The basic outline of this book was about a widowed lawyer who defended
a
Black man wrongly accused of rapping a White girl. The story
takes place
in a small southern town in the 1930's. The story is portrayed
through a
women reflecting back on her experience as the lawyers daughter, and
how
pregudice ran wild at this particular time. The story also gives
you
insight into how it was impossible for a Black man (or women for that
matter) to be able to receive a fair trial, despite the overwhelming
evidence in his favor.
Some of the main reasons that I chose this particular book was
because I think that it really gets to the heart of the matter.
How
prejudice and injustice can have negative consequences. In the
book, the
man acused of raping the women is so disturbed by the outcome of the
trial
that he decides to try to run from the police. He is shot and
killed.
This message, I think hits the nail on the head and portrays how so
many
people can be affected when this type of behavior is allowed to exist.
Questions for the author, Harper Lee.
1. Although the story is fiction, there is no doubt that this
sort of
thing happened. My question is how often did this kind of injustice
occur?
2. Why is there no association of family of the man that is being
accused? At the very end we meet his father, but it seems that
you would
have made some note to there appearance at the trial.
3. Why didn't you the defense of the man being accused more related
to
his race, or at least exemplify this a bit more?
My last two questions are
for the class or any prospective
teacher!
4. How do you think that a book of this caliber could influence
your
students?
5. Also, how do you think you could use this book to promote the
use of
multiculturalism within your life, rather than just in a school setting?
Submitted by Anthony Knippers.