Where’s Atticus when you need him? Now is the time for “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Today is the birthday of one of my favorite authors, Harper Lee.  Harper Lee wrote the book To Kill a Mockingbird. In light  of the global pandemic we are currently living called, COVID-19, now is the time we need the courage of lead character Atticus Finch, the lawyer who defends an African American man, wrongfully accused of rape in a small Southern town.   Harper Lee wrote,  “Real courage is when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.”

“Real courage is when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.”

With a lesson about maintaining courage and integrity against the worst of human nature, this beloved American film and novel of the same name can help us move forward in difficult times.  The character of Atticus Finch is a true hero who takes a stand for something he believes in to defend an disabled African-American wrongfully accused of a crime.  As an English major, I studied Harper Lee’s book To Kill a Mockingbird in school.  It’s beautifully written and so engaging, told through the eyes of narrator Scout, the daughter of lawyer Atticus Finch. I can’t help but feel that during this difficult time, To Kill a Mockingbird is more relevant than ever.  Atticus reminds us that there are indeed a lot of “ugly things in this world” but we can stand up to them, and fight them. The character of Atticus Finch was based on Harper Lee’s father Amasa Coleman Lee (the inspiration for the Southern Law Poverty Center.)

Pictured: A scene from To Kill a Mockingbird,  Atticus with Scout (image courtesy of Universal Pictures.)

Blogging is hard work.  Those of us who do it, really do it because we love to write. I’m sure that’s why I’ve felt such an affinity for Harper Lee. She loved to write.  She didn’t do interviews.  She didn’t go on TV.  She just wrote her story.   That’s what great writers do, in my opinion.

To Kill a Mockingbird —a classic piece of literature that reminds us what dignity and courage are all about.

In these challenging times, when the President of the United States talks about disinfectants as a way to treat a virus, I’m happy to stay safe at home, listen to the scientists and read or watch To Kill a Mockingbird. You can still read To Kill a Mockingbird (safely ) by ordering it to read on a digital tablet.

If you want to see a great a movie, The Recessionista’s recommendation is to watch To Kill a Mockingbird live streaming on Amazon Prime.  You can  even buy the DVD of digitally remastered and fully restored 50th Anniversary Edition “To Kill a Mockingbird”  DVD from Universal and enjoy  a special dinner and a movie night at home.