My 9th grade students just finished reading To Kill a Mockingbird. Of course, they loved it! I love watching them start from the beginning, (“UGH Mrs. DUNCAN! This book is so LONG and BOOORRRINNNGG!”) begin to come around in the middle, (“Ok, this isn’t so bad, and Scout’s kind of funny”) and give final, intelligent statements of approval at the end.
Every time I read this book, I take something different away from it. Of course there are the mainstays (i.e. Atticus is a stud). However, it seems that the book is so full of social/economic/psychological commentary that there is always something new to focus on and learn.
After this read, I am thinking about the character of Bob Ewell. Often, I take for granted that everyone is naturally happy, has good intentions, and wants a peaceful existence. That is just not reality.
To say Bob Ewell is the villain in TKAM would be too simplistic. I love the way that Harper Lee gives the reader background on the Ewells before she shows him giving his testimony at the trial and before the reader sees most of his actions. Lee discusses his low economic status and what that means to his family: living by the town dump, too poor to buy shoes or get medicine for his many children, etc. She also makes his alcoholism known early on.
By examining his poor lifestyle and ill-founded pride, Bob Ewell’s actions change from villainous to, honestly, sad. I like to think that he knows what he is doing is wrong, but he has something to prove to himself. Why does Bob attack Jem and Scout instead of Atticus? The answer must be because he was afraid of/intimidated by Atticus. Even still, he attacks the children at night, afraid to get his “revenge” in the daylight. Does Bob Ewell deserve to be pitied? I am still thinking on it.
What about you? Who is your favorite character in To Kill a Mockingbird? Do you have a book that you love to read over and over?
Every time I read this book, I take something different away from it. Of course there are the mainstays (i.e. Atticus is a stud). However, it seems that the book is so full of social/economic/psychological commentary that there is always something new to focus on and learn.
After this read, I am thinking about the character of Bob Ewell. Often, I take for granted that everyone is naturally happy, has good intentions, and wants a peaceful existence. That is just not reality.
To say Bob Ewell is the villain in TKAM would be too simplistic. I love the way that Harper Lee gives the reader background on the Ewells before she shows him giving his testimony at the trial and before the reader sees most of his actions. Lee discusses his low economic status and what that means to his family: living by the town dump, too poor to buy shoes or get medicine for his many children, etc. She also makes his alcoholism known early on.
By examining his poor lifestyle and ill-founded pride, Bob Ewell’s actions change from villainous to, honestly, sad. I like to think that he knows what he is doing is wrong, but he has something to prove to himself. Why does Bob attack Jem and Scout instead of Atticus? The answer must be because he was afraid of/intimidated by Atticus. Even still, he attacks the children at night, afraid to get his “revenge” in the daylight. Does Bob Ewell deserve to be pitied? I am still thinking on it.
What about you? Who is your favorite character in To Kill a Mockingbird? Do you have a book that you love to read over and over?
2 comments:
hales said...
there are so many classics that I need to reread...it has been so long since I read this one that I forgot a lot of the details. And yes, Atticus is a stud.
Kelly Garcia said...
I came across your blog as I was looking for images of these characters to show to my students as we read TKAM. Now that I think about it, they also started out with, "This book is so boring" and they seem to be coming around to it. They're having trouble visualizing everything, so I'm finding images for them. I hope they end up thinking it's interesting! Anyways, good luck with your classes.
-Kelly