Wednesday, March 2, 2011

From book to movie: To Kill a Mockingbird

Not long ago I read "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. It is an amazing book. The book is about a black man, Tom Robinson, who is falsely accused by a white woman. A lawyer, Atticus Finch, defends Tom because he is assigned the case. Atticus is not like the other white people in his community because he respects the black community as people who have feelings and rights. All of the story is told from the perspective of Scout Finch, who is Atticus's youngest child and only daughter. Her brother is always with Scout throughout their many adventures.

The way Harper Lee wrote this book made you feel like you were in it. I found myself rooting for Mr. Robinson, hoping that he would win the case and he could go to his family who were waiting at home. I could just picture his wife and children sick with worry and then with grief when he's killed. I thought of his children sitting at home praying to God that their father would win the case. I thought of his wife probably not sleeping, worrying about her husband.

My absolute favorite character in the book is Scout Finch: the trouble maker, the tomboy, the little girl of the family. I love the scene where she, her brother, and their friend Dill are watching Atticus, who is sitting at the jail guarding Tom Robinson. A gang of white farmers drive to the jail to kill Tom. Atticus refuses to move and the mob begins to threaten Atticus. Scout runs from behind a car and saves her daddy's life by simply talking to the mob as friends. The men realize they have made a mistake and quickly and quietly leave.

When watching the movie, I felt like I was watching the book come to life. I loved how I was able to watch the movie and say "Hey! I read that in the book!" or " Hahaha! That was one of my favorite parts in the book!' I could tell that the director and cast really worked hard when they were creating the movie to make sure that it was just like the book. There were lines in the movie that were word-for-word from the book. I enjoyed how precise the movie was and how the actors and the actresses in the movie were just like I had imagined them.

I have friends who are black. I was thinking about how, if I were Atticus and I had been put in the position of saving a friend, I would try anything to make certain they were safe and secure. To learn in the end that they had lost hope would break my heart.

I would like to think that I would do what Atticus did, but sometimes I can be a coward and just as easily follow the crowd. Would I have acted like all the other white characters in the book? I would like to think of myself as being Atticus, a strong person of bravery and courage who stood for what was right. He stood by what he believed and carried through without loosing his temper or giving up.

One of my bff's Maleeka Bennett
I wish that we could change what happened in history from slavery to racism and instead have a history where people of all colors could live as friends, respecting one another as humans created equally by God.

To Kill a Mockingbird changed my views, my thoughts, and the way I act to something better. I am now more aware of the way others act towards one another. Having never experienced racism myself, I had never thought about how people can treat one another so terribly. I hope that everyone can work on becomeing more like Atticus Finch, the man who stood strong. Even though he's not a real person, Harper Lee created him strongly enough that he is a hero.

Shelby TG Rutherford


2 comments:

Laurie S said...

Great Job Shelby...I thought this was your mom writing it at first...your writing has really matured!!! and so have you! Love ya!

tacy said...

Love you to!! Thanks so much!!