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To Kill A Mockingbird. This is a book that has been read by millions and is most likely a book you will read in a high school English class. Although it is a bit outdated, since it was published in 1960, the novel is still packed with meaning that can be understood today with a little bit of “deep reading”. I recently read TKAM and found it to be one of the most meaningful books I have ever read, and it was also interesting to read because the story revolves around a court case. The case is taken up by the main character’s, Scout Finch, dad, Atticus Finch. I am aspiring to become a lawyer so I felt that it was a learning experience reading about how Atticus defended Tom Robinson and how he tried to persuade the jury into deeming his client as “innocent” in the rape case. With tons of figurative language and meaning, TKAM is definitely a book I recommend reading for a teen who loves classics and is reading for a book to read during this unprecedented time.

The reason I chose to read TKAM was because it is a requirement for English class. Before I read the book, I learned that it was published in 1960. This made me think that the book was going to be a tough one to read and understand given that the language 60 years ago is much different from the language used now. I also thought that the book was going to be boring because it doesn’t really have a storyline. When I was a couple chapters into the book, I was a little uninterested. Furthermore, it only took a couple more chapters before I started becoming interested in what Harper Lee had to offer in her novel. The book details the life of Scout Finch and the events in her life, constantly changing. As she gets older, her perspective on life continuously changes as well, making the book more interesting to read because the reader can see Scout’s language changing and developing.

One character I resonated with and really enjoyed reading about was Jem Finch, Scout’s older brother. Jem always looks out for his younger sister and turns into a man, from a child, throughout the book. When he was a child, I read about Jem, Scout, and their friend, Dill, playing together everyday. Though, as the years progress, Jem grows out of this habit and is more intent on becoming a “gentleman” like his father. He starts to take more interest in college football players and their statistics. Additionally, Jem starts to boss around his younger sister, which she is completely opposed to, and enjoys talking with older men. Jem also starts to talk interest in his father's profession and constantly asks him questions about law and the case his father is working on.

A character I disliked reading about was Mayella Ewell. Mayella is the woman that accused Tom Robinson of raping her, which is a lie. The reason I disliked reading about her was because she is a liar and did not tell the truth under oath in court. She tried to ruin an innocent man’s life knowing that the people of the town of Maycomb would listen to her because Tom Robinson is African-American. I feel that this is very wrong and racist, adding on to the reasons why I disliked reading about her.

In conclusion, I enjoyed reading TKAM and I felt that Harper Lee did a great job by including lots of meaningful language in the novel. I would rate the book a 3.5/5 stars because it does tend to get boring at times and the fact that the language used in the novel is outdated makes it a little hard to read. For any teen looking to get their hands on a meaningful classic, I highly recommend you read “To Kill A Mockingbird.”

Check out To Kill a Mockingbird from the Newport Beach Public Library.