Author: Harper Lee
Title: To Kill a Mockingbird
Reading Level: 8-12 (790L)
Sophistication Level: 11
To Kill a Mockingbird is an American literary classic, published in 1960. The story takes place between the years of 1933 through 1935, during the Great Depression era. It takes place in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama and tells the story of Scout Finch and her father Atticus, who is a widowed lawyer. Scout, her brother Jem, and their friend Dill are all captivated and simultaneously afraid of their neighbor, Arthur “Boo” Radley who keeps to himself, creating an aura of mystery and many whispers among the townspeople. The children are fascinated with him and try to come up with ways to see the reclusive man, but despite his gestures …show more content…
It has certainly earned its title of “classic,” as well as accolades such as the Pulitzer Prize. The book cleverly addresses ugly truths of racial injustice and classism while maintain a tone of warmth in its storytelling. Through the individual stories of the book’s events, readers are faced with many universal themes that are still relevant today. These themes include racism, gender roles, loss of innocence, and also the judicial system. I first read To Kill a Mockingbird in middle school; I cannot recall exactly which grade. What I can vividly recall is the fact that in reading this book I first encountered the word “nigger.” I had always heard the euphemistic phrase of this derogatory term, “the n-word” in the childish hallways of middle school, but for the first time I was faced with the full word, staring pointedly at me in black ink. I could feel the hurt Scout experienced as her peers taunted her, simply because her father believed it is right to love and defend everyone, regardless of their race. I believe this book is an excellent stepping-stone in the ongoing conversation of racial inequality. It is important for students to be exposed to the fact that openly racist ideologies were all too common in this country, not too long ago. Unfortunately, in some regions this story can also seem just as relevant today as it was fifty years
Title: To Kill a Mockingbird
Reading Level: 8-12 (790L)
Sophistication Level: 11
To Kill a Mockingbird is an American literary classic, published in 1960. The story takes place between the years of 1933 through 1935, during the Great Depression era. It takes place in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama and tells the story of Scout Finch and her father Atticus, who is a widowed lawyer. Scout, her brother Jem, and their friend Dill are all captivated and simultaneously afraid of their neighbor, Arthur “Boo” Radley who keeps to himself, creating an aura of mystery and many whispers among the townspeople. The children are fascinated with him and try to come up with ways to see the reclusive man, but despite his gestures …show more content…
It has certainly earned its title of “classic,” as well as accolades such as the Pulitzer Prize. The book cleverly addresses ugly truths of racial injustice and classism while maintain a tone of warmth in its storytelling. Through the individual stories of the book’s events, readers are faced with many universal themes that are still relevant today. These themes include racism, gender roles, loss of innocence, and also the judicial system. I first read To Kill a Mockingbird in middle school; I cannot recall exactly which grade. What I can vividly recall is the fact that in reading this book I first encountered the word “nigger.” I had always heard the euphemistic phrase of this derogatory term, “the n-word” in the childish hallways of middle school, but for the first time I was faced with the full word, staring pointedly at me in black ink. I could feel the hurt Scout experienced as her peers taunted her, simply because her father believed it is right to love and defend everyone, regardless of their race. I believe this book is an excellent stepping-stone in the ongoing conversation of racial inequality. It is important for students to be exposed to the fact that openly racist ideologies were all too common in this country, not too long ago. Unfortunately, in some regions this story can also seem just as relevant today as it was fifty years