Books : To Kill a Mockingbird

Rating: - By Jacob K., a 7th Grader
When you're a white lawyer living in Maycomb county, Alabama its tough enough. But for a 50-year-old Atticus Finch it's even rougher. He has two kids, Jem and Scout who are in 7th and 2nd grade. As a lawyer, Atticus can be assigned to any case by a judge. Unfortunately when he is assigned to a black man's case, it all goes downhill. Atticus being the passive man that he is, I believe he accepted the case because he truly wanted it. The problem for Atticus was his kids and the people around him. Jem, who's a football star and very smart, always is defending his father. He is also good at looking after Scout and keeping her out of trouble. Scout, who is the main character in the story, is adventurous and likes to experiment with different things. Dill is Jem and Scout's friend that comes over every summer to fool around. Heck Tate is the sheriff of Maycomb County who keeps Atticus out of harm's way often. Boo Radley is a man who stays locked up in his house all day and swears to shoot any living thing that sets foot on his property. Mr. Bob Ewell testifies in the major court case that Atticus is involved in and ends up causing many problems for the Finch family. Tom Robinson is the black man that is accused of rape of Mr. Bob Ewell's daughter and is defended by Atticus. Finally there is Calpurnia (Cal for short) who is a black maid and helper in the Finch household. I think the plotline was outstanding in this book with the way that it flowed. Every time a problem was solved, another one would come up. This use of a plotline kept me interested throughout the entire book. Also every character good or bad, changed in a way through the path of the story which definitely made things more interesting.
When Tom Robinson is ruled upon unfairly, bad things begin to happen. However, all of these things connect directly back to Atticus. Although problems keep happening to Atticus, he ignores them or tries to find the positive side of things. I liked this because he did not act out of anger. One thing that I did not like about the book was the things that seemed to have nothing to do with the final outcome of the book. This made it seem slow moving and boring at times. Overall I give this book a rating of 8 out of 10. What will be Tom Robinson's final fate be? More importantly what will Atticus' final fate be? Read to find out.

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Rating: - 1960s Standpoint
One of the biggest daily challenges high school students face is the struggle to be accepted. As high school students reading Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird, we are reminded of the progressive thinking of the 1960s. Many of the lessons Atticus teaches Scout represent the values of this era. In the 60s, acceptance and love were upheld and the Civil Rights movement became apparent in everyday lives of Americans.
In TKAM, Atticus addresses these morals, such as when Atticus advises Scout not to call African-Americans the n-word. Atticus explains that just because people are different doesn't mean that they should be shunned and disrespected. This is an ideal of the 60s, as shown by the progress of the Civil Rights Movement.
Another of the 1960s values shown in Atticus' teachings is displayed when he says to Scout, "You just hold your head high and keep those fists down." The anti violence concept that Atticus preaches was prevalent in the 1960s culture. Many people advocated an anti-war stance which called for peace and unity over violence. We find that To Kill a Mockingbird manifests the ideals of the 1960s which are still valuable today.

By Louise G, Greg S, Talia M, Gabe P, and Larisa A

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Rating: - To kill a mockingbird.....
Harper Lee's Pulitzer-prize winning novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, was published in 1960. The novel, set in 1930's Alabama, details the life of a young girl, Scout, and her older brother, Jem, as they encounter the prejudices of their small town. Their father, Atticus Finch, the town's lawyer, must defend a Negro male in a case that changes the Finch's lives forever. The book details Scout's period of self discovery & her exploration of ethics in a time of racial conflict in America's South. Scout, the narrator of the novel, is six at the beginning, but as she grows, so too does the novel's vocabulary. Words like "stricture" and "slop" turn into "ex cathedro" and "morphodite". The diction evolves in accordance with the development of the character changing to reflect shifting views & perspectives.

Although a great piece of literature, the novel does not contain similes or metaphors. This lack, however, does not detract from the literary experience, but rather adds to the book a refreshing element of honesty & innocence. A relatively new literary work, To Kill A Mockingbird is a masterpiece that will be enjoyed by adults, children and families for years to come.

Reviewed by: K. Klavon, P. Friedman, J. Quinlan, L.K., Mike Dalbello,
Max Holmes

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Rating: - A Teenager's Perspective of To Kill A Mockingbird
Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird is a relief after the numerous tedious pieces of "classic literature" forced upon us by our county's curriculum. This book interlaces themes related to both adulthood and childhood which parallel the stage of our lives which we currently live.

To Kill A Mockingbird centers around the lives of Scout and Jem Finch and their explorations of the facets of maturity. The two spend there summers with Dill, exploring their sleepy southern town and trying to coax Boo Radley out of his house. The siblings grow apart as the each begin their own transition from child to adult. Jem's changes manifest themselves in his habitual "maddening superiority", while Scout learns more about the intricacies of the more adult world. Their new found maturity is tested when Atticus takes on the job of defending Tom Robinson. Then they learn the true meaning of growing lies in making the right decision when faced with the wrong.

This novel resonates with teenage readers in a way uncommon to many of the books imposed upon us in school. Everyone should read this timeless classic because it is more that just a classic. It is a catalog of life lessons imparted to the reader through a collection of memories.

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Rating: - Feminist's View of To Kill A Mockingbird
The great American classic, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, is a heart-warming and insightful re-telling of one spunky, curious girl growing up in the racially-divided and old-fashioned South. The main character, Scout, was constantly reprimanded by her relatives, for being too "unladylike." She breaks through these gender stereotypes by refusing to adhere to this expected persona of a Southern Belle. Ever her brother and friend engage in sexist jokes and banter, and exclude her from certain activities because of her gender. Despite her dealing with the constant insults to her person, Scout blossoms into an upstanding and determined woman, partially because of her father Atticus's moral teachings throughout her development.

This book is considered a classic for a reason. Not only does it contain beautiful writing and meaningful morals, but it also has an entertaining plot. The book appeals to twelve-year olds and forty year olds alike, with a sweet and humorous story. All different kinds of people, from the more "involved" Stephanie Crawford's to the sassy and opinionated Calpurnias, can enjoy this wonderful tale of growing up, learning new things, and breaking boundaries that has entertained a nation for over forty years.

by ava, jenny w, lizzy, and rosalie.