|
I read To Kill A Mockingbird for the umpth time. I don't think it's exaggerating to say that this is one of the best books on the theme of racism that is explored through the eyes of 3 innocent children.
My favourite quotes-
"You never really understand a person “until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” - Atticus
It is easy for us to judge a person, is it not, when we are not in his or her position. We tend to take things at face value. In the context of TKAM, judging based skin colour is the worst error of judgement a person could make. The people of Maycomb will never understand what it means to be judged and humiliated because of their skin colour, until they experience it themselves.
“It’s like bein’ a caterpillar in a cocoon, that’s what it is,’he said. ‘Like somethin’ asleep wrapped up in a warm place. I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world, least that’s what they seemed like.’ -Jem
Jem couldn’t believe it when Tom was found guilty. Before the trial, Jem thought the people in the community are decent. After the trial, Jem started to view things differently. He likened it to a caterpillar being forced out of its warm, safe cocoon into the harsh light of day - the cold, real world. He slowly began to see the harsh reality of racism and prejudice, and how it is ingrained so deeply in one’s soul that an innocent man ended up dead. He is forced to see that not everything in life is fair.This statement made by Jem proves that he is another step closer towards adulthood.
"I think I'll be a clown when I get grown," said Dill. "Yes, sir, a clown.... There ain't one thing in this world I can do about folks except laugh, so I'm gonna join the circus and laugh my head off." "You got it backwards, Dill," said Jem. "Clowns are sad, it's folks that laugh at them." "Well, I'm gonna be a new kind of clown. I'm gonna stand in the middle of the ring and laugh at the folks." - Dill
Dill cannot understand how adults think, nor can he justify their actions. For example, he cannot apprehend why racism is so prevalent among the adults he knows. Clowns are generally associated with children, and thus viewed childish by adults. Dill however, turned the table on the adults, because he can't understand why they are making a big fuss over skin colour. In his eyes, everyone is the same, so he is going to grow up, become a clown, and laugh at adults for their "childishness".
Significant events which I could relate to:
The morning after the trial, Miss Maudie invited Jem, Dill and Scout over for some cake.. She gave Jem a large piece of cake, while two smaller cakes were given to Dill and Scout.
-Why? Because this can be seen as a “grownup” cake. After Miss Maudie served him the cake, she started talking to Jem about the trial in an adult manner. This is another event where Jem is slowly maturing and accepted as an adult. One of the main themes of this story is the transition from childhood to adulthood, but explored through racism.
There are many significant events in the book, but I find this event particularly close to my heart because it's about the loss of innocence. At one point, we will all experience that, and I feel sorry for Jem who has to experience this through the harsh reality of racism.
|