I have been meaning to read this book since it was vaguely discussed in Year 9 as a possible book to study for GCSE English Literature. Unfortunately I wasn't so lucky, I got Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, actually what am I saying that was a brilliant book. Either way its's been on my TBR for a good few years and I'm glad I've finally read it.
Although this book what set almost 90 years ago, as a modern society we still have common theme's with this novel. If you've never read this it's about race and class in Alabama in the 1930's for a child's perspective. Atticus Finch gives advice to his children, Jem and Scout as he defends a black man who was charged with attacking a white girl. And it's written incredibly well. I think it is quite important that this book was from the perspective of a child because children are innocent and unbiased compared to adults, they haven't learnt how to only see what they want to see yet.
Words such as nigger are used throughout this book, that caught me out for a second before I remembered what time this book was based in, I found it really interesting to read this since most of what I read is either contemporary, or classic but based in the north of America, so I enjoyed reading something new. Looking at new theme's that I've never really touched on along with language that I would never use and that I've rarely seen in books.
Atticus was against guns, and from the moment I found that out I loved him, he was fair with his children and quite a learned man compared to a lot in Maycomb. And although he did let them run wild, that is something that I believe all children should be able to do. Jem and Scout got on very well, better than my sister and I ever have, but perhaps living in a time when the world was less individualistic but instead split between class or race getting on with your immediate family is just the norm. Both these children, are head strong, proud and a bit wild compared to what was expected from children of there time, but relatable even though this novel was based 90 years ago. I like to think at Scout's age I was just as inquisitive in my own way and just as wild at times. Of course not being from Alabama in the 1930's I can't possibly relate to a lot of things that happened in this book such as how close to home racism seems to be in Maycomb. Dill was an outsider who didn't have some of the opinions that the rest of the folk of Maycomb had, Dill put into words what maybe some of use were thinking at times, particularly during court.
Harper Lee was born in Alabama in 1926, she was a youngest child and her father was a lawyer between 1926 and 1938. Meaning this book was written in Lee's own voice and I wonder, but don't particularly want to know either way if her father ever had the same or similar case to the one of Tom Robinson.
I loved this book, it's thought provoking and even if you don't think to too much about it's relevance it's still a great story!
Will recommend to EVERYONE (just remember it uses harsh language, talks about some highly sensitive subjects and involves Racism, just remember)
10/10
xo
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