Why It Should Be Read Again by Dairys

Why It Should Be Read Again by Dairys - February 2015 Scholarship Essay

The novel, “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, was first presented to us during our early stages of exposure to literary masterpieces. We were greeted by this book while we sat on our middle school desks, intrigued, yet almost forced into reading for a grade at an age where it seemed to be the hardest book we’d ever laid our hands on. We were so focused on the assignment and the dreadful length of the book that we foolishly ignored the true essence of this 1930’s centered novel. We were succumbed by those times where we needed to read along in our classrooms, too worried about stuttering when our turns came around, and probably missed half of the chapters everyone else also had to read. And if that’s not the case, then you've probably forgotten the book all together like I certainly did.

Yet, after four long years, it came to us once again; the name To Kill a Mockingbird, sided along with the words Southern Gothic and a question of recognition in our heads. A middle school book! A seventh grade book to be exact, lay in my hands once again but in a whole different setting, an open mindedness, and the clarity of a 12th grade AP student. Sometimes, due to reading a book once or twice, you start to get this abhorring feeling of recognition after turning each page. The book seems to be painfully obvious and the hanging suspense is gone after knowing the ending, yet to me it wasn't so.

As seniors, with new-found knowledge of what attains to literary masterpieces, we can start searching for this meaning found in well-written works of art. We can turn each page and see details with a new light. We can see now that Scout is not just a bratty little girl with a tomboy personality, but now she symbolizes something; she’s the definition of hope and brings a higher purpose into the book. Now she captures your attention for reasons further known than plot, now she’s being compared to yourself when you first read the book, and now she’s representing what you are today. This coming-of-age novel is not too far in meaning from the completely opposite "Oh The Places You'll Go" by Doctor Seuss, a children’s graphic novel, as it all narrows down to the depth of the two. Both were read at a young age, and both hold a completely different meaning to us now that we've come so close to what we thought could never come any sooner: Our graduation dates. We can expect now the expansion of our journeys and what they could become. We've shifted from childish thoughts and on to those of young women and men, our morals have transformed and our significant others have either grown closer or disappeared from our nearer years. Because of this, our stories are very similar to that of Jean Louise Finch. To see the reflection of ourselves on a fictional character truly demonstrates the impact this author created through her powerful words.

She lead me through the mind of a young girl and her brother, their lives, their progress and feelings, and made me see myself in their own small footsteps, running away from the Radley’s place and being scorned by Calpurnia. Because of this being my last year in high school and the last of my known dependent schooling days, this book brought me a great sense of nostalgia and thoughtfulness on how much I had progressed from my first years of education. Whenever an author captures a reader in such a way, it is definitely a book that should be given great credit for. I strongly recommend all seniors to immerse themselves once again within the pages of To Kill a Mockingbird and relate to the characters in ways they could not before. And if you, as a senior, haven’t read this novel yet, I will end this here so you may pick it up right away.