Life Changing Ideas in Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird :: essays research papers

Would you read a book that could change the way people lived their lives, but was against what people thought? How would you feel if you were the one writing the book? Would you go against the grain just to get your point across? Well Harper Lee did. She wrote To Kill A Mockingbird, to get a point across and in doing so she changed the way people think about everyday life. Nelle Harper Lee studied law for a short time, and then in 1961 the book To Kill A Mockingbird was published. She grew up in the small town of Monroeville, Alabama. Although she never said all her life experiences were incorporated into the book. By doing so she based her opinion through the thoughts and words of a young girl in the novel, known as Scout. Scout also grows up in a small town in the book, called Maycomb. In these small towns during the time in which the book was written, the white people of the community were put above all others. The blacks of the time were looked down upon, and considered the lowest of them all. In Maycomb this was no exception such is the case when the town, ?would go along with them on the assumption-the evil assumption-that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted (217) Also in such small towns everybody knows everyone, and because of such tight quarters all others a re branded as outsiders, and are distant from the community, which leads people to ask, ?If there's just one kind of folks, why can't they get along with each other? If they're all alike, why do they go out of their way to despise each other(240) Being involved or talking with these ?outsiders? was dishonorable. By writing the book Harper Lee did just that and went against what society is saying. In the book she speaks of being the outsider, rape, prejudice, and violence, even through talk about these things is shameful, she wanted to get her point across. She wanted people to know that ?it's a sin to kill a mockingbird`Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.