I think I have seen this To Kill a Mockingbird three times now from start to finish. All three times I have genuinely expected the jury foreman to say "not guilty" in the trial of Tom Robinson. Not just "suspension of disbelief" such as maybe the Titanic will miss the iceberg this time, but genuinely remembering the story incorrectly. Either that or I have so much respect for Atticus Finch that my subconscious refuses to accept a narrative where anyone could disagree with him. On this latest watch I played closer attention to the relationship between father (Atticus) and daughter (Scout) because it does a pretty good job at mirroring my relationship with Abby. I try to emulate many great fathers in my life (including my own), but I still have so much to learn from Atticus' steady hand in the face of controversy.
It saddens me that in 1962 (and even today in some respects) writers and filmmakers felt that audiences needed a white avatar (Boo Radley) to represent the misunderstood black experience. It is also incredibly painful that the story centers on the lessons learned by the white characters rather than the pain endured by the black ones. We still have a long ways to go, but Atticus Finch's words still ring true: "In the name of God, do your duty! In the name of God, believe... Tom Robinson"...George Floyd... Trayvon Martin.... Eric Garner.... Sandra Bland... Tamir Rice... Breonna Taylor... and every other person that is still crushed under the weight of an unjust justice system.
Read what I wrote 10 years ago here.
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