CSC x Vintage: To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird is one of those books that almost everyone will read at some point in their life if they haven’t already. Whether you studied it at school, decided to pick it up later in life or are considering seeing what all the hype is about, there’s a good chance that the novel means something to you. Well, this is your sign to (re)read it. It was my second time reading this coming of age tale about the coexistence of good and evil - and once again it did not disappoint.

The first time that many people read this book in secondary school, they may find themselves much like the main character, Scout. Sometimes struggling to see things from other people’s perspectives and defining the line between good and evil based off her own opinions only, the character undergoes significant character development. It is unsurprising, then, that this book teaches many people some lessons about themselves.

To Kill a Mockingbird is set during The Great Depression in the deep South and follows the narrator, Scout, through her childhood years from ages 6-9, as well as her brother, Jem. The narrator slowly learns about the injustices of the world as her life runs alongside the accusation and trial of a black man, Tom Robinson, for rape. Her father, Atticus Finch, is the attorney that offers to defend Robinson, and he is a symbol of morality throughout the whole novel. In fact, it is he who tells his children that it is ‘a sin to kill a Mockingbird’ - hinting at the fact that these birds are innocent, much like Tom Robinson.

This is a complex story of injustice, racism and moral development that is told in a way that both teenagers and adults can comprehend. It is truly a tale that everyone must read, or read again.

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Have you read To Kill A Mockingbird? Are you a Harper Lee fan? What should we review next? We are always eager to hear your thoughts - tag #CSCVintage to join the conversation, and find out more about our collaboration with Vintage here.