To Kill a Mockingbird
First Personal Response
I often wonder if it is better to begin a work of fiction with an exciting event that is woven intricately into the plot in order to ÒhookÓ the reader, or if it is perhaps a better idea to start off with a serene setting, not directly related to the plot, and to slowly, but surely, develop the characters until the time comes to introduce the plot. The first two chapters of Harper LeeÕs To Kill a Mockingbird make use of the second structure, and they make good use of it at that. This book addresses several extremely serious issues such as racism, prejudice, and justice, but none of them are touched upon in these two introductory chapters. The primary aspects which I noticed and which I intend to respond to are the various characters, the setting, and the narrative method.
Since this passage consists of the very beginning of the book, there is a large number of characters introduced over the course of this passage. The first and, to this point, the most important, is the narrator, Scout, as a child. As far as I can tell at this point in time, she is the protagonist as well as the character around whom a great part of the major events in the story will take place. Ò ÔScout yonderÕs been readinÕ ever since she was born...Ó TKaM, page 7. She seems to be quite intelligent, especially since she learned how to read at a young age all by herself. Ò[Dill] played the character parts formerly thrust on me [Scout] Ð the ape in Tarzan, Mr. Crabtree in The Rover Boys, Mr. Damon in Tom Swift.Ó TKaM, page 8. The fact that Scout seems to know many works of literature quite well is intriguing to me. Perhaps it is because in Maycomb there is no other form of entertainment. This would also rationalize ScoutÕs abnormally early ability to read, but since she seems to be the only one among her peers who is gifted in such a way, I am still puzzled. For now, it will suffice to say that this girl has above-average intelligence.
ScoutÕs older brother, Jem, is not only her sibling, but also her closest friend. He makes a point to look out for her, it is obvious that he feels a sense of responsibility for his sister. ÒJem had his little sister to think of the time I dared him to jump off the top of the house: ÔIf I got killed, whatÕd become of you?Õ Ó TKaM, page 14. Nevertheless, he would not think twice about brushing her off at school, so as to avoid any nasty rumors about him playing with his sister during their free time.
The children live in a truly bizarre familial situation. Their widowed father, Atticus seems to be a very stern, conservative and rigid person. The fact that Scout and Jem call him Atticus instead of a more affectionate name is indicative of his extremely formal nature - he considers his relationship with them similar to a business partnership: they hold up their part of the bargain and he his. Acting as a replacement for their mother is Calpurnia, the African American housekeeper: ÒShe had been with us ever since Jem was born, and I had felt her tyrannical presence as long as I could remember.Ó TKaM, page 6. It seems to me that she rules the lives of Scout and Jem with an ÒebonÓ fist. Without her, the children would run wild since Atticus is truly too concerned with his work to keep a watchful eye on them. Calpurnia acts as his eyes and ears for the children; therefore, he trusts her implicitly.
I predict that Jem and one other person will be the primary cohorts of Scout during the novel. That other person is Dill. An energetic youngster who, I suspect, bends the truth more often than not, will manage to get the threesome into trouble, and it will probably have something to do with the Radley house. Perhaps there might even be a romance in the cards between him and Scout.
To this point in the story, the only person who has antagonized Scout is her first grade teacher, Miss Caroline. This womanÕs pseudo-liberal values towards education make her one of the most amusing characters in the book to date. She presents a ÒrevolutionaryÓ new style of teaching, but when one of her students displays an accelerated ability to learn she is appalled and she demands that Scout must forget everything that she knows that is above average and then relearn it at the same rate as her peers. Ò ÔNow you tell your father not to teach you any more. ItÕs best to begin reading with a fresh mind. You tell him IÕll take over from here and try to undo the damage...Õ Ó TKaM, page 17. Miss Caroline obviously doesnÕt know what she is talking about Ð in a few ways, Scout is by far her intellectual superior. I doubt that she will prove to be much more than a source for excess stress in ScoutÕs future.
The theme of education rings true to my heart since I am often displeased when I am being taught by someone who is, from my point of view, ignorant and naive. There is nothing worse than trying to learn something from a person who I dislike. I tend to become very frustrated as I analyze the personÕs behavior, awaiting a moment when he/she slips up and says something that I can use to get them fired (or at least fantasize about doing so).
This story is set in a town where everyone knows everyone. This makes it very easy for vicious rumors to spread extremely quickly: people are continuously talking about each other behind the othersÕ backs. This is especially evident when Scout talks about the Cunningham family: Ò ÔThe Cunninghams never took anything they canÕt pay back...Õ Ó TKaM, page 20. Scout has a slightly prejudiced knowledge of every family in the vicinity of Maycomb.
The story is told from the point of view of an older, more experienced Scout. This affects the readerÕs understanding of the novel in that the narrator actually experienced the event which she is telling about and since she is older and wiser, she sometimes shares her newfound insight into various aspects of life in Maycomb. This gives the narration a slightly cynical and one-sided tone since only one side of the story is disclosed. For instance, the event during which Scout is reprimanded by Miss Caroline might have an entirely different meaning if it was told by the teacher or even by one of the other students. Also, since she is now an adult, there is also a comedic tone in that she is capable of laughing lightheartedly about her actions as a child.
All in all, I enjoyed these first two chapters very much. The characters and their very particular mannerisms seem very interesting and the plot, although it has not yet begun to develop (as far as I can tell), but I anticipate, for lack of a better word, a nail-biter. The serious topics that are supposedly presented will hopefully be cushioned by the same kind of wry humour that I have noticed in this excerpt. The fact that the story is told from the point of view of its main character will likely prove to be an enriching aspect of the novel. Finally, I can honestly say, to demonstrate my appreciation of the novel, that I had to restrain myself from peeking ahead while I wrote this response.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Second Personal Response
Upon review, this book exceeds all of my initial expectations. Harper LeeÕs attention to detail in the realms of characterization, tone, and plot development make this one of the most intriguing books I have ever read.
At the place where I am in the book, at the end of chapter 28, Mr. Ewell has just been found dead. This major event took me entirely by surprise and it introduces a new character (the gentleman who carried Jem to safety) who I think might be Mr. Arthur Radley. I wonder who it was that killed Mr. Ewell: Jem or his mysterious savior.
Over the storyÕs course the character in which change is most noticeable is Jem. He goes from a carefree little boy to a responsible young man; however, the change is not as dramatic as one might tend to believe. Jem is so emotionally distraught when he hears the verdict against Tom Robinson that he begins to cry. He may be maturing, but he still cannot fathom the unbelievable prejudice against Negroes by the people of his town. A change in his behavior that is noticeable is his concern for others. This is especially evident when he informs Atticus of DillÕs presence in the house. He does this not because he wants to get Dill in trouble, but because he is concerned for the childÕs well being as well as for the feelings of his parents.
Though less evident, Scout changes as well. She has a major loss of innocence because of the trial, but she does not understand the events that conspire. Where Jem expresses hatred towards bigots, she expresses confusion. Also, she realizes that she wonÕt always be able to associate herself with the rest of the boys. Any trace of her masculinity is dusted away when she is asked what she wants to be when she grows up and she says: Ò...just a lady.Ó TKaM, page 230. As she becomes more and more alienated from Jem throughout the story, she longs more and more for the company of Dill. This is probably because she feels on par with him more so than with her brother.
Dill, as opposed to his counterparts, changed very little as the story progressed. When he returns to Maycomb and the other children have forgotten about Boo Radley, he still cracks plans to drive him out of his home. Like Scout, he is confused about the racism at the trial, but it frustrates him to an even further extent. He even sheds a tear for poor Tom Robinson when he is being prosecuted by Mr. Gilmer. DillÕs lamentable family situation evokes every last iota of my pity: he is a boy who thrives on attention, but his parents give him little or none. The reason why he adores ScoutÕs company is that she pores over him with attention to hear his far-fetched stories.
Another character that did not change very much is Atticus. Brave and steadfast, by accepting the burden of defending Tom Robinson he pits himself not only against most of Maycomb, but against the ideology of several generations of southerners. His blind perseverance shows that he is the true epitome of courage. The fact that he feels compassion for Mrs. Dubose, a woman who enjoys insulting him and his family, shows his goodness and his reverence for all human beings. In his eyes, all people are created equal.
Some of the characters introduced later on in the book are some of the most interesting. Judge Taylor is the equivalent of a working manÕs Atticus because deep down, the two men share the same values, but the justice has a much more rough exterior. ÒDid it ever strike you that Judge Taylor naming Atticus to defend that boy was no accident?Ó TKaM, page 215. Also a figure of interest is Mayella Violet Ewell. She lives a life of agony under the reign of a tyrannous father. It is truly beyond me why she lied to protect her father: could it be that the years if oppression left the decisions of her conscience at the whim of her father? She is a character who, like Dill, evokes my sincerest sympathy; as made clear by Atticus during his questioning, she has no friends.
In part two, some characters, such as Calpurnia, Boo Radley, and Miss Caroline take a Òback seatÓ. Similarly, many topics that seemed to be of detrimental nature at the beginning of the book such as education and family step aside to allow the reader to delve into the worlds of racism and justice.
As the events of the story progress, the narratorÕs tone of humorous cynicism slowly disappears. Perhaps the author included this factor because she wanted to show that ScoutÕs bitterness towards adults was something which she unconsciously forgot when she was faced with the events that took place. It shows the magnitude of the occurrences during the story from her point of view.
In conclusion, a brief summary: the characters in this novel are extremely well developed in that some of them change and some of them remain static. The authorÕs tone changes to show that Scout is changing. The plot provides an in-depth analysis of the main theme in the second part: racism. With this great work of fiction, Harper Lee has found a way to demonstrate to the outsiders of her culture what it was like to grow up in an isolated southern town where prejudice runs rampant. Her tale gives insight into the impact of the violent loss of innocence of a little girl.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Third Personal Response
For a long time, humans have questioned as to whether a personÕs outside appearance determines his value. Harper LeeÕs classic novel questions in particular the topic of ethnic prejudice. Her head-on treatment of the subject is evidence that in her youth in the southern United States she was deeply immersed in the issue. The book prompts the reader to take a walk in the shoes of a little girl growing up in the midst of town where many of the citizens are totally bigoted, especially towards black people. When I first picked up the book, I had some prejudices of my own: misinterpretations that I can now look back upon. The most noticeable flaws in my judgement pertain to Atticus and the FinchesÕ family situation as well as the themes of the novel. Other topics of interest are the characterization achieved by the author and the storyÕs meaningful ending.
In my first response, I interpreted the fact that Scout and Jem call their father by his first name because he considers his relationship with them similar to a business partnership: they share a mutual respect for each other and they are on equal terms. Although the latter part of the sentence is true, I thought it for all of the wrong reasons. The true essence of the relationship between these three companions is that Atticus treats his children in the same fashion as he would his best friend. In a friendship, the formalities are kept to a minimum: one doesnÕt call oneÕs friends ÒfriendÓ or ÒcompanionÓ, but by their name. This is clearly the reason for which the children address their father as ÒAtticusÓ.
The second aspect of the book which I misjudged was more of a reasonable error than the first. Over the course of the novel, many aspects, especially the characters which I will mention later, go through drastic changes brought on by the events that take place. In my first response, I talked about many themes including education and family. However, by the second part of the book, these topics nearly disappear, ceding their honourable places to the stagnant beast that is prejudice, and in particular, racism. This truly represents the means by which the two mockingbirds of the story are killed, or at least wounded in one case. Tom Robinson is destroyed by the racism of his jury of peers, while Arthur Radley is nearly annihilated by the citizens of Maycomb who judge him as insane and evil simply because he is different.
As the novel progresses, many of the characters go through large phases of change. Scout goes from a naive child to more knowledgeable young person. This is shown by the fact that when Atticus first tells her that it is wrong to kill a mockingbird she interprets the statement totally literally; however, near the very end she demonstrates her newfound appreciation of the metaphor which represents the nihilistic evil of taking away the innocence of a person who does not deserve it.
Jem Finch also matures, but to an even greater extent than Scout. At the beginning of the novel, Jem only thought of his sister if it would profit him in some way. ÒBesides, Jem had his little sister to think of. ¦When he said that, I knew he was afraid. Jem had his little sister to think of the time I dared him to jump off the top of the house...Ó -TKaM, page 14. This shows that he only used his ÒresponsibilityÓ as an excuse for being afraid. However, near the end of the novel, Jem has matured to such a great extent that he risks his life to save the life of his sister from Bob Ewell, their late-night assailant.
The only major character that is not introduced until later on in the book is Bob Ewell. This gentleman personifies racism; his feelings of hatred for black people know no end. Most of the other people in Maycomb try to make themselves believe that they are not prejudiced against Negroes, but with Mr. Ewell, it is almost as if he feels proud of his deep hatred for them. He could be considered the antagonist, but this role is more appropriate to the theme that he represents, for it is racism that truly opposes the protagonist.
When I wrote my second personal response immediately after the part when the children are attacked, I really had no idea what the author would do with another three chapters, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that she used the final segments to embellish on two topics: Arthur Radley and the Òmockingbird lineÓ. When Lee mentioned a shady figure carrying Jem to safety after the attack, I knew that it was Arthur, but I had no idea of the implications that came with his presence. The fact that Mr. Radley actually killed Mr. Ewell (whether it was accidental or not is debatable) adds a new meaning to the story: Boo is no longer just a figure in the shadows, he has committed an offense and has supplied the final plot twist of the story. When Atticus asks Scout if she understands what the sheriff was talking about when he implied that he was going to let Arthur off the hook, she showed great insight into AtticusÕ statement about killing mockingbirds. ÒWell, itÕd be sort of like shootinÕ a mockingbird, wouldnÕt it?Ó ÐTKaM, page 276. The statement pertains to the case of Boo in that he is totally innocentÐhe has never done anything to harm anyoneÐso he does not deserve to be persecuted or even be showered with attention. The fact that Harper Lee put this passage into the book also serves as a beacon for people who are slower to interpret things (like myself) to indicate the true meaning of AtticusÕ expression, ÒShoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit Ôem, but remember itÕs a sin to kill a mockingbird.Ó
To Kill a Mockingbird truly attains its goal of prompting the reader to step into ScoutÕs shoes. The compassion that I feel for her is great. The hasty judgments which I made in my first response would embarrass me at this point: they actually contradict some of the main points of the story. One of the elements that makes Harper LeeÕs novel so good is the massive amount of effort she puts into developing the characters. The fact that you feel like you actually know the people in a story can make you feel more involved in it, and hence it becomes more exciting. The ending passage is one of the most powerful in the book because of its raw exposure of a character who, for most of the novel, remained a mysterious figment of the childrensÕ imaginations. This was truly an excellent novel.
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