
- 940 Views
I've met some, but it was a casualty of middle school English. *NM*
23/05/2011 07:40:27 PM
- 865 Views
One of my nieces didn't like it. I think it was because she was forced to read it for school.
24/05/2011 02:33:23 AM
- 2008 Views
Re: One of my nieces didn't like it. I think it was because she was forced to read it for school.
24/05/2011 10:15:45 AM
- 1947 Views
Let me ask the politically incorrect questions, since no one else has.
24/05/2011 03:14:50 AM
- 2004 Views
I don't understand why having a guilty black man would have made it more powerful.
24/05/2011 05:59:17 AM
- 1951 Views
Hmm
24/05/2011 10:22:50 AM
- 1890 Views
I could see your argument if Tolkien were writing about feminism.
24/05/2011 02:15:42 PM
- 1904 Views
I think that's a fair point.
24/05/2011 07:00:04 PM
- 1903 Views
Calpurnia is a stereotype too.
24/05/2011 11:54:26 PM
- 1821 Views
The difference, at least in my recollection, is that Calpurnia is well-educated.
25/05/2011 08:09:58 PM
- 1769 Views
Re: The difference, at least in my recollection, is that Calpurnia is well-educated.
25/05/2011 10:59:26 PM
- 1867 Views
I think there was at least once incident showing a racist black person
24/05/2011 07:33:09 PM
- 2050 Views
I think it was written to accomplish a goal and it did that very well
25/05/2011 04:08:17 PM
- 1808 Views
Given your introductory portion
11/06/2011 01:28:40 AM
- 1824 Views
I have read both
11/06/2011 11:35:11 AM
- 1651 Views
All of Twain's stuff is great
13/06/2011 02:27:55 AM
- 1869 Views
Re: All of Twain's stuff is great
13/06/2011 08:17:05 AM
- 1787 Views
And some poets - Tennyson and Yeats come to mind. *NM*
13/06/2011 10:11:31 AM
- 853 Views