To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
Since everyone American-educated seems to have read this novel, I figured I’d pick up some classics and neo-classics to add to my reads. Worth a 1961 Pulitzer, this is the well-mastered tale of a small southern town and its people in the 1930’s. Humor and bits of history touch on the beauty of childhood, the complexities of family life, personal values and rocky race relations. Although I found myself getting a bit tired of the slower flow and the new vocabulary, the character development was masterful. I was liking, sympathizing and trying to get into Atticus Finch’s head and wondering when oh’ when we’d finally see Boo Radley.
sounds interesting.
I only recently noticed that To Kill a Mockingbird is on your list. I first read that book in high school, and do you know, after all this time has passed, I still regard Atticus Finch as one of the great characters in all of American literature. The story itself has dimmed for me, I admit, but Atticus has only grown brighter as the time has gone by. That is a testament to his depth.
It’s been said that the real measure of a fictional character’s quality is in whether or not you can discuss the character as if she or he were a real person – if you can psychologize over the character, talk about her or him as if you were acquainted, as if they were living, breathing people. Well, I think Atticus really measures up to that standard.
You should drop by the antisocialist sometime, if you’re not too busy. There’s a literary-philosophical dialogue currently posted that might interest a rockin girl blogger.
Thank you for your fine comment the other day, tuttysan, and for your compliment. You were, incidentally, responded to.