What is it about To Kill A Mockingbird?

[TooTicky]

So many MNers mention it as a favourite on their profiles and I love it too. So what is the attraction?
For me, more than anything, it's the realness - the descriptions, the characters, the dialogue - everything is just so right. Of course it is also politically good and the story riveting all the way through, but it is the exceptional quality of the writing that really makes it for me.
Anyone else?

It, too, is one of the few books I had to read at school that I would read again.

I read it in South Africa, for school, while apartheid was still alive. Everyone was visibly moved by it - we all watched the film together in solemn silence.

I think it draws you in - you can feel yourself there and desperately want to dive in and watch the story unfold.

The beginning of Donna Tartt's The Little Friend had a similar sort of pull (in terms of descriptions you can almost feel) - I could visualise myself sitting on the porch in the deep south of the US when reading that book.

I thought it dull. Never have got what all the fuss is about.

I shall look out for The Little Friend Foxinsocks.

So he's either called Jem or Dill then...

Tooticky, I never finished The Little Friend - just couldn't get past the middle bit (which all got a bit samey and convoluted imo) but the beginning chapters were enchanting. I probably wouldn't recommend it though.

Agree with MI, the lack of piety when dealing with a subject that would move any lesser writer to that state is an amazing feat. Even the minor characters are real and rounded. The scene where Atticus kills the rabid dog is so convicing and moving. I dunno, it's horrifying without being unreadable, told from a child's point of view while not being childish, just stunning.

But I've never read anything else by Harper Lee - didn't she have writer's block for years, or something?

I just watched Capote on dvd the other. What a fascinating man, I am desparate to read In Cold Blood now. Lee is portrayed in the film too. Is the film of to kill in black and white with Gregory Peck in the role of the lawyer ? If so, I have seen it years ago and would love to see it again. Also will defo. go and get the book. I made the mistake of assuming that a man had written it. Terrible isn't it that most of us assume brilliant works of lit. are written by men

for me it's the naturalness of the dialogue, which is 'childish' without ever being less than literate and beautiful. How on earth?

Plus the sense of powerlessness; that the only power anyone has is over their own behaviour, and exercising that power well is the hardest thing of all to do. Other than that, nobody has any power to change anything at all. I think this is completely true and felt most deeply by children, hence perhaps it has most impact when read by children.

That's the one, yellowrose. I'm looking forward to seeing Capote, too.

Hatrick, My DD is Rowan Scout. I always wanted to call any daughter I had Scout, either as a first or middle name. The 1st name I had while pregnant changed regulary but never Scout.
My DH also not keen for it to be first name.
Can't wait for her to read the book (GOD she'll probably hate it)
She's 6months so have a bit of a wait

Thanks.
I think my DH didn't think I'd actually go for it.
My friend who is also big fan said should of gone with Scout as 1ST, I think she would've but has two boys.
Wonder if there's many more Scouts out there

"It also manages, extraordinarily, to be principled yet not pious"

Yes MI has it, I think.

And Atticus, Jem and Scout are fab names and characters.

lionheart - i put it on at 11pm the other night when dh was away and though ok will wtach 30 mins. the go to bed. I simply could NOt switch it off, enede up up till 1am watching it to the end, very good film. Hoffman (in the title role) is excellent. Apparnetly Capote really spoke like that, sounds just like the really fat little boy in South Park, the one that eats cheesy puffs, what's his name ? lol !

I love Gregory Peck.

sorry last post looked like a cod post - too many typos !

I wanted dd1 to read it ,as i loved it and they are "doing" black american historyat school.
Asked her to get it from school as they didnt have it in the local library,to be told they dont stock it.
Its only 40 years old or so,and it is a classic. I was surprised and did amazon instead.

Good job you don't have that voice in your head when you read his work.

Eric Cartman - just googled to find South Park boy !

A week on and I still have the voice in my head which distracts from a very good film - lol !

The relationship between Scout and Atticus. Doesn't every girl want an Atticus as her daddy?

And as you said TooTicky, the writing flows so well that it pulls you into the story and you just have to keep reading and reading. Not only do you feel you are there in the story but that you know the characters as though they were real people.

Aren't they real people?

My theory as to why so many MNers love this book is that it was a GCSE set text over the years when most of us were doing our GCSEs (dunno if it still is?) so it's a book that a huge number of us would have read. I like it too, but it's not one of my all-time favourites.

Good theory, but are there many people who love Far From the Madding Crowd?