To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I have always wanted to read this book, but I never got the chance to do so in middle school or in high school. We read Night by Elie Wiesel instead, which is on my tbr list. First, I’d like to acknowledge that this book is (to my better self) a beautiful book. I do not want to discourage people from reading this book simply because it’s… well, controversial. So much so that it is banned in schools throughout the country. As an educator, I can understand the bias and concern this book holds for however many parents who dislike or disapprove of this book. The context of the book is heavy as it is set in a time after slavery when people were still segregated for the color of their skin. As you can guess, it deals with racism. It also deals with heavy topics such as rape, taps into the world of innocence of a white child who views the world through white lenses and soon discovers hard truths about the racism in her town. See, as an educator, I can argue that this book is not suitable for students who are not mature enough like maybe middle school kids, but who am I to say who is mature enough? The child in this story is in elementary school at the time the events in this book take place. So how can we suggest that it is too much for students of middle and even high school levels? But I digress. Parents have a right to these feelings yet, I beg to argue that this book should still be taught in schools. Why? You may ask?

             As I read this book, I paid attention to the language of this book (it is heavy – caution) and noticed derogatory words heavily used over and over again and wondered, who the hell wrote this book? I stopped my reading and turned to the back of the book to read the author's details. Sure enough, it was a causation woman. I thought “Why on earth would this woman feel it okay to write such words over and over again like she is inclined and encouraged to do so?” I believe that the answer lies within the book. When we look at the father Atticus we think, “Wow! This man really loves people, ALL people. He really cares for everyone and sees people as equal.” Now, there are people like that, I like to call them allies of the POC around the world. That’s fine and dandy, but this woman sets up these characters to be “white saviors.” Like we need to praise these people for doing the right thing? Why is that even a thing we do? It’s like the way praise fathers when they actually help with their children, but women get a simple pat on the back, if that. It does very much so bother me that the author would write a book with such conviction. As if to take the experience of the pain she is writing about as her own. This brings me back to my reason; we should teach this book in schools to open up topics about race and its everlasting effects. The problem, I understand lies in the fact that people do not want to speak about these issues and would rather like to pretend such events didn’t happen. We should take a serious look at the issues that we as a country face when dealing with race, but I will not entirely get into that in this review. One because why do we, POC, have to KEEP telling y’all and writing about issues yet you all refuse to listen? To care, to pay attention. To acknowledge. Instead, you turn your cheek as if you were the one who’s been slapped over and over again with disrespect and lack of love. Second, this is supposed to be a short review. Emphasis on short.

             Yes, overall, I recommend this book. I recommend this book be read, however, I recommend reading it with an open mind. With the lack of ideas, judgment, and prejudice towards ideas and ideals that are not your own. There are so many ways to approach this book: as a simple reader, as a philosopher, as an educator, as an angry parent, as a racist, as a conflicted human, as a person of color, as a white person, as a white savior, as a student, etc. The possibilities are endless. It’s almost impossible not to walk into this book without preconceived ideas, thoughts, and concerns. But for the love of your higher power, just try. Expand your mind (and this book will do that however you approach your reading). Let the book be a book and then make your decisions. Overall, I give this book an 8/10 mainly because I wish the author would have done a better job with her words. I wish she would have been incredibly more mindful than she was when writing such a story.