Starting "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
In English class, we are starting our third novel of the year: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. So far, I am really enjoying this book. There are so many lines that I just end up sitting and thinking about for a long while before moving on. Lee doesn't write in a way that is hard to read, but in a way that makes thinking about what you read feel heavier (in a good way).
When we were reading Haroun and the Sea of Stories at the beginning of the school year, we were all assigned an aspect of the story to focus on, such as satire. Similarly, for this book each student is assigned a character or two to track throughout the novel. I was assigned Calpurnia and Boo Radley.
Boo Radley is an especially interesting character for me. He can really be used as an example of the phrase "the secret lives we live" that acts as a focus throughout the book. Everything that we hear about Boo throughout the book is just rumors and gossip spread by people like Miss Stephanie. This only gives us one side of the story. They say that Boo is cruel and violent. People even go as far as calling him a "malevolent
phantom".
However, we see Boo start to reclaim his narrative through his actions. He gives Scout a blanket on the night of the fire at Miss Maudie's house. Boo also is (suspected) to be placing little gifts in a tree knot for Jem and Scout to find. I feel like this really is his way of trying to reach out and prove to the two kids that he isn't all bad. He doesn't feel he can confront them face-to-face, so he does it through little gestures such as giving them gum, pennies, or little carvings of them. I really hope that we eventually see more of him and get some good quotes.
Now, I don't mean to make this post some sort of Boo Radley appreciation post, but he is a character that I really enjoy focusing on and there were some great points brought up about him in our discussion today. We talked for a little bit about how Mr. Radley's abuse towards Boo really affected his life and how that altered the town's perception of him. Mr. Radley locked Boo away for years. He is the reason behind Boo's "spooky" reputation. He allows the town's rumors to run rampant and eventually this starts to become part of the way Boo sees himself. He begins to lose his identity to the gossip of people who don't know how he feels. And when he does try to reach out to someone and show who he is to Jem and Scout, Nathan Radley closes the knot in the tree where he put presents for the kids. Boo's whole life is a series of people trying to isolate him.
During the discussion, we also focused on Atticus Finch, father to Jem and Scout. We discussed whether or not he was a good father. We came to the conclusion that he was a good father, but maybe a little detached and not as affectionate with his children as he could be. The class also talked about how Atticus is a great teacher and role model for his kids. He tells Scout that she should try to walk in other people's shoes. He tries to teach her empathy, a trait that is fairly lacking at that point in history.
As we continue this novel, I have a couple of questions that I'd like to explore.
First, what impact will Boo Radley have on Scout and Jem once he meets them in person? I feel like he could really play into what Atticus said about stepping into other peoples' shoes. Scout, to a greater degree than Jem I think, is wary of him and what people say about him. Getting to know him could really give her a chance to look through someone else's eyes.
Second, will the relationship between Atticus and his children evolve as the trial moves forward? I feel like his relationship with them is very defined at this point in the book. Atticus is the detached, non-traditional, guiding and wise father. I wonder how the trial could change that. I feel like a lot of hate and anger will be thrown towards the little family. It may become too much for them. They may have to stray from their normal dynamic to keep the Finch family afloat.
I believe that is really all I have to cover for this blog post. I think another blog post will come at the end of the book. Honestly, though, I feel like with this book I will want to blog more than that. We'll see.
Au revoir,
Abby