I watched the film of while I read the novel. Before I watched the movie, I have started the reading.
Because it is English edition, some of the words were strange to me, just can know the so-so plot of the novel( shame~~~）.
The novel was published on 1960, written by Harper Lee, and won the the Pulitzer Prize immediately.
Scout Finch, 6,and her older brother, Jem , live in sleepy Maycomb, Alabama, spending much of their time with their friend Dill and spying on their reclusive and mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley When Atticus , their widowed father and a respected lawyer, defends a black man named Tom Robinson against fabricated rape charges, the trial and tangent events expose the children to evils of racism and stereotyping.
Both the film and novel are worth watching and reading,I think it can teach us a lot.
First of all, about education.
What impress most of all, is how Atticus teaches his children Jem and Scout. He is a hardworking lawyer, has little time company with them, so what the kids do most are playing together with friend Dill, for example, try their best to let Boo Jadley came out of his home. And Cal, a negro woman was did the homework for them. Scout was a girl, but acted as a boy, would fight with others. In this case, Atticus's sister was dissatisfied and want to give a hand on teaching the kids how to act as a lady and gentleman.However, she was a bit dislike negro, she thought Cal should not stay with them and would not allow Cal went to the the negro with Jem and Scout. This has impact their normal life and go against with the motion of Atticus. Atticus hold the opinion that everyone is equal, no matter what the color is. He did what he thought, not only because he worked in the legislature. So he told his sister, it is OK for his kids to go the negro church with Cal and Cal will not leave them. She simply have to accept things the way they are. On this point, I think it is familiar around us. There are always someone with " kind heart" to teach you how to do this how to do that in nursing a kid or other things. Sometimes those ideas are opposite with yours, but you feel shame-making if turn them down. Maybe we can learn from Atticus, just tell them your way firmly.
Secondly, about discrimination.
After Atticus decided to defend for Tom Robinson, a negro, some of the the write felt angry. Even his family, like his sister thought he bought shame to them. And some children scream to Jem and scout that their father was "nigger-lover". Atticus told Scout" it is never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesn’t hurt you". Hence, thought the children heard some insult words toward their father, they just keep their head up and their fist down, let those words alone. They would of course felt sad and scare some times, but they were proud of doing so to help Atticus. It is a success of his education, isn't it? We will always face difficult times during our life, we can't be defeated by others' words.
What let us felt disappointed was that all the evidence prove Tom Robinson didn't rape Mayella and actually was her father who hit her, the jury still judge Tom was guilt with rape. Only because they thought the testimony of a nigger couldn't believe in and how could a "low-grade" like nigger felt sorry for a "high-grade" as a white man! It is unbelievable,how deep the discrimination was at that time! But it do exist.
We should feel lucky that we live in 21th century, an age which without discrimination. It is happiness to have the equal right to live with all the people in the world.
