A Month of Literary Gratitude, Day 4 - To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

Friday, November 4, 2016

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is one of the books that affected me far more profoundly in the reread than it did initially.






Like most people of my generation, I read this book in school as an assignment. I remembered it fondly, but at that time, it did not affect me profoundly. It didn't stick with me, or make me cry.

And then, earlier this year, I bought the Audible version narrated by Sissy Spacek. I couldn't stop listening, and I found the experience profoundly moving. This time around I identified most with Atticus rather than Scout, and found much to admire in his choices. Atticus lived his life without fear, staying the course of the righteous rather than the one of expedience. Embracing fear, living bravely and authentically in spite of it, is a trait to be admired. While I was listening to it, I compared my own choices to those of Atticus, and found myself wanting.

But isn't that the purpose of literary archetypes? To give us something to aspire to, and to inspire us to be better people?

I love this book. It's one of my all time favorites, and one of the very few stories I would consider listening to again.

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