To Kill A Mockingbird

Пономарева Анастасия. Жетысуский Государственный Университет, город Талдыкорган, Алматинская область, Казахстан

Nelle Harper Lee is the author who wrote the famous novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” in 1960. The novel has become a classic of modern American fiction. One of the central heroes of this novel is Atticus Finch who has a sister, Alexandra Finch Hancock. Atticus and Alexandra are so different from their appearance, and behavior but sometimes they are parallel in their opinions.

Firstly, Atticus Finch is a liberal man. He is tall and about 50 years old. He is older than the parents of Jem and Scout’s classmates. Atticus wears glasses to correct his failing eyesight. He has some gray hairs. Scout and Jem call him Atticus or sometimes “Sir”, but never dad. He is willing to explain patiently whenever they have questions. For example, when Scout does not want to go back to school, Atticus does not just tell her that she has to go and that is that; instead, he listens to Scout’s explanation of why she is upset, and tries to make her see her teacher’s side of things before coming up with a compromise that makes Scout happier. Moreover, Atticus teaches Scout and Jem that everybody is equal and it does not matter what color their skin is. For instance, he told Scout, “If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you will get along a lot better with all kinds of folks”. Also, Atticus is a successful lawyer who is respected by everyone in Maycomb; include the poor and colored people. He feels that black people should be able to have the same standard of living as their white counterparts. That is why he agrees to defend a local black man who is accused of raping a white woman. Furthermore, he is an open-mindedman.

Secondly, Alexandra Finch Hancock is a conservative woman. She is not fat but solid. She wears a corset even under her bathrobe. Then, Scout and Jem do not respect her. Therefore Scout compares her to Mount Everest: “throughout my early life, she was cold and there”. When Alexandra came to Maycomb for a while, all of the neighbors told her: “Welcome”, because they are really respect her. Afterward, Alexandra arrived to stay with the Finches for a few reasons: she does not find Calpurnia satisfactory as a maternal figure because she is black; and because she takes care it upon herself to educate Scout on how to be a “lady”. Another reason is that to protect Scout and Jem from people who do not approve Atticus’s defense of a black man charged with rape of a white woman. In addition, she is a woman who supports social and class distinctions and bound to the traditions of the South.

In summary, To Kill A Mockingbird is a coming-of-age novel. In this classical novelAtticus Finch represents as the successful lawyer and the great father. And his sister Alexandra Hancock is a very respectful and conservative woman.