FEBRUARY BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION NIGHT - To Kill a Mockingbird chat will take place here on Tuesday 26th FFeb

[TillyBookClub]

This is the place to come for our February discussion night on To Kill a Mockingbird. We'll kick off at the usual time of 8pm - and I'll let you know if we get an author chat sorted...

Does anyone know how old Harper Lee was when she wrote this?

Maybe she hadn't reached a cynical age where you start seeing people for what they really are

I think that the novel is very hopeful. Bob Ewell is the only truly evil character. In a way it makes events more tragic - prejudice is a social evil that many otherwise good characters are guilty of.

yes, she never wrote anything else. there were claims that Truman Capote wrote TKAM, but I think they've been quashed.

There was an itnersting bit I read in some notes that her won father was a lawyer, her mother was very ill/absent for most of her life etc. so its all fairly autobiographcial. And that the neighbours are all very much charicatures of the people she grew up with. Dill is Truman Capote.

My dodgy maths works out that wikipedia have her at 34 when she wrote it.

I first read this book at school, I loved it then and love it still. I totally agree about taking different things from it at different stages in your life. Reading it as a parent for the first time, I related so much more to Atticus and the other grown-ups who are responsible for bringing up Jem and Scout and also how the world when seen through their adult eyes is so far removed from the world as seen through the eyes of the children.

You're right squonk. I wish that Harper Lee had written more books. Her writing is so beautiful and emotive. There's a new biography coming out soon apparently. I'd love to read more about her life.

I also looked that up squonk - where also came across a wikki "fact"

"More recently, it has been ranked by librarians next to the Bible as a book "every adult should read before they die"

So looks as if we chose the right book. I read it at school and loved it - almost called one of my children Scout but dh wouldn't let me!

Have just read that wikipedia page that I linked to... tres interesting.

Truman Capote claims that everything in TKAMB is true or at least strongly based on fact

yes princessmama, that's a very wise way of putting it. everyone except Bob is good, they just all suffer from a social illness.

It is hopeful, definitely, but it's also rather sad that nothing really is going to change - the town will remain racist, Boo will remain hidden away, people will remain prejudiced. but I suppose the kids learning compassion and other people's point of view is a future to look forward to. Not that its really happened in America - not sure they've really figured out their prejudice problems yet...

Harper lee was born in 1926 and wrote this in 1960 so she;d have been 34. I don't think she had kids or was married then...it says very firmly in her bio that her pleasures are 'travelling and being alone'. Neither of which are very compatible with bambinos, I would have said.

I think that she did expect things to change though - I seem to remember Atticus saying something along the lines of there being no chance of a not guilty verdict yet - the implication being that a few years down the line, it would have been possible.

I read that wiki page too!

I got a huge flashback to university when it came to the 'Feminist issues' bit. Not sure if Harper meant this to be a feminist - is it just allowed to be a story featuring a cool, tomboyish girl who doesn't conform? Or do y'all reckon we should be seeing it as seminary text for equal rights?

I do love the fact it's Scout who always wants a fight, and the men hold her back. And that she swears for fun. I'd love a daughter like her. (okay maybe the swearing is inappropriate but would be quite funny for a little while)

oh she only used the swearing to shock, and because she could I felt. She knew when not to swear.

I'd be happy if either dd turned out like Scout.

and i'd be happy if my ds turned out like jem....

She was 30 when she wrote it.

trust wiki to get a simple thing like her age wrong

Yes, squonk, I remember the 'yet' too. And there's also a big discussion with Miss Maudie where she poitns out the judge specifically hired Atticus to do the defence because he could at least give Tom a proper trial. Anyone else and the jury would have given guilty verdict straightaway. So the judge is aware of the need to be fair.

I suppose Harper Lee believed that this kind of prejudice just couldn;t carry on, it would coem up against a brick wall one day. Atticus says 'one day we;re going to pay the price - I just hope its not in you children's time'. So maybe she thought there'd be a complete riot/revolution?

She started to write it when she was 30. It was published when she was 34.

Jem is ace too, i agree. Would be mighty pleased if my sons turned out Jem-like.

In fact, I'm amazed that there isn't a book in the parenting section called 'Superdaddy! The Atticus Finch Method: How to Bring Up Children in a Complex World'

did you see the How to Be a Lawyer book based on Atticus on teh wiki page? The man's a multitasking role model.

Contrast the tomboyish Scout to the fragrant ladies of Maycomb who like to give to the poor in Africa, yet are prejudiced towards black people at home. I don't know if it was a feminist novel, but Lee was certainly critical of the so-called ladies with too much time on their hands to gossip. Scout may not be able to restrain her hot temper, but she is morally principled even at such a young age. The ladies of Maycomb seem repressed by comparison.

aaah, thanks mumdebump

tilly - of course, I had forgotten about the judge insisting that Atticus took the case. It was nice to know that he was perceived by everyone to be a fair and honest man, not just his children.

The thing about Atticus is that he allows the children the freedom to discover things for theemselves, even if it means them making mistakes along the way. He teaches them through experience.

As we're nearing 10pm, just wanted to say thanks everyone - I'm feeling very skippy and perky after such a stimulating chat. Now going to continue discussion with dh, who has been longing to tell me all about his GCSE essay on it.

Friday 8pm will see our March vote decided - hope you've all put your oars in... think Diving Bell and Butterfly is in the lead right now.

And for April I'm keen to do Unsung Hero's - books/writers that you love but aren't very well known. any suggestions? tell me about your secret passion for some obscure eccentric and we'll put together a list of truly original books.

One last thought: if I had managed to get Ms Lee to come on and chat tonight, what would you have asked her?

Although the novel was set in the 30s, Harper Lee was writing in the late 50s early 60s, so she knew things were changing with regards to racial discrimination and prejudice.

Would have to be - 'Are you Scout?' - an obvious question I know ...

Thx - really enjoyed my first time!

I would have liked to ask her whether the book was semi-autobiographical, and whether her childhood was a happy one... then I probably would have wanted to know her thoughts on racial discrimination today.

Even though the ten o'clock news has just come on, I didn't realise that that was the time... It goes very fast when dp lends me his laptop and I am allowed to sit in the warm living room rather than the cold, draughty hallway where the pc is

Good point princessmama. Probably why there was the hint of civil unrest in Atticus' comment that TillyBookClub referenced earlier.