Why every high school senior should read "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Tracie

Why every high school senior should read "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Tracie - February 2015 Scholarship Essay

"To Kill a Mockingbird" is an amazing book for all high school seniors to read because the issues dealt with by Scout and the other main characters are still relevant today. Some of the main topics in the book include prejudice, civil rights, good versus evil, being brave enough to stand up for oneself and the loss of innocence, by young and old alike.

We see all these issues continuing every day on the news and they are all interwoven. Unfortunately, prejudice is still a major problem in the United States, not just against minorities but now against sexual preference and also religion. Sexual and religious persecution are HUGE issues now and we frequently hear about hate crimes against homosexuals as well as mosques being burned/vandalized because of hatred for muslims. Because of the evil nature of the people that commit these crimes, victims have to be brave enough to face the "mobs" and stand up for their rights as well as the rights of others in similar circumstances.

Also while reading this novel, one is struck by the loss of innocence of Scout. She sees so much hatred, bigotry, and evil that she loses the innocence that all children naturally have. As she lost her innocence, so have many children of this generation lost their innocence and the general belief that all of mankind are good. Following the bombing in Oklahoma City, the September 11 attacks, the slaughters by ISIS, etc. it is hard for any child or adult, for that matter, to continue to see positive in people. I think the novel also outlines how adults can lose innocence and faith in humanity as displayed by both Atticus and Tom Robinson after Tom is found guilty of rape, even though he was clearly innocent, simply because he was a black man.

While loss of innocence is clearly displayed in the novel, I think it also gives a message of hope.... hope that we will all learn to treat each other with respect; hope that while we may not all agree and share the sames beliefs, that we can be tolerant of those that feel differently; hope that we can learn to live in peace; hope that people will not be judged for the color of their skin, their religion or for who they love; and hope that good will prevail against evil.

Even though "To Kill a Mockingbird" is 55 years old, one can identify with all the nuances of the storyline and can relate it to current events. This book will still be meaningful and relatable 55 years from now.