Through a Child’s Eyes

Though the town of Maycomb, Alabama may not exist, author Harper Lee is able to make it seem all too real in her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, where she is able to show the still prevalent racial issues in a majority of the south. She is able to create a town that would seem like home to many readers of the story, while still being able to show the injustice of racism through the eyes of a child. Harper Lee is able to evoke feelings of sympathy for Tom Robinson, because she is able to show how immoral the actions done to him were through dialogue between Scout and Atticus. The book took me back to warm summer days as a child where I did not have a care in the world, because regardless of the time period, Scout and her brother, Jem, are relatable characters for children as well as adults, reliving their childhood. By doing this Lee is able to make the book enjoyable for children, while stile being able to maintain the grown up themes. The book is something that I was able to connect with on an emotional level, because I began to grow attached to Tom, due to Scout’s affinity. The connection I was able to make with Tom were due to the fact that he was presented as a real and complex character in the story, which makes the injustices done unto him seem even more despicable.

A scene in the movie adaptation of the novel that depicts these traits in the story can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaVuVu5KXuE