Big P and I are finishing the last literature book for this year. He has really been into civil rights and racism this year, having read the Autobiography of Malcom X, Native Son (by Richard Wright), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (by Mark Twain) and other books one may or may not consider to be about racial prejudice. Our last book is Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.
It occurs to me his perspective on this book is completely different from mine. After all, he is growing up in a big city where he thinks racism doesn't occur, one of his two best friends is black, Big P sees no color issues. Oh, to be that naive. He didn't grow up in the small town American south I did. He didn't see blatant racism and segregation in housing and education models, or more subtle segregation in advancement opportunities for African Americans. I wonder what he takes from To Kill a Mockingbird that I don't. I see Tom Robinson as either displaying the courageous love of Christ by helping Mayella Ewell or that he was a little slow. Of course any black man in full charge of his facilities in 1935 Alabama would not have put himself in the position Tom Robinson did without knowing he was taking a tremendous risk. But does a child raised in the 2000's see that? And Mayella, forced to lie on the stand because her only hope for herself and her little brothers and sisters is to not make dad angry. Can a 14 year old city boy appreciate that? Or does he presume Mayella could have struck out on her own and had a better life for herself.
Anyway, the discussion questions I have for him are as follows:
To Kill a Mockingbird is full of colorful characters. The noble Atticus Finch, the strong willed Dill Harris, the shy and reclusive Boo Radley. Which was your favorite character from the book and why? Provide details as to what about this characters or what this character did to endear you to him/her.
Which was your least favorite character? What did he/she do to earn that honorific?
Imagine the situation with different races. What if Atticus and the townspeople were Hispanic and Tom Robinson were Caucasian. If this story were told in this time with these characters do you think the outcome would be the same? Why or why not? What role does Tom Robinson's poverty play in the outcome if any.
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