The First time that I read the classic coming of age tale of Jem and Scout Finch I was in eighth grade. As an incredibly sheltered child of thirteen, the deeper ideas of the book were lost on me. Yes, I felt bad for Boo Radley, and thought that the trial of Tom Robinson was unfair, but I had no idea how realistic the events of the book truly were. To Kill a Mockingbird was brought up sporadically through the next four years of my education. By the time I made it to college, I thought that I had learned and understood everything the book had to offer. Until this class. Our readings, as well as class discussions, were filled with stories similar to Robinson’s. In To Kill a Mockingbird, farmer Bob Ewell discovers his daughter’s feelings for Tom. To cover up the embarrassing situation, the father accuses Tome of raping his daughter and takes him to trial. Even though the evidence is obviously falsified and Tom is innocent, he is still found guilty by an all white jury.cTom attempts to escape from jail in hopes of avoiding the fate that awaits him. He is quickly found, shot and killed.
The tale of Oliver Moore, a citizen in Wilson County, North Carolina, is surprisingly similar. Moore was accused of sexually assaulting his White landlord’s daughters and was promptly arrested and jailed. Moore did not even survived one night in the county jail. An angry mob swarmed the building and kidnapped him. It has been debated that the Sheriff on duty may have opened the door to the mob and let them in. The mob strung Moore up by his limbs, leaving him hanging between trees. He was then shot until he was unrecognizable. This mob had no shame in their actions, taking photos and hanging photos of incident in storefronts to serve as a warning to the other African American citizens of Wilson County.
Now that I am mature enough to understand the stories of Tom Robinson and Oliver Moore, I appreciate that I was exposed to them at such a young age. Even though I didn’t fully comprehend the seriousness of some of the events going on in To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee helped me grow into a tolerant citizen of the world by teaching me respect for human life.
I remember reading this book and saying "I underestimate how wonderful my life is." This book is truly a life lesson in disguise and the fact that the world is mostly unaware of the true definition of tolerant and respect. I'm glad that such a wonderful book had such an impact on your character. :)
ReplyDeleteI like how you connected the two: Tom Robinson and Oliver Moore. Until I read your post I had not really even thought about To Kill A Mockingbird in the context of this class; I have only ever analyzed it in an English class context (waaaaay different).
ReplyDeleteI think there is a lot to say about Boo Radley besides Tom Robinson. He was obviously very much ostracized in the town, and I think that is important to Civil Rights as well. I don't remember the book well enough to really develop on that thought. Perhaps someone could help me make this connection stronger.
This is a very good book to observe. My favorite character is Atticus Finch. I have always heard references of him as a moral compass, and this class has reinforced that name. His morals lead him to defend Tom in the court as well as out of the court. Atticus stands up to those who wish harm on Tom merely because of his skin color. I would like to think that I would have been an "Atticus Finch" during the time period of civil rights.
ReplyDeleteI really like the connection made to Oliver Moore. It has been so long since I have read To Kill A Mockingbird, but after reading this I realized that I had always overlooked the historical significance of the death of Tom Robinson. As I have learned more and more about the movement that is beyond the master narrative, I have realized that the leadership in the South is responsible for the sanctioned discrimination, segregation and racial terror. People are supposed to be able to put their trust in the police, but knowing that they have turned a blind or even participated in murder is appalling. Reading this post makes me want to read To Kill A Mockingbird again because I think I would get something completely different out of it at this point in my life.
ReplyDeleteA great connection is made between Oliver Moore's story and To Kill a Mockingbird. You often hear people, myself included, say that To Kill a Mockingbird is one of their favorite novels. I seriously doubt anyone would consider the story of Oliver Moore to be one of their favorite stories to tell or something they enjoy thinking about. So many cases of extreme violence due to race occurred in this country during the civil rights movement. It is rare that any would involve the righteous, progressive and uplifting presence of someone like Atticus Finch. Most instances would be simply normal and some would be celebrated by the people in the town. It would be wonderful if all cases of violence could be handled the way it is in To Kill a Mockingbird--positive lessons taught to children, strong white/African American bonds and a lasting legacy.
ReplyDeleteI've never really thought about To Kill a Mockingbird in that way before, but it is a very good connection. To Kill a Mockingbird really portrays the extent of how badly judicial system in the American South was corrupt when it came to dealing with blacks. This also shows one of the most cruel aspects of this era, people being tried and put to death for crimes they did not commit. It's a good thing that there are people out there like Atticus Finch who will stand up for what's right, people who fight the status quo when they know that it's wrong.
ReplyDeleteKudos on making the connection between Tom Robinson and Oliver Moore. Mockingbird reads like a whole new book when you read it from Tom's perspective.
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