To Kill A Mockingbird Response Essay

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee was a very well written book. It provided an interesting childlike perspective on the various happenings in Maycomb Alabama. Scout had a unique perspective to all of the events that took place in the story due to her innocence. This book was worthwhile to read because it provided valuable life lessons concerning morals and equality. That being said, I did not enjoy the book. Although Harper Lee is an eloquent author, I felt her writing style to be quite dry. However, this is a minor complaint compared to the lack of closure that Lee provided to the reader. It seemed as if Tom Robinson was going to attend an appeal hearing and get freed. This would be a great stride for the black community and would validate
Atticus mentioned that it was a step in the right direction that the jury deliberated for three entire hours on Tom’s fate whereas in most white vs. Black cases, deliberation is nominal and takes only a few minutes. This book painted a very grim and depressing picture for white and black relations in Maycomb Alabama, seemingly with no light at the end of the tunnel. The Help is a great movie. I enjoyed The Help because it personified the civil rights issue much better that To Kill a Mockingbird. The Help ended with optimism and real results in the right direction for the black community. To Kill a Mockingbird did not. The book did occur much earlier in history than the movie, and small steps are necessary to precede larger ones. In no way am I saying that Atticus did not do everything he could have done for Tom. Atticus did the right thing by defending Tom. My main point is I just wish that Harper Lee would have thrown the reader a bone and declared Tom innocent. This would have elevated the overall optimism of the book, and highlighted the humanity of the jury and citizens of