The Great American Read: Day 25 To Kill A Mockingbird
In honor of Father's Day I decided to post on a book that most people agree has the greatest literary father of all time as one of the main characters in it- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
How I was introduced to this book is a pretty good story. I had been previously homeschooled and I hadn't been assigned "literature" or any particular books per se. I was only required to read what I wanted and do 6 book reports by the end of the school year which was fine but I struggled a bit finding good books. I would pull things off library shelves at random (as long as they were in the children's section, of course, because everything else seemed really intimidating at the time) and read it and write a report. So I entered public school for the first time as a 9th grader at Fairmont Jr. High. I was assigned my first book from my English teacher Mrs. Godfrey. Mrs. Godfrey was a bit of a crank and looked like she had already been teaching longer than she should. She was part witch and part task master but I loved every part of her. She assigned us to read To Kill a Mockingbird part way through the first semester. I felt like I had been reading absolute dribble up to this point. Don't get me wrong- I love a light read- it has its moments to shine, but I had never been so challenged, so eye-opened, or so enthralled but a work of fiction before. I am so grateful for this assigned book. I haven't reread it since so specific memories about the book are fuzzy but I remember Scout and Jem. I remember the father, Atticus Finch and his love for his children and how he didn't talk down to them or entirely shield them from the harsh realities of the world. For the most part I have locked this book in my freshman memory because I love it for the memory it is- my first assigned book of true classic literature. I will revisit it one day but for now I still have the journal assignment my teacher gave to me after all this time. We had to return the books from the school after we were done with them. But I told myself if I were to ever find a copy that looked like the edition we used in class I would buy it. I found the copy at the used bookstore. Now I want a Boo Radley tree.
I highly recommend this book. It is one book that should be really high on The Great American Read list. If I wasn't such a big fan of Charlotte's Web this would be my second choice EVEN with my Harry Potter love.
How I was introduced to this book is a pretty good story. I had been previously homeschooled and I hadn't been assigned "literature" or any particular books per se. I was only required to read what I wanted and do 6 book reports by the end of the school year which was fine but I struggled a bit finding good books. I would pull things off library shelves at random (as long as they were in the children's section, of course, because everything else seemed really intimidating at the time) and read it and write a report. So I entered public school for the first time as a 9th grader at Fairmont Jr. High. I was assigned my first book from my English teacher Mrs. Godfrey. Mrs. Godfrey was a bit of a crank and looked like she had already been teaching longer than she should. She was part witch and part task master but I loved every part of her. She assigned us to read To Kill a Mockingbird part way through the first semester. I felt like I had been reading absolute dribble up to this point. Don't get me wrong- I love a light read- it has its moments to shine, but I had never been so challenged, so eye-opened, or so enthralled but a work of fiction before. I am so grateful for this assigned book. I haven't reread it since so specific memories about the book are fuzzy but I remember Scout and Jem. I remember the father, Atticus Finch and his love for his children and how he didn't talk down to them or entirely shield them from the harsh realities of the world. For the most part I have locked this book in my freshman memory because I love it for the memory it is- my first assigned book of true classic literature. I will revisit it one day but for now I still have the journal assignment my teacher gave to me after all this time. We had to return the books from the school after we were done with them. But I told myself if I were to ever find a copy that looked like the edition we used in class I would buy it. I found the copy at the used bookstore. Now I want a Boo Radley tree.
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| Took this book to Father's Day Celebration! |
I highly recommend this book. It is one book that should be really high on The Great American Read list. If I wasn't such a big fan of Charlotte's Web this would be my second choice EVEN with my Harry Potter love.
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