Re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

“It's a sin to kill a mockingbird.” This is because all the mockingbird does all day is sing, so why would you do away with such a beautiful sound? True, the mockingbird does sing, and the song it sings is pretty, but that shouldn't be the only reason to kill it. If the only reason for me to stay alive is that I play piano nicely, then kill me. I'd rather be dead.

What's the matter with a bluejay anyways? You can't kill the mockingbird, but go ahead, kill as many bluejays as you can. True, bluejays can't sing, they only chirp. For all that it's worth, I think that the chirping of the bluejay is just as pretty as the song of a mockingbird. The sound of their two voices combined into one harmony would be even prettier.

This time reading, I noticed that Scout doesn't mention her mom a lot. Yes, she talks about her occasionaly, but just to say that she doesn't have one, and that she cant remember a thing about her. I really respect Scout for that. She is perfectly contempt with her life, she doesnt need anything more. There are so many times in my life when I wish I had an older sister, or a younger brother, or something along those lines, but Scout doesn't even long for a mother. I respect the way she handles the loss of a mom.

The racism and prejudice in this book reminds me of homosexuality today. There are a lot of people I know who are homosexual, and there are also a bunch of people I know who are completely against it. When I'm talking to my friends about this awesome funny friend of mine, and then I mention his boyfriend, the mood of the conversation changes suddenly. It's like, everybody thought he was a cool guy, but then uh oh, he's gay, we hate him now, lets talk about something else. Some people can be so mean and horrible.

I bet if everyone put on blindfolds and walked around Maycomb, greeting people, meeting people, they would be surprised when everybody took off their blindfolds. It doesn't matter if someone has a different color skin, and it doesn't matter if someone's homosexual. They are the same person no matter what you see on the outside. Thats not how most people think about things in Maycomb. The only thing black people have done in the world is to benefit others, so why is it not a sin to kill them?