To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
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Book Reviews of To Kill a Mockingbird
Book Review: The classic classic... but maybe that's not accurate
Summary: 4 Stars
This is another of those books that everyone tells you how wonderful and incredible it is. I read it, and... okay. It's a book. And a not-bad one at that. But is it amazing? Is it the greatest, most thought-provoking book of all times? Is it truly just overrated?
We have a story where it's almost as though the narrarator is not the main charactor, but rather, her father is. The story seems much more about Atticus than Scout, but that is a matter of interpertation. It's a story about racism, injustice, and thinking about all of that. Atticus is a man who goes against what the rest believes, and though he "fails", he knows that he has succeeded by making people think about the issues they are facing.
So we've covered the topic. It's an interesting topic. And the book itself has some wonderful parts, but for the most part it drags on and on. So many people love this book and tell you how wonderful it is. I know that I was expecting something a bit more, and not this rather simple book. I found that a lot of the book was confusing and strange, and this did not make reading easier.
While, yes, this book must have been surprising and different, it's not absolutely amazing. It's good, but perhaps a bit overrated. If you've been hearing how good it is, don't be surprised if you feel that the book is good, but not the best book of the 20th century. If you do think it's incredible, that's also understandable. Different tastes, after all. The writing style is simple, the plot drags sometimes, and parts just didn't make sense. While I'm impressed that this was written at the time it was written in, let's put things in perspective.
I do like this book, I just think that it's not a "classic". "Classics" are books like "The Count of Monte Criso", or "Crime and Punishment". Perhaps it's a "modern classic", like Steinbeck or others. But I don't think it's a classic (as most of the tags for this book are: classics, classic literature, classic...).
I rate this a four because I feel that it's something everyone should read (if for some odd reason you didn't read it in high school). Whether you like it like so many others, dislike it as many teenagers who are forced to read it do, or merely feel that's it's good, but overrated, like myself, it's worth reading, not just to find out where you fit, but also to try to see and understand why it is much loved. I myself have only just realized that everyone loves this for the fact that it tackled such social issues. It's worth reading, but not everyone should expect to find it a brilliant classic, but rather, just a good old book. I was a bit disappointed when I read it, so just understand that there's a possibility that you won't find it incredible.
I urge you to read it, but just don't be disappointed because you were expecting something bigger and more like the rest of the "classics".
Book Review: "A truely memorial book with its in-depth thought"
Summary: 5 Stars
To Kill a Mocking Bird This unforgettable classic by Harper Lee features a little girl around nine whom throughout this book matures and develops in significant ways. She learns all about prejudiced people through the town's folk when a young black man is accused of raping a young white woman. No matter how innocent the boy who is accused of rape is, the people of the town are so prejudiced that they will not listen. They believe that just because this young man is black, he is guilty beyond a doubt. The reader will also cross some details such as a better understanding of life in general. Scout learns not only by her teacher, or father, but by her brother, town's people, and especially Boo Radley that one must understand something to criticize it. Scout Finch is put into a position of major responsibility in these depressed times in southern Alabama. This book traces her ongoing development in what really is an incredible charge.When Scout Finch first hears about Tom Robinson and the crime he committed, she believes he should be prosecuted for his actions. What she later found out was that her father was defending the man she had so wrongly judged. Predigest was a word that Scout Finch had not ever heard, nor had she felt guilt's for feeling what she did not know was wrong. She was, weather she consciously know it or not, guilty of being prejudiced against black people. When kids at her school called her the daughter of a "Nigger Protector" she went home and questioned her father on the matter. Her father being so unprejudiced said" don't use that word, its not right" and that "all people are equal and should not be judged by the color of their skin." He was very serious on the matter and made it very clear that he hoped Scout would be to. "No matter what anybody says to you, don't let them get your goat." From this aspect of the book, The author shows how Scout Finch was just starting to understand the use of race, and prejudiced amount people.
When Scout Finch and her brother had to go to a black church due to absence of her father, she is greeted with a surprising welcome. "What you doing bringin white chillin into a Nigger church?" One person, Lula, found it very distasteful to bring white children, into a black church. Now most of these people where not insulted to see that Calpurnia had done this, one man even stood up to welcome them. These people, who have been mistreated, insulted, wrongly judged, and over all disliked just because they are black, welcome the children in with no hatred in there mind. The reverend of this church was very friendly to the Finch children and treated them as if they were regular common black children. This is just one incident of how these so wrongly treated people could be so warm to the wrong doers.
Book Review: A twentieth century masterpiece!
Summary: 5 Stars
I taught this book to eighth graders seventeen times and never got sick of it. Why do I love this book? Let me count the ways:
1. The protagonist, Jean Louise "Scout" Finch, is such a great character Demi Moore named one of her daughters after her.
She's funny, smart, and she's got a stronger will than Catherine the Great. Atticus, Scout's father, is almost as compelling. He is willing to defend a black man accused of rape, despite living in racist, depression-era Maycomb, Alabama.
2. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is a great story we can all identify with. How many of us have known a weird neighbor who refuses to come out of the house? The first part of the book follows Scout and her brother Jem as they try to get a look at "Boo" Radley. The second half involves Tom Robinson's rape trial and its aftermath.
3. The book is simply teeming with great vignettes. Jem and Scout are ashamed of Atticus because he doesn't play football, until he shoots down a rabid dog with one shot. Miss Maudie Atkinson's house burns down. Jack, Atticus's brother, makes Scout laugh and is able to painlessly pull a sliver from her hand. The Footwashing Baptists come to town for the rape trial. There are dozens more.
4. The minor characters are simply wonderful. There are over a hundred (I know because I had my students count them). X-Billups has three sets of teeth. Aunt Alexandra tries to make Scout act like a lady. Cecil Jacobs gets into a fistfight with Scout. Dill, Jem and Scout's neighbor boy develops a crush on Scout and asks her to marry him. Calpurnia, Atticus's housekeeper, acts as a surrogate mother to the children. Bob Ewell rivals Simon Legree as a villain. They're all so real you'll want to visit Maycomb to see if they're still alive. Too bad it's a fictional town.
5. Many lessons are learned, the most important of which is "Don't judge a book by its cover." Mayella Ewell, who accuses Tom Robinson of rape, is actually a sympathetic character. The town's social structure condemns her to a life of drudgery and she grasps at straws. Mrs. Dubois, the old woman down the street from the Finches, who calls Atticus a racial slur, dies brave, refusing to take her medication because she wants to die clean.
This book doesn't get enough credit; it's rarely listed as a masterpiece of the twentieth century. A masterpiece wouldn't be so easy to read. Certainly it's taught in just about every junior high in the country, but it wasn't written for teenagers. The book is a flashback, told by Scout as a grown woman; she uses New York Times' syntax, not S.E. Hinton's.
Some of my students rented the movie instead of reading it page by page. Big mistake. Not only did they fail the test, but they failed themselves by missing out on the best book they'd ever read.
Book Review: A novel one simply ought to read
Summary: 4 Stars
TKAM is not just a novel about a man's struggle for justice & truth; it is not just an indictment of racial prejudice & blind conformity to traditions of society; it is not just about the agonized, confused growing up of two intelligent & sensitive children - it is about man's struggle to be loyal to his conscience; about man's recognition of the sacredness of the human personality; about man's respect for man.Above all, it attacks that aspect of life which deserves the greatest denunciation in human existence - irrationality.
I would not call TKAM one of the greatest novels of the world of all times, but it is certainly an excellent one.
One of the main reasons I'd offer for saying this is that it is not a novel which explores several ideas in all their depth and profundity, such as the novels of Fyodor Dostoevsky, neither is it a masterpiece in characterization - exploring the innermost recesses and complexities of the human soul, like the plays of Shakespeare.Therefore, I'd give it four-and-a-half points; but between a choice of 4 and 5, I'd select 5.
Nevertheless, it is a novel which captures several themes which are weighty by their basic import and weaves them into a story which brings them out wonderfully.
One of the best aspects of this novel is its perfectly delightful humor.
It exudes a sense of joyousness & benevolence, having been narrated from the perspective of an intelligent, precocious, sensitive, aggressively defiant and highly individualistic girl - Scout Finch, who, in the course of novel grows from the age of 6 to 9.
Another element which endeared me to this novel is its highly appealing characters, especially Atticus Finch - a man of conscience, honor, & dignity, full of benevolence & goodwill, and the perfect gentleman; a father who doesn't want to impose on his children the stifling tradition of society or family, but allows them their space to develop their distinct individuality, at the same time inculcating in them, without the use of fear, a unique value system which can make them strong, proud, independent and compassionate individuals whom no tragedy and suffering can embitter or break.
The character of Jem - Scout's elder brother, as intelligent, sensitive and proud as Scout, but less aggressive & defiant & obviously, comparatively more mature; Miss Maudie - firm but loving; and Cal are well-drawn & lovable too.
Harper Lee has captured the mood and "feel" of country life - of a sleepy, old, rather poor & conservative town; of a small boy stepping into adolescence; of a young child's very simple, straightforward & honest way of looking at life, with great insight & truthfulness.
In conclusion, TKAM is a must-read. It is a novel which re-affirms one's conviction in the innate goodness and nobility of the human soul.
Book Review: To Kill A Mockingbird
Summary: 4 Stars
My second book I read for trimester three was To Kill A Mockingbird written by Harper Lee. The main conflict in the book was about Atticus trying to win a rape trial including a black guy.
The book was very exciting to read. I thought it was exciting because the trial kept going back and fourth and I never knew who was going to win. I was not able to feel in the book because the time period was way off and I couldn't make many connections to the book. The main conflict was very interesting because I never knew who was going to win the trial and it always kept me guessing. I thought that characters in the book were very realistic because the author explained them perfect and made them face real life situations. I thought that the ending was a bit disappointing, but it was what I was expecting. I wasn't so happy with the ending because the person that won in the trial wasn't the one I wanted to win.
The author wrote with a narrative southern voice. The author's voice was southern like the characters. The author uses vocabulary in a very interesting way. He uses difficult words through out the book but they aren't to difficult that you can't understanding them. I think the author wrote in a very unique way. It was really unique when the author talked in a southern voice like the characters did. The author also explained everything so perfect which made the book one hundred times better. The author used a lot of dialogue in this book. The author had to use a lot of dialogue because of the trial and there were a ton of people talking at different times. I thought that this author wrote this book perfect. He explained everything perfectly for me and I always knew what was happening.
I would give this book an eight out of ten. I give it this rating because I am not very satisfied with the ending but it was overall a great book. I recommend this book to kids thirteen and older because they will understand it a whole lot better. I also recommend this book to people who want a very good book that is challenging.
Overall I thought that this was a great book. I really thought the author did a good job writing this book and I am looking forward to other books written by him. I think the greatest thing about this book is how the author always keeps you guessing through the trial and never gave away who was going to win during the book. Something I didn't mention in previous sections was that Atticus' kids were afraid of the neighbor's house because he never came out and they never saw him and they thought he was like a mass murderer or something. The neighbor was overall a great guy and the kids noticed that during the book. If you want to know more about the book then go out and read it yourself because if I told you more I would give the book away.