To Kill a Mockingbird is an outstanding novel written by Harper Lee and published in July, 11 1960. The novel depicts the 1930s and the times of the Great Depression in Maycomb, Alabama. The story is told from the eyes of a six year old girl called Scout Finch. She narrates the story by remembering past events in her adulthood. Personally I found this type of narration to be unique because it gave me a sense that what she remembered could have easily been false and misleading as our memory tends to fool us at times. The book being about the rape of a white woman by a black man, the theme of racial prejudice is highly prevalent in the novel. Adding in the fact that a white lawyer is trying to prove the black man innocent really emphasizes on the dramatic story and tragic elements. Though I didn't find the book to be very tragic or sad, it had elements of injustice which may prove to be moving for some readers. I wasn't surprised with the ending of the novel as the story has elements suggesting how there were double standards between whites and blacks. Tom Robinson(the black man) being falsely convicted was something I expected from the portrayal of the society in the setting. The way he was framed and accused by Mayella Ewell (the white woman) despite her flirting with him in reality is the perfect example of racial prejudice in a society. This story reminded me of the novella "Chronicle of a Death Foretold" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez in the way an individual is accused for something he didn't do and the society prefers to stay oblivious to the reality that can save the individuals life.
Due to the strong themes it illustrates and it's unique narration. To Kill a Mockingbird is an outstanding novel.
Yasin Mergen
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