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Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird (1960)
Author
Nelle Harper Lee was born in Monroeville, Alabama, in 1926. As her father was a lawyer, Nelle Harper began to study law. However, she quit her studies and moved to New
York City in 1950, because she wanted to be a writer and so began writing short stories
and working on To Kill a Mockingbird. The novel was an immediate success and has
since become one of the most read books of modern American literature. In 1961, Lee
was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Her novel was turned into a highly successful
film, starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch. Another novel by Harper Lee, Go Set a
Watchman, has recently been discovered and was published in July 2015. Just a few
months later, Harper Lee died in Monroeville, Alabama, on 19 February 2016.
Contents
Part I (Chapters 1–11): The story is set in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, during
the 1930s. The narrator is Jean Louise Finch, called Scout, who looks back on her childhood days. The children are raised by their father Atticus, a widowed lawyer, and Calpurnia, the black housekeeper. One summer seven-year-old Dill Harris comes to Maycomb to spend his holidays with his aunt. Scout, her older brother Jem and Dill become
friends. Together with their new playmate they try to get behind the secret of a haunted
house in their neighbourhood in which “Boo” (Arthur) Radley lives. He hasn’t been seen
for years since his father locked him up in the house. Wondering what Boo Radley now
looks like the children devise games intended to get him to come out, but without success.
The following September Scout starts school and she hates it. On their last day at school
before the vacations the children discover some chewing gum and a small box in the
knothole of a tree on the Radley property. In the holidays Jem and Dill try to look into
the house, but the roar of a shotgun drives them off. In panic, Jem catches his breeches
in the fence and must abandon them. Later that night, he returns and finds them neatly
folded across the fence. More objects begin to appear, including replicas of Scout and
Jem carved in soap. When Jem and Scout decide to leave a note for whoever is leaving
the objects, they find the tree hole filled with cement.
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One night in the following winter, a neighbour’s house is on fire. In the icy cold the children watch the fire brigade fight the flames. When Scout returns back home, she finds
herself wearing a woollen blanket around her shoulders, which – as Atticus explains –
must have been wrapped around her by Boo Radley. Scout later starts a fight at school in
defence of her father who “defended niggers”. Atticus tells Scout that he has accepted
the defence of a black man, Tom Robinson, because his conscience tells him so. He warns
Scout that some people might condemn him for this but asks her to keep her fists down.
The children are a bit ashamed of their father because he is so different from other fathers. Although he says he is not interested in guns, Atticus fulfils the children’s Christmas
wishes and gives them air-rifles. He warns them, though, not to shoot mockingbirds.
Part II (Chapters 12 – 31): As Atticus’ presence is required at the state legislature in
Montgomery, the housekeeper Calpurnia takes Jem and Scout to a church service in her
community. The children learn that everybody in the black community knows their father well. Reverend Sykes organises a collection for Helen, Tom Robinson’s wife, because Tom cannot find any work now that he has been accused of raping a white woman.
At home, to the surprise of the children, their Aunt Alexandra is waiting for them. Scout
in particular is not pleased at all that her aunt will stay for the summer holidays. As the
trial is about to begin, the defendant Tom Robinson is brought to Maycomb jail. Sitting
in front of the jail Atticus guards the prisoner and together with the children protects
Tom against being lynched by a mob.
At the trial Tom Robinson is charged with the rape of a white woman named Mayella
Ewell. Atticus knows Tom is innocent, and despite the intimidation from whites, Atticus
defends as best he can. Although Atticus has forbidden the children to attend the trial
they sneak into the courthouse. Sheriff Tate and Mayella’s father Bob testify first, claiming that the girl was beaten on the right side of her face and raped. Atticus can prove that
Mayella was hit by a left-handed man, and that her father is left-handed whereas Tom’s
left arm is crippled. Mayella testifies and repeats her accusations against Tom, who, in
turn, assures he was called into the house by Mayella herself and that she tried to seduce
him. Atticus sums up the case saying that the testimony of the witnesses has been contradicted by the defendant and that Tom Robinson’s guilt is not proven beyond doubt. Atticus’ efforts, however, are in vain: Tom is convicted. Jem finds it very hard to accept
the verdict, because it is so unfounded. Atticus is confident that an appeal will be successful. The members of the black community bring lots of food to Atticus’ house as a
sign of appreciation. In contrast, Mayella’s father spits at Atticus.
Tom Robinson takes the verdict very hard, because he does not believe that he will find
justice in a white dominated legal system. He tries to escape from prison, but is shot. At
hearing the news of her husband’s death, Helen Robinson breaks down. Some of the
white population use Tom’s attempt to run away as proof of the black man’s inferiority.
But the editor of the local paper, Mr Underwood, condemns Tom’s death, comparing it
to the senseless slaughter of songbirds. On thinking about this editorial, Scout realises
despite all her father’s efforts Tom hadn’t stood a chance from the beginning. Prejudice
cannot be overcome in a court.
The new school year starts and Scout is now ashamed of the childish games they used to
play with Boo. People in Maycomb still talk about the Robinson case and are critical of
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Atticus Finch, but they re-elect him for the legislature. Bob Ewell, feeling that Atticus
and Judge Taylor had made a fool of him, is given a job, but soon loses it due to his laziness and blames Atticus Finch. He also menaces Tom Robinson’s widow and tries to
break into the judge’s house.
On their way home from a Halloween party, Scout and Jem notice that they are being
followed. They try to flee, but are attacked. They struggle to defend themselves against
the assailant, until their attacker is suddenly pulled away in the dark. Scout sees a man
lying on the ground, smelling of whiskey, and another one carrying Jem away. She manages to get home. Aunt Alexandra and Atticus call Doctor Reynolds and Sheriff Tate.
Jem has been brought home unconscious and has a broken arm. Scout sees the man who
brought Jem home but she doesn’t know who he is. Sheriff Tate tells Atticus that Bob
Ewell was found dead under a tree with a knife stuck under his ribs. At first Finch thinks
that his son Jem stabbed Ewell and will have to face trial, and refuses to go along with
the Sheriff’s explanation that Ewell fell onto his knife, killing himself. Only slowly does
Atticus realise that the Sheriff wants to suppress evidence to save shy Boo Radley, because it was he who had stabbed Ewell and rescued the children. Scout also agrees to the
explanation of what had happened because not to do so would be like shooting a
mockingbird. Atticus thanks Boo, who had all the time been waiting silently in the shadow of the veranda, and Scout guides him home.
Characters
Atticus Finch: Jem’s and Scout’s father is the descendant of one of the oldest families
in Maycomb and a highly respected personality in the community. He is a competent
lawyer and a member of the state legislature. He is a very understanding father with a
lot of common sense and a dry sense of humour. He is one of the few residents of Maycomb committed to racial equality and treats all those around him with respect and
consideration. Atticus renounces violence but stands firm for his convictions, risking
his standing in the community and his personal safety when necessary. In accepting the
defence of an African American he shows that he does not care about public opinion and
ignores the animosities of the prejudiced white majority of Maycomb. In this quiet yet
determined manner he sets an example for his children and teaches them moral principles and a strong sense of justice.
Jean Louise (“Scout”) Finch: The narrator and protagonist of the story, is almost six
years old when her story begins. She is intelligent and a real tomboy, refusing to act
like a young lady, and always trying to prove herself equal to her playmates Jem and
Dill. Scout has a natural feeling of what is right or wrong, and quickly responds to insults with her fists. She is outspoken, sincere, innocent and unprejudiced – in contrast
to the hypocritical whites in her community. Scout represents a new generation which,
hopefully, will grow up without arrogance and racial prejudice.
Jeremy (“Jem”) Finch: He is four years older than his sister, an adventurous boy and a
keen footballer. Jem and Scout are really close companions and always spend their free
time together. He wakes up to the hard facts of life when he has to cope with the unfair
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