Thursday, March 28, 2024

Why Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mocking Bird’ Remains Relevant in the Present Times

*Just as Atticus Finch,  in “To Kill a Mockingbird” puts it:

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”

This is simply what Harper Lee’s philosophy was when she penned down this masterpiece. She tried her best to put the readers in the shoes of different characters in the novel. She made them break through the layers of enforced racial discrimination by doing so.

In a fun-filled novel with some good humor and an extremely compelling plot, crucial issues that plague our society like racial injustice and destruction of innocence have been brilliantly portrayed. The color, cast, creed, genders and other social taboos have been analyzed deeply in the book based on what the author experienced in her life in reality as a 10-year-old girl in 1936 in her hometown, Monroeville, Alabama.

Today, we take a trip down the pages of the book to see why Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mocking Bird’ remains still relevant in the present era. Let’s reflect upon the countless valuable lessons the book delivers which resonate today and will continue to be relevant always.

1.    Courage

“Real courage is when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.”

A black man, Tom Robinson, detained for raping a white woman represents gross injustice carried through racial discrimination and injustice. Robin’s case is taken up by Atticus who knows from the very start that he is going to lose the case. Despite the odds, he refuses to give up on Robin and stands beside him through the end. He knows that by doing so  his entire family would be singled out by the society, yet Atticus remains firm on his decision.

We could all take a lesson from Atticus. We don’t stand up for what we believe in and that’s where we go wrong. Real courage is challenging things and staying firm on the ground regardless of the consequences.

2.    Handling Provocation

“You just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don’t you let ‘em get your goat? Try fightin’ with your head for a change.”

Getting provoked is very easy; handling provocation smartly and calmly is the real deal. Scout and Jem were Atticus’ children who were outraged that their father took up Robin’s case. They were ostracized in their school for this which provoked and infuriated them. This results in Scout beating her fellow classmate into a pulp only to later receive an earful from her father for that.

Atticus believed that one should keep their cool and use their head instead of fists to respond to anyone.

3.    Integrity

“Before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.”

Atticus’ daughter Scout kept wondering why her father was choosing to be defamed and condemned by the society. Why did everyone keep asking her family to reconsider this decision? However, Atticus had his own philosophy. He didn’t take the case to leave Robin to rot behind the bars for something he didn’t do. He thought Robin wouldn’t be able to live with his own self, forget about living with others around.

As members of the “polite society”, we are all tied to mollify those who are living and judging. Remember, true peace comes from being content with yourself and your actions without seeking validation from others.

4.    Kindness

“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.”

This is Atticus’ most celebrated dialogue which instructs his children to refrain from shooting a mockingbird. The mockingbirds are the ultimate symbols of innocence. They bring nothing but peace and happiness to others. They are prone to becoming easy scapegoats to the other people’s aggression and become the societal victims.

Anger is not something you give to someone who is kind and available for you. If we do give it to someone who means us no harm, then we commit a crime that we feel guilty of sooner or later.

We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!

YOU MAY LIKE

SEARCH

- Advertisement -

TRENDING