One of the most classic Southern Gothic novels, To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee from a little girl Scout’s perspective, tells the story of the struggles for justice in an Alabama town during the Great Depression. Scout’s dad, Atticus, defends a black man against a white girl’s accusation of sexual assault and faces disapproval from the whole town. Through Scout’s perspective, we see, in a sense, how everyone around her are “mockingbirds”—all innocent but affected by the deep-rooted injustices in society. On the surface level, Tom Robinson, as a black man, is a definite “mockingbird” who is incarcerated and eventually shot due to societal prejudices. Robinson gets accused of raping a white girl, Mayella Ewell, and is sent to trial. However, during the trial, it is discovered that Mayella’s bruise was on her right eye so the person who attacked her must have used their left hand, yet Tom’s left hand is useless. All Tom ever did was slightly push Mayella to stop her from kissing him. It was clear to all that Tom had nothing to do with Mayella’s bruises during the trial but Tom is still sent to prison, and shot. Despite Atticus’s clear evidence and reasoning that Tom was innocent, the community still chooses to believe the white man Bob Ewell. Although white, Scout and her family are all “mockingbirds” who are judged by the community due to their unpopular belief in racial equality. At school, Scout’s classmate, Cecil Jacobs, yells, “My folks said your daddy was a disgrace an’ that n****** oughta hang from the water-tank!” (131). Scout’s dad, Atticus, simply wants to defend an innocent Black man; there is nothing wrong about defending an innocent man, but the whole of Maycomb County goes against them, purely because Tom is Black. Atticus even receives several death threats and attacks from white men disapproving of his choices. While Scout and Jem could have been enjoying their childhood innocence, they have to confront attacks from the community for their father’s choices. Digging deeper, in a sense the whole white community is also a “mockingbird” due to their lack of knowledge of what is right and wrong, leading them to follow the evils of power dynamics. Nearly the whole community supports Bob instead of Tom despite clear evidence suggesting otherwise. However, the white community is still innocent in a sense as the issue of racism is not in their hands to control. They were born, taught, and raised to tout white supremacy; this has been going on for generations and generations. Throughout the book, Scout narrates all the events surrounding Tom Robinson’s unfortunate death, which shows the entrenched racial prejudices in society, thereby implying the difficulty of going against racial norms. Everyone in this book were “mockingbirds” in some ways, either by being who they are, supporting equality, or following the habits of their ancestors. What To Kill a Mockingbird reveals is a need for education on justice and a change in society so that one day nobody will be judged purely by their identity. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Harper Perennial, 2005. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
Running or Racing?
Running or racing? It’s such a simple question and most of us would probably choose running. But is that really the case? Do we really run for enjoyment? Or for speed? I once trained the slowest girl in our whole grade to be the fastest on the Cross-Country team. I would say that I have loved running, but what I really loved was my times and medals. It was not until a devastating break from running due to scoliosis (a curvature of the spine) that I’ve come to truly love running. My story begins with the only track I know that is made up of grass instead of rubber, a track that has always held very special memories for me. It’s where got my first sports medal in 6th grade’s Cross-Country meet, my only two gold medals from last year’s track tournament, and also this year, as it was one of my first runs after my scoliosis recovery. As I’d expected, my results weren’t ideal; I couldn’t possibly believe that I got so much slower from 6th grade! But, I guess that’s just the consequence of taking such a long break from running. I’ve always participated in cross-country meets. Starting off as a 9-year-old, I felt proud of just completing the race, even if I finished last. Finishing a race was already a huge accomplishment for a girl who couldn’t even play tag with her friends, as I would always remain the tagger because I ran slower than everyone else. However, after a summer of rough training, and joining the swim team, I got a lot more serious about sports. I began to run frequently. I developed a true, ardent passion for running when I was the first to finish the 800m in Track and Field Day in 5th grade. I no longer felt forced to run but genuinely enjoyed it, feeling all my anxieties vanish and burn off through every step. Running then wasn’t just a sport to me, but the only escape from all the negativity in my life. It became a part of my life that I couldn’t live without. Then, in the fall of 6th grade, I attended WAB’s Tiger Classic Cross-Country meet and felt anxious about running three km without stopping. I definitely didn’t expect to achieve my goal of stepping onto the podium—I got 2nd place, which was completely unexpected, but super exciting for me. On one hand, running was still my haven outside of all of my stresses; but on the other, I became overly competitive with the sport and found it hard to be at ease unless I achieved a fast time or tangible medal to prove my ability. I feel ashamed to think about how many times I’ve cried in the bathroom after not achieving ideal places or times at sports meets. I blamed and hated myself for not achieving what I aspired to, but I should have realized that was just all part of the journey, something every athlete must go through eventually. I remember the moment I finished the race on October 9th I was on the verge of tears. I didn’t even bother asking my time because I was so scared, certain that my performance wouldn’t be ideal—judging from the swarm of familiar faces that ran past me. I can’t believe that I used to be ahead of all of them. Just as I was about to cry into my sleeves, my coaches came up and regarded me kindly, asking how I felt after not running for such a long time. Not about to cry in front of a whole crowd, I held my tears and spilled out to them all my fear of not achieving an ideal time, and how I felt ashamed that I was able to get a medal at this meet when I was only 10, but not when I was 13. “Well… welcome back! We’ve all missed you a lot and it’s wonderful to see you running again! There are still a few practices, and I’m sure that now you’ve recovered you’ll be all fit for track season!” The coaches replied, with a nudge on my shoulder. My friends all came and comforted me, congratulating me for finishing the race after not running for such a long time. I felt so ashamed that I felt the way I had after finishing the race. The positive spirits of my peers really got me, and at that moment I felt much more confident. I used to only value the gold, silver, or bronze medals, ignoring the participation ribbon. But this time, I hurled out my participation medal and wore it like a badge of honor. Because this is sportsmanship. Not everything is about the time, but rather the experiences and lessons you learn from it. After my break from running due to scoliosis, I have learned not to blame myself for every “mishap.” Some things are just out of my control—no one could’ve guessed I would have to take such a long break so suddenly. And not just that, but I’ve learned that mistakes and failures are just fine—they’re an essential part of your growth. Instead of purely focusing on my times, I should take a look at the beautiful scenery, be grateful for such supportive teammates, and be happy just to be a part of this bigger picture. In the end, if I had to choose between running and racing, I would always choose running, so why not just focus on that more? Thinking back on it, I am prouder of myself after that meet than I ever was before. Maybe I didn’t achieve a PB or get a medal, but I finished the race and didn’t blame myself for not achieving my goals. I wore my participation medal proudly and cheered on all the others. The medal from that race will forever remain an epitome of not my best times or places, but of the difficult journey that I’ve made it
Little Women, Reviewed by Grace, 13
Kind Cinderella lives luxuriously in a castle after enduring her hardships obediently. Gentle Snow White gets saved by the dashing prince because of her sweet personality. Loving Sleeping Beauty wakes up from her slumber with a single kiss. Characters in these cherished fairy tales we’ve grown up with always end up with their dreams being fulfilled—if they’ve been virtuous. Then what explains what happens to the girls in Little Women by Louisa May Alcott? Little Women documents the growth of four very different sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—from childhood to womanhood. Each sister symbolizes a distinct type of personality, but how they end up in life doesn’t match readers’ initial expectations. By steering us away from our preconceptions, Alcott accurately depicts what life is really like: sometimes unfair and cruel, yet undeniably satisfying. From Alcott, I learned to accept that “happily ever after” doesn’t exist, nor is it ultimately gratifying. My mom had recommended this book to me, but I was hesitant to read it because the story of four girls didn’t initially intrigue me. However, after learning that Alcott’s father, Amos Bronson Alcott, was a friend of Emerson’s and a leader in the transcendentalist movement of the time, I decided to try it. How might Alcott’s feminine perspective of this period add to my understanding? I soon became lost in the intriguing plot which takes place during the Civil War and realized that this novel offers so much more than I had anticipated. The hardship the characters had to endure during this difficult period in American life and the complex moral message for women of all ages have had a lasting impact on me. Though they grew up in the same household, the sisters are all quite different and each is sharply drawn. Meg dreams of ending up in the lap of luxury, but is eventually content with something quite the opposite. Jo, a classic tomboy, learns to balance her literary ambitions with tenderness. Beth, an ever dutiful daughter, willingly resides at her cozy home without any further aspirations, while Amy grows from a pampered little girl to an ardent artist. My two favorite characters are Jo and Amy, despite the fact that they are opposites. Both are ambitious girls, but Amy’s graceful manners are what society valued in a woman at the time, while Jo’s headstrong spirit is often questioned. Even though frivolous Amy almost always winds up better off than Jo, Alcott twists our expectations to ensure that each girl ends up content in her own way. It’s a harsh truth that practicality sometimes wins out over idealism and that being virtuous doesn’t ensure a happy ending. Through this moving story, Alcott steers us away from our childish fairy-tale beliefs to a more mature understanding of joy and suffering. Ultimately, Alcott portrays women as happiest when pursuing their own unique path in life. As Jo explains, we must find “the key to [our] castle in the air” and accept that “whether [we] can unlock the door remains to be seen.” I highly recommend this book to any girl struggling with growing up in a complex world. Little Women offers insight into conventional gender stereotypes and leaves us with important moral issues to think about. This makes it a novel for all readers. In the end, we must ask ourselves: what truly is “happily ever after”? Does it even exist? Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Roberts Brothers, 1968. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
