We read a book titled „To Kill a Mockingbird“ by Harper Lee. This classic novel was written in the sixties and became a best seller at once. The author was able to masterfully bring up the topic of racism against black people in America. The story is partly told through the eyes of a little girl Scout and is partly her adult’s reflections. It gave our reading group a deep insight into a society of a little town in southern Alabama in the thirties.
As the story enrols the girl grows from 6 to 9 years and changes from an innocent, impulsive, egocentric character to a thoughtful and courageous little girl. Her points of view and interactions gave us a lot of food for thought. We discussed the legal system, then and now, and talked a lot about growing up and educating children. What could help you find your personal identity?
The themes of the story are universal and the described problems are still not solved.
Right in the middle of reading the book the topic of racism came up vividly again by the “Black lives Matter” movement because of an innocent black man in America who got killed by the police. Reading and discussing “To Kill a Mockingbird” was depressing to realise that there is still so much prejudice, but on the other hand it was consoling to see that there are ways to overcome it.
Thank you Yana for staying focused and keeping on motivating us even through Corona times. You made us pay attention to all the hidden messages and details.
Brigitte Wenger
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