Classic, Literature,

1. BOOK REVIEW 1
By Nur Ashikin Mohd Sa’ay
Page 1

2. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
MY OWN COPY
o Author: Harper Lee
o Author: Harper Lee
oPublisher’s Name:
oPublisher’s Name:
Mandarin Paperbacks
J. B. Lippincott & Co.
oPublished Year:
oPublished Date:
1989
July 11, 1960
oCountry:
oCountry:
United States
United States
oPages:
oPages: 296 (first
309 (paperback)
edition, hardback)
Page 2

3. SYNOPSIS
Growing up in a small Southern town, Jem and Scout Finch
think they know their family and neighbors: There's Boo
Radley, the neighborhood recluse, whom the children attempt
to lure out of hiding; cranky old Mrs. Dubose is secretly
addicted to morphine; their odd playmate, Dill Harris, comes to
stay with his aunt next door each summer; and then there's
Atticus, their father, and their hero. Their life is shattered by
rumors of a black man accused of raping a white woman. In
1930s Alabama, her accusation all but proves his guilt. Yet
lawyer Atticus questions the charge and defends the accused
man in a town steeped in prejudice. Through the eyes of the
children, as they try to understand the reactions of the
townspeople and make sense of the crumbling world around
them, the irrationality of racism is laid bare.
Page 3

4. GENRE
Page 4

5. GENRE: COMING-OF-AGE
oTo Kill a Mockingbird is not just Scout’s
coming-of-age story. It is also about Jem’s
and Dill’s. But mostly we hear about Scout.
oOver the course of the novel she learns to
act in a more adult way, even a more
ladylike way, and to see the people around
her as actual human beings.
oAnd the novel is also about growing up
more
generally,
asking
an
important
question: Is it possible to become an adult,
to join adult community and still keep a
child’s sensitivity to injustice?
Page 5

6. GENRE: SOUTHERN GOTHIC
oAnd now for the fun stuff. To Kill a Mockingbird
has a haunted house (the Radley Place), a ghost
(Boo), inexplicable evil (Bob Ewell) and terrifying
nightmares encounters (the midnight raid on the
Radley Place and Bob Ewell again).
oThat makes it gothic.
oIt is set in a South still haunted by its rascist
past.
oThat, gives us the Southern Gothic.
oBut don’t worry. The book’s also got ham
costumes
and
public
pantslessness,
so
the
potential horror of the novel is offset by its
humor.
Page 6

7. THEMES
Page 7

8. THEME: PREJUDICE
♥Prejudice is a strong word.
♥In
Maycomb
County,
Tom
Robinson is charged with the rape
of Mayella Ewell.
♥Atticus and the children believes
wholeheartedly of Tom’s innocence.
♥The
rest
however,
of
let
the
townsfolk
their
prejudice
towards the black folks blind them.
♥In the end, even after presenting
unquestionable evidences, Atticus
got a guilty verdict from the allwhite jury.
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9. THEME: COURAGE
♥Miss Dubose’s courage in
battling her morphine
addiction.
♥Atticus’s courage to stand
up for what he believes in.
♥Moral courage is having
the guts to do what is right,
and not what is expected of
you, even though it might
anger those around you.
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10. THEME: COMPASSION
♥Atticus as a compassionate father.
♥"Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell's
shoes for a minute, I destroyed his last shred
of credibility at the trial, if he had any to begin
with. The man had to have some kind of
comeback, he always does. So if spittin' on my
face and threatening me saved Mayella one
extra beating, that's something I would gladly
take. He had to take it out on someone and I'd
rather
it
be
me,
then
that
household
of
children out there, do you understand?"
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11. CHARACTERS
Page 11

12. CHARACTERS
ATTICUS FINCH
♥A white Maycomb
attorney
♥Father of Scout and Jem
♥Wise and caring
♥Teach Scout and Jem to
treat others equally
♥Have strong moral
compass
♥Decides to defend Tom
Robinson
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13. CHARACTERS
JEAN-LOUISE ‘SCOUT’
FINCH
oNarrator and protagonist
oConsidered smart for her
age, loves to read.
oA tomboy who spends
most of her time playing
with her brother and
friend, Dill.
oNaive and idealistic.
oQuick-tempered.
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14. CHARACTERS
JEREMY ATTICUS ’JEM’
FINCH
♥Scout’s older brother of 4
years.
♥Matures greatly
throughout the novel.
♥Protective of his father
and sister.
♥Risked his life to save
Scout.
Page 14

15. CHARACTERS
ARTHUR ‘BOO’ RADLEY
♥The
most
mysterious
character in this novel.
♥Very
quiet,
reclusive
character.
♥Maycomb children believe
he’s a horrible person.
♥Goes out of his way to
save Scout and Jem.
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16. CHARACTERS
ROBERT E. LEE ‘BOB’
EWELL
♥Main
antagonist
in
the
novel.
♥A white trash.
♥It is implied that he was
the one who abused his
daughter, Mayella and not
Tom Robinson.
♥Tried to kill Scout and
Jem.
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17. CHARACTERS
TOM ROBINSON
♥The
black
defends
man
when
Atticus
he
is
accused of raping a whit
ewoman, Mayella Ewell.
♥Felt sorry for Mayella.
♥Despite Atticus's skillful
defense,
Robinson
is
declared guilty by the jury.
Page 17

18. CHARACTERS
MAYELLA VIOLET EWELL
♥Tom Robinson's 19-anda-half-year-old accuser and
the eldest daughter of Bob
Ewell.
♥Has to take care of her
siblings
because
of
her
father’s alcoholism.
♥Tries to seduce Tom and
covers up by accusing him
of rape.
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19. ISSUES PRESENTED
Page 19

20. ISSUES PRESENTED: DISCRIMINATION
The Radleys, even though white, faces
discrimination by the townsfolk
because they are different.
Page 20

21. ISSUES PRESENTED: LOSS OF
INNOCENCE
oCan be explained as the process of growing
up.
oFascination with the mystery that is Boo
Radley. (Reenact rumors of violence done by
Boo)
oThe trial of Tom Robinson and its aftermath.
(Scout finally sees that the world is unfair
racism is an imminnent threat)
oJem acts as a protector of Scout.
Page 21

22. ISSUES PRESENTED: IMPORTANCE OF
HONOUR
♥Atticus, against practically everyone in the
county, including his own mother and sister
decides to defend the black man.
♥Scout honours her promise to her father to
turn the other way when people calls Atticus
bad names in front of her.
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23. REASONS FOR CHOOSING THIS BOOK
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24. TARGET READERS
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25. Page 25