To Kill a Mockingbird: Threatening Boundaries

Twayne's Masterwork Studies #139

by Claudia Durst Johnson

This text provides a critical study of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This analysis draws on extensive research providing key insights into the novel's historical and biographical contexts, its place in American literature, and its critical reception. Johnson then presents a five-part reading of Mockingbird, underscoring the novel's form and elucidating its pertinence for American society today. Special attention is paid to linking the novel's 1930s setting with the concomitant Scottsboro incident and connecting Mockingbird's writing in the 1950s with the concurrent events of the civil rights movement. An in-depth examination that pays tribute as it informs.

Genres: Literary Criticism, Nonfiction

144 pages, Hardcover

First published April 13, 1994

Reviews

[Mauoijenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book opened my eyes up to a lot and made me appreciate TKAM even more, if that were possible!!!! :)

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I'd read this one before and would just quickly reread...but I learned so much. I really wish I'd've read it when I was still teaching this book to 10th graders.

Johnson begins by showing the parallels between Tom Robinson's case in TKAM, and the real-life case of the Scotsboro Boys. I had a group assignment for my students on the similarities, but Johnson points out SOO many more, similarities I'd never heard of. I could make the assignment so much richer now.

Then she discusses the novel's place in literature, contemporary reviews, and its long history with book banners. It was interesting that some reviewers didn't know what to do with this narrative style...a story retold from memory by an adult about her childhood. I would always explain the duality to my students, because I think this is where most of the power of this story is. She shows how political extremes have targeted the book for their own agenda.

The discussion of Gothic elements, and parodies of Gothic elements abound. Even tho I think she occasionally reached to make her points, they are THERE, in the text, for sure. This novel belongs to that Southern Gothic tradition.

Boundaries...legal and otherwise are discussed.

The scene that makes me the very maddest is the Missionary Society meeting presided over by Aunt Alexandra...and Johnson examines all the hypocrisy of the fine, upstanding ladies of Macomb and their blindness...I was glad to see this scene treated with the magnifying glass it deserves.

She ends her examination with a discussion of literacy and its place in Maycomb and in the book.

She calls the book a 'love story' -- as Lee herself describes the book. A love story to Saint Atticus. My favorite new learning has to be the raging debate between legal academics about Atticus's relevance, 30 or more years after the book's publication. Would love to see what students would make of that.

She discusses some of my favorite passages...the Lamb quote at the beginning, the last lines of the book, the snowstorm and fire...

If you want a deep understanding of Lee's novel, this thin volume is vital. Johnson's scholarship, care, and reverance are all evident

[Van Reid]

"To Kill a Mockingbird" is probably one of the five greatest American novels and a perennial top ten pick of mine (there are only fifteen or twenty books in my top ten).
This slim (126 page) volume is the first critical literature concering TKAM I have read and I enjoyed revisiting its themes, events, and characters as well as Ms. Johnson's insights into its historical, cultural, and literary significance. I was espescially interested in her tying TKAM into the gothic (not just the southern gothic) tradition - including references to the books and movies of Dracula and Frankenstein.

[Rachel Mayes Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plenty of good insights into TKaM are packed into this slim little volume. Her analysis does seem somewhat abstract at points (the chapter on Gothic literature is just weird), but overall, a worthwhile perspective.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

On 8/31/10 I led a discussion at the Library on To Kill a Mockingbird. I picked this up moments before the book group began and didn’t intend to read it when I thought it was a Cliff Notes- type book, but it’s so not. It’s written by an English professor at University of Alabama for twenty years and she points out that there is little written on the novel from on an English professor’s point of view. Lawyers write about the book, well Atticus Finch often, though. There are chapters on “Racial Climate in the Deep South” comparing the Scottsboro Boys trials over twenty years of the trial of Tom Robinson, “The Importance of TKaM,” “Legal Boundaries,” why weren’t there blacks or women on Tom Robinson’s jury? Well, the Scottsboro Boys had their verdict overturned because there were no blacks and women on their jury. “The Gothic Tradition,” in which she states that TKaM is a southern Gothic novel on many, many levels. In which she explains that Boo Radley is a vampire to the children…

[Jaimi Gomes]

This story is a great book to have students read in classes, To Kill A Mockingbird follows two young kids whose dad is a lawyer that is defending Tom Robinson in rape charges. This exposes Jem and Scout to all kinds of stereotyping and racism. One thing I would change about this book would be that they didn’t fill up the whole in the tree were Boo Radely use to give Jem and Scout things. I feel like that was such an important part in the book and that it should have been left the way it was. I would take this book into the older class rooms and have them read this because I think they would have a better understanding of what stereotyping is. First I would have the students get into groups and have them discuss what they think the definition of Stereotyping and racism means. Then I would have them read the book and then after they finished alter their definitions if they need to. After I would have a lesson on all kinds of stereotyping there is in America in this day in age.

[Rhett Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best novels aren't just great to read, they're great to read about. Analyzing TKM let me revisit the innocence I had in reading it 17 years ago. it also allowed me to brood over the novel- it surely is one of the greatest american works of fiction.
Important points here are:
1) the time period of publishing and the location. 1960s in the South. Racial Tension
2) Modern Gothic, and the tradition
3) Distinction between one's self and the 'others' ,and the friction of identity.
4) The Mockingbird (tom robinson) and his song (Atticus Finch's unequivocation)

Novels like TKM are what shape our culture and character. The message in the novel is NOT subtle because the art and mastery is vociferously overt.

[Philip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good insights into To Kill a Mockingbird. Johnson focuses particularly on the presence of Gothic themes throughout the book. I think perhaps she could have talked a more on the difference between traditional Gothic literature and Southern Gothic – she tended to treat them as one and the same. Also, it is somewhat out of date, given the publication of Go Set a Watchman.

[Jim Ogle · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the greatest American stories!