Under the education system, you were taught that Haper Lee’s novel was a product of its time as well as the closest we would ever get to understanding the culture of the segregated south. 

Reading this classic a few years on, Lee’s novel can no longer be considered as just another insight into one of many undignified moments of social history. Written in the first person, Lee explores one of the quintessential assets of 1930s America; the ‘close-knit’ family. 

From the family you’re born into, to the people in your hometown, it can be seen that the main characters are conflicted by their social and human morality. This is evident in the youngest character of the novel, Jean Louise (Scout), when she observed that she ‘was born good, but had grown progressively worse every year.’ Plausibly, her impressionable mind is referring to the negative effects of growing up. Focusing on the quote specifically, the placement of the comma presents Scout’s view as a reflection life itself; the ability to be good is short lived, whereas the bad parts of life can be sufferable longer. 

The ideas associated with the Bildungsroman novel also extends to the children’s thoughts of the adults of Maycomb, Alabama (the location of the novel). Lee presents them as figures of authority over children like Scout and Jem (the former’s older brother). Wether they are a dictatorial or democratic, the reader will have to see as the novel progresses. As we are only offered hints until court is in session. This view on character hierarchy is convincingly spoken of by Jem when he stated directly to Scout that “You can’t run three hundred miles off without your mother knowin’”.  The irony of this coming from Jem is that the term ‘Big Brother’ is referring to the government propaganda of the time. Something that was promoting political control and an almost dystopian outlook on America society during the early 20th century.

From Jim Crow’s Laws to the great migration to California, shifts in the American economy were prioritised over emotional happiness and harmony. 

The children’s perspectives are contrasted with the steadfastness of the father, Atticus Finch. His interaction with Jem and Scout are plausibly as direct and unwavering as any parent we, as readers, will ever encounter. To order Scout to, ‘hold your head high and … don’t let them get your goat’  is to urge her to stick to her moral beliefs, as Atticus’ daughter, rather than the conflicting views of Maycomb society. 

The influence of Atticus is later confirmed in Scout stating that ‘(he) told (her) to delete the adjectives and just have the facts’.  Advice coming from Atticus does suggest the powerful connection he has with Scout. Something that was very profound with Lee and her father who was also a lawyer in Alabama. A particular case her father took, which parallels the novel’s, was serving as a defence counsel for two African Americans who were accused of murdering a white storekeeper. In terms of Atticus, his role as the local lawyer serves as the glint of hope in the backwards world of the Deep South.

To highlight his own moral views on society, Atticus states to the jury that he’s ‘no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our… jury system—that is no ideal to (him), it is a living, working reality.’ 
Atticus harshly contrasts the theory of law with its practice.To increase the power of the latter, Lee uses punctuation, at the last minute, to emphasise ‘living (and) working reality’. This is further enforced by the use of a em dash to lengthen Atticus’ focus idealism. To join up ‘jury system (with) that is no ideal’, plausibly makes idealism seem tedious and overbearing. The toil between the ideal and reality, seen by the sentence structure, does suggests conflict between law and society’s emotions. 

This contrast can also be linked to the political situation at the time the novel was set as well as when it was published. In 1930, the theory and ideal world propaganda was promoting was disguising the social effects suffered from the Depression and Dust Bowl. Whereas in 1960, the advertisements of the ‘white’ family home and ‘the Help’ system was contrasts with the Civil Rights movement that slowly grew to change everything. 

Atticus’ use of contrasts is further explored by Dolphus Raymond. Someone who gets ostracised by Maycomb for marrying a black woman, Raymond is a courtroom viewer that the Scout and Jem come to know. To an extent, he also sees society as being conflicted between human reality and social ideals;

“Cry about the simple hell people give other people—without even thinking. Cry about the hell white people give colored folks, without even stopping to think that they’re people, too.”

The religious associations with ‘cry’ and ‘hell’ does plausibly allude to the reception of court case verdict later on in the novel. However, to contrast it with the colour ‘white’ associates the treatment of coloured ‘folk’ with purity and innocence. With manipulation being very prevalent here, Lee could be mirroring the novel’s character hierarchy with American society’s. 

Overall, before I ramble on any further, it can be said that Lee’s idea of ‘close-knit family’ very broad. By including arguments surrounding the use of law and power during this time, Lee makes us realise how hard it is to stick with OUR (practical) logic over theoretical fanaticism. 
Unlike my previous review, you can give this novel the ‘Modern Classic’ label. A narrative that is relevant across all decades, Harper’s toil between ‘family’ values and  human harmony, makes us question the lack of unity in today’s world. Separate political structures, ways to educate people and religious beliefs can make a person question where they belong regardless of birth. 

This has been a rollercoaster ride of a read and I would be sure to experience it again in the near future. If you want to read or watch narratives that are similar to Harper Lee’s epic, have a go with;

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (1966)

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee (2015)

Dead Man Walking (film in 1995)

No Country for Old Men (film in 2007)

Thank you again for this wonderful experience Harper! 

See you next time! Exxx