To Kill A Mockingbird, Entry 2

As much as I hate to admit it, this book has certainly grown on me. Now, I’m not saying it has become anywhere near my favorite books or a book I would necessarily choose to read on my own if I was not just being required to read a classic, but it is a little more tolerable than when I started. Perhaps it’s because I had such low expectations for this book based on some reviews I heard from my peers, but whatever the reason, I have most definitely started to enjoy this book more and it is a little less painful to continue reading (now, please notice that I am still not admitting that I like this book, I just strongly dislike it a little less...). I think the reason this book has not interested me that much was because it has a pretty dull plot structure. It is similar to the linear plot structure that I mentioned in my other post that most books were, but instead of a steeper line, this book most definitely has a flatter plot, like this graph. However, I bet as soon as this plot gets “high enough” (aka exciting) there is going to be an immediate drop back to boringness.

    However, one good thing, at least, is that I found out what the mockingbird reference is from the title

(in case you don’t read all my posts, this was one thing I was really wondering (and I have to admit, I was doubting that there actually was a reference or meaning to the title, too...)). The author writes, “‘Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.’ That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it. ‘Your father’s right,’ she said. ‘Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird’” (90). To me, this seems like an insignificant part of the story. This “don’t kill a mockingbird” thing is just some rule of the family. But, since it is part of the title, for crying out loud, I suppose there must be some meaning that can come with a little more analysis. The book so far (and I assume it will continue to be) has been about equality between black people and white people. However, most people in Maycomb County (the town in which the story takes place) are not really fond of the black people. One day, though, Atticus (the father who is a lawyer) takes on a case defending an innocent black person. Throughout the story, he tries to teach his children that black people are okay and are people just like them, and everyone should be treated equally. I think these lessons from the father parallel the title and the meaning behind killing a mockingbird. Killing the bird represents killing the innocence of childhood by teaching the children to hate other people. The part about the birds being harmless and just wanting to sing represents the harmlessness of the black people (they just want to be treated like free citizens too) and also the innocence of childhood. Therefore, despite my original prediction, there is, in fact, a meaning to the title (a meaning that is probably way deeper and more profound than my quick little analysis...).
    This book connects to Room, the first book I read for this project. Both are written in the point of view of a five year old.

However, while Room stays in the point of view of a five year old throughout the story and seems to be written in the present, To Kill A Mockingbird is written by a five year old who gets older throughout the story and seems to be written reflecting past events. Additionally, Room’s five year old writes how a five year old would think, such as with the totally innocent creative and unknowing mind, but this book’s five year old writes just as any other narrator who is older would (perhaps because the five year old is theoretically older when they are writing the book). Whatever the reason for this difference, I like Room’s version of this better because I think it provides a more interesting perspective on the story.