The Greatest Life Lessons Through a Piece of Classic Literature by McKenzie

The Greatest Life Lessons Through a Piece of Classic Literature by McKenzie - May 2017 Scholarship Essay

A book that has had a strong influence on my life over the years is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird is a piece of classic American literature. The way this book is written is unique because the characters are all based around Harper Lee’s family and neighbors from when she was growing up along with events that occurred in her hometown. There are so many important themes throughout the book that pertain to life. Some of the themes in the book include racial injustice, compassion, gender roles, and a loss of innocence. To Kill a Mockingbird is a very well written classic book that contains many key lessons.

Growing up my parents have always taught me not to judge a book by its cover. I have always held this dear to my heart and take the time to get to know someone based on the inside rather than how they appear. While I was reading To Kill a Mockingbird for the first time I realized how evident this was in the book with Scout and Jem regarding Boo Radley. Had Scout and Jem taking the time to get to know Boo Radley rather than judge him based off of how he acted or stories they heard they would have had a lifelong friendship with him from day one. This was a simple reminder to me to never be quick to judge someone based off of how they look or something I have been told regarding them.

Another reason To Kill a Mockingbird left an impact on me was because of how poorly Tom Robinson was treated. The way he was blamed for something he did not do and then punished for it really left me in astonishment. I could not believe how somebody could tell a lie and watch it ruin someone else's life. Over the years I have realized that this is the reality of the world we live in. People always want to find someone else to blame for a wrongful act they have committed to spare themselves from receiving any consequences. Just like in the novel, there have been countless court cases where the wrong person is punished for a crime. To Kill a Mockingbird really displays how devastating it is to multiple people when the wrong person is convicted. I guess the story of Tom Robinson stays with me every day as a constant reminder not to accuse people or blame people for even something so simple as cheating or cutting in line.

My life has been greatly influenced by To Kill a Mockingbird. The lessons that are found in the book stick with me every day and help me to think about how I want to treat those around me. I will never forget the impact I felt the first time I read this novel and every time I read it again I feel the exact same emotions. I am forever grateful to Harper Lee for writing such an impactful and powerful novel.