Monday, June 11, 2007

To Kill a Mocking Bird

I recently finished reading this book "To kill a mocking bird " , it is a masterpiece of story telling, i really loved the way Scout narrates her childhood saga. It is a smooth story of a father and his two young and sensible children. Atticus (the father) helps his candid children to lead a correct life of high values and great principles in those days (early 20th century), when the coloured people were ill treated and womens role was restricted to a wife or a mother.

Both the children look up to Atticus whenever they are in dilemma , and the way Atticus answers their questions is simply amazing and touches your heart...the gist of the story is as Atticus says

"shoot all the bluejays [they] want," they must remember that "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird". Ms Maudie Atkinson, the children's neighbor, later explains that it is a sin because mockingbirds do no harm. They only provide pleasure with their songs: "They don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us". The mockingbird is used as a recurring motif to symbolise innocence and victims of injustice throughout the novel.

It is a symbol of innocence and beauty against racism and hatred.