Life Lessons From "To Kill A Mockingbird"


Saintmichaeldefendthem1
 Share

Recommended Posts

Life Lessons From "To Kill A Mockingbird"

Part 1: Spiritual Warfare

By: Saintmichaeldefendthem Posted: LDS.NET, The-Highway.com, Bible-discussion.com

A good lesson on true spiritual warfare, how God used a sweet innocent little girl to stay the hand of evil.

I'm going to use this scene from the movie rather than the book. Here is the backdrop. Tom Robinson, a negro, had just been arrested and charged with raping a white woman in a poor Southern town in the 1930's. Atticus Finch, a lawyer and single father, was appointed to defend him. Many in town were of the mind that Tom's guilt was not in question and that a trial would be perfunctory and there were some still who had no desire that Tom even make it to trial. So when Tom was transferred to the county jail, Atticus knew there would be trouble that night. In an effort to head it off, he waited until his children were in bed and then drove to the jail. He set up a chair, a lamp powered by an extension cord, and a good book to help him keep vigil through the night. Unbeknownst to Atticus, his children Jem and Scout had followed him on foot and were concealed in the bushes watching their father read by the light of the lamp.

If one could look with different eyes, they might have also seen an angelic sentry standing next to Atticus. Heaven was their to protect Atticus as Atticus was there to protect Tom.

Predictably, several vehicle drove up filled with armed men who were up to no good. They filed out of the vehicles and approached as a mob, every one of them toting a rifle. Atticus was unarmed as he became surrounded by the hastily marshalled posse. These were not strangers; every one of them were local townsmen who Atticus knew, good men possessed by a bad idea. Looking with different eyes, one might detect something else that possessed the crowd, a gaggle of demons frothing the men with murderous intent.

"Step aside, Mr. Finch, you know what we're here for," Mr. Cunningham said.

"I suggest you all just go home," Atticus responded.

But the posse came with bloodlust on their minds and would not be shaken of it so easily. Jem, afraid for his father, ran out from his hiding place, his sister in tow, and positioned himself between his father and the posse. Only 10 years old, but they would have to get through him to get to his father. The posse immediately demanded Atticus send his children home. Atticus told Jem to take his sister home. Jem, furtively glancing at the menacing posse, responded "No Sir." Though far from being a defiant child, there was no way Jem was going to leave his father to face this threat alone. During this standoff, however, Scout recognized one of the faces in the crowd.

"Hello Mr. Cunningham." Mr. Cunningham didn't respond. "Don't you remember me? I go to school with your boy. I go to school with Walter. Will you say 'hey' for me when you see him?"

The posse, including Mr. Cunningham, remained silent. Scout, sensing the awkwardness, became crestfallen and said, "I sure didn't mean any harm."

"No harm, little lady," Mr. Cunningham replied, "And I'll tell Walter you said 'hey'". Then he turned to the crowd, and said, "Let's get on out of here." And nobody argued with Mr. Cunningham, a man who had gained exceptional prestige in the community. The tide had shifted, the demons withering at the sound of a child's voice, and the men now bereft of their resolve to lynch Tom Robinson. The posse packed up and motored off into the night, never to return.

"Mr. Finch, are they gone?" Asked a terrified Tom Robinson through the jail cell bars.

"Yes, Tom, they won't bother you anymore," Atticus said.

During this exchange, no demons were bound or rebuked in the name of Jesus. In fact, the name of Jesus wasn't even used. There wasn't even a prayer. There is a time and a place for those weapons of spiritual warfare, but in this case, an even mightier weapon was brought to bare. A sweet, innocent little girl shamed several strong and well armed men into relenting from their impious errand and cowared the demonic realm, her tender words piercing into the night and undoing the forces of wickedness. This is spiritual warfare at its finest and an example of how God uses innocence and meekness to cause good to prevail against evil. It's a lesson for us all.

In the Sacred Heart of Christ.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest mormonmusic

I have a question about this. Hearing such great things about To Kill A Mockingbird, I watched the Gregory Peck movie and also read the book. I found it was a good story about shucking racial stereotypes, and that was its central message, but I couldn't see much beyond that. Your post above helps a bit, as it shows how reminding people about the sense of community they share can help break down adversarial situations.

Are there any other deep messages anyone gets out of To Kill a Mockingbird? The question about deep meaning in that story has vexed me for decades. I can't see it, beyond it's beautiful and meaninful message that we shouldn't stereotype or engage in racism.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a question about this. Hearing such great things about To Kill A Mockingbird, I watched the Gregory Peck movie and also read the book. I found it was a good story about shucking racial stereotypes, and that was its central message, but I couldn't see much beyond that. Your post above helps a bit, as it shows how reminding people about the sense of community they share can help break down adversarial situations.

Are there any other deep messages anyone gets out of To Kill a Mockingbird? The question about deep meaning in that story has vexed me for decades. I can't see it, beyond it's beautiful and meaninful message that we shouldn't stereotype or engage in racism.

The movie is my favorite movie and the book has much more to offer. One thing you won't see in the movie is how Scout helps Mrs. Dubois kick her morphine addiction before she dies, another life lesson I plan to write about. One of the most painful things about this book is that racial injustice is allowed to prevail. Atticus Finch successfully demonstrates not only the innocence of Tom Robinson, but also the most likely culprit in the beating of Miss Mayella. Against his compelling defense, the jury convicts Tom anyway and Tom later loses hope and dies in an attempt to escape custody. The man and his daughter who pressed this foul and false accusation that got Tom killed get away with their crime.

The book challenges us to look for goodness even when evil triumphs and holds the field. Arthur Radley comes out of seclusion and becomes a hero and the children befriend the monster they once feared. Mr. Ewell, uncontent with having murdered an innocent black man, attempts to visit violence upon Jem and Scout. Although God allowed the former injustice, he intervenes and stops the second. Mr. Ewell is finally stopped and loses his life.

The death of Tom Robinson is such a gross offense that we want it to be met with swift justice. But real justice is slower, playing out according to a divine plan. For those of us who have faith and patience, it becomes evident that God is watching and very much involved after all. This book is a rich treasure for those willing to dig for it. It is prolific with life lessons that I intend to explore and write about.

Edited by Saintmichaeldefendthem1
consistancy of tense
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's more than one mockingbird in this book. Boo Radley comes to mind.

Keen observation. I look forward to writing more about Mrs. Dubose as well. She was a cranky and disagreeable old woman who sat on her porch everyday with often less than kind words for bypassers. Scout was terrified of her. She was rumored to have a Confederate pistol loaded underneath her lap shawl. But Scout is able to see a different side of her as she tenaciously battled her morphine addiction and died free. Scout was able to help Mrs. Dubose by reading to her as she endured longer and longer intervals before having to inject the drug. This woman didn't see death as her enemy, but rather being mastered by a drug or anything else. She died in a state of peace.

This book is full of heroes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wasn't it Jem who read to her, to pay his debt for wrecking her flowers? Scout went with Jem, but I don't recall her taking much action. I do remember that the kids, at the time, were unaware what was wrong with Mrs. D. I also love that she bequeathed Jem a fresh cut camellia!

Oops! You're right. It's been a few years since I read the book. She got Jem angry and Jem tore up her flower bed in retaliation. Jem didn't understand the episodes, the frothing at the mouth and the nurse ushering him away until after she died and Atticus told Jem about her fight against addiction. Jem relayed his experience to Scout and of course the book is written from Scout's point of view. That's where I got confused.

I remember having a cranky old schoolteacher that nobody liked including me. But I got to know her one day and she and I became really good friends. I would often go to her after school to get help with my homework and it turned out she was a really wonderful person after all. Children have a way of characterizing a person as the most horrible, rotten person they ever met. It takes time and experience to understand that people are rarely all that bad once you get to know them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share