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"Equal rights for all, special privileges for none"

I don’t think I’ve ever been as conflicted about my feelings for a book as with this one. It was never required reading in school for me, so I was left to my own devices to decide if I wanted to listen to every "books to read before you die" list and read this, or go through life feeling like I’ve missed something. Isn’t Atticus Finch treated like the Ultimate-American-Role-Model? I’m still surprised that I was able to dive into the novel spoiler-free, yes, I knew Atticus by name, and that he was a lawyer, and that there was a trial, but I wasn’t familiar with anything else, I haven’t even seen the film adaptation, even though I loved Gregory Peck since I watched Roman Holiday at age 7.

As I read, I did something I don’t usually do, I peeked at other people’s reviews, fearful of reading something that would ruin the novel for me but trying to make sense of my own thoughts. The biggest criticism I could find, had not to do with the literary value of the novel, but whether or not it was Harper Lee’s story to tell. That made me a little sad, thinking that maybe we are going too far policing who can tell which kind of stories. Can we judge authors outside their time, can we blame them for writing things we now consider condemnable when society accepted, and even celebrated it in their time? Do people ignore the fact that the things we now consider morally correct will most certainly be condemned by future generations?

That being said, I failed to see this as a plead for racial equity and I’m curious to learn what is the 'moral of the story' taught to students in places where this is required reading. I failed to fell under Atticus Finch’s spell, I did find him determined and strong willed, but I didn’t see him as someone who thought Black people were equals, but rather they were helpless poor folks that needed saving (It was brought to my attention by this review that there is another book called Go Set a Watchmen which was the original draft for this novel where this isn’t even the case, and Atticus choices are for a more sinister motive)

I don’t actually know when the terms 'white savior' and 'white trash' were originated but this story is certainly a perfect example. Tom Robinson (the Black character in need) serves as a bridge for the readers to cross from White Trash Guilt (Ewell) to White Savior Pride (Finch) and finish the story with a sense of relieve, as everything that could be done, was done. At some point is even set up for the reader to feel more sorry for Atticus than Tom, who is the real victim.

Overall, I admit I did enjoy the novel, even though I felt uncomfortable at parts, thanks to the intelligent tomboy Scout, who is a gift to the readers and the perfect narrator for the story, her inquisitive character gives a reason to keep reading and her humorous nature carries the weight through some upsetting passages, making it possible to detach oneself from what is going on and look at it through the lense of innocence.