At our meeting on Thursday 16th March we considered “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. The meeting was led by David and, as usual, we started with three words to describe the book:
- Atmospheric, Brave, Compelling
- Rich, Shocking, Enjoyable
- Twain meets Grisham
- Enjoyable, Brilliant, Classic
- Tragic, Funny, Compelling
- Rite of Passage
- Fascinating
We then considered the questions that David had prepared.
1. What elements of this book were most memorable, humorous, or inspiring?
2. What are the dramatic elements that make the novel compelling?
3. Is it an effective narrative? Does it still resonate today?
4. Why is Scout so looking forward to starting school? Was the teacher Miss Caroline unfair to Scout?
5. Was Atticus successful in instilling conscience in his children?
6. Atticus tells Scout that ‘most people are nice when you finally see them’.
Are most people in the novel nice after they’re seen?
7. Why was Boo Radley never seen? Was he a villain, victim or hero?
8. Was Calpurnia happy with the Finches? Why did her personality change when she was at church?
9. What do you think of the ways in which Lee explores race and class in 1930s Alabama?
10. Who was the mockingbird?
Everyone enjoyed reading, or re-reading the book. We were particularly impressed with the way that the story was told though the eyes of a child or, perhaps, the eyes of a child as recollected by an adult.
To end the meeting we considered to whom we would recommend the book. The answers were: Donald Trump, Priti Patel, Youth Club, Boris Johnson, Grandchildren, Bashar al-Assad, and Anyone.
Please feel free to share your own thoughts with us in the comments section at the end.
Harbury Village Library & Biblios Cafe 