Breaking the gap...

Have you already started reading the book "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee?
I hope the reflections on that book, which you can find in this blog, will inspire and make you read that incredible book.
In my previous reflections, I've talked about the main idea and the main characters of that book. But now, I want to concentrate on a very interesting character Calpurnia,  the black housekeeper. 
Once, when Atticus is away, Calpurnia decides to take Jem and Scout to the church with her, but that is the church for black people. There, she is being criticized for bringing white children to that church, but Reverend Sykes, the father of the black church says, that everyone knows their father. The church was in a very bad condition, it was very old and the church didn't have money for hymnals (the book of hymns), so a very few people could read. 
Reverend Sykes collects some money for Tom Robinson's wife, because she couldn't find a work, as her husband was accused. In the church, Calpurnia's language was a little bit different and seemed confusing to Jem and Scout. Later, Calpurnia explained to Jem that she couldn't speak "white" language with black people.
In my opinion, these chapters show, that Calpurnia was in the middle of the black and white people and she was trying to break the gap between those two. (By taking children to their church). But I don't want to tell you everything, because I want you to read that book and maybe you will understand the whole thing in your own, different way :)
So, what about starting reading it?? 

                       

Racism and injustice

If you remember, I've made a post about the book I'm currently reading- "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. Firstly, I thought the whole book would be about the children trying to make Boo Radley come out. But this book is full of surprises :)

After having read some more chapters, I understood that this book is about racism, showing its negative sides (as far as I'm concerned, there are no positive sides in racism). 

There was a quote, which I liked very much and I think, it's going to represent the whole idea of the book.

“Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it. 

“Your father’s right,” she said. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

There's a big connection between mockingbirds and innocents, in this case. Innocents, like mockingbirds, do not harm anyone, they are not deleterious for people, but sometimes they are being killed, abused, prosecuted. In my opinion, Boo Radley is a "mockingbird". He is not harming anyone, he isn't doing anything bad, but everyone is skeptical about him, everyone thinks he is evil, while he isn't and all of them are...

Tom Robinson is another "mockingbird" in this book. He is accused by everyone, just because he is black. No one wants to listen to his side of story and no one thinks about exonerating him, except Atticus. 

Why do people behave like that? Why is the majority of people against black people? There are questions, which don't have answers.

I immediately connected the book with the TedTalk I've watched recently. In this talk, human rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson speaks about injustice and the power of identity. He says, that a third of America's black male population has been incarcerated during his life. 

I suggest you watch the TedTalk and maybe you will be the one, who will find a solution to this problem. Because the one who is concerned will change the world...

So, what do you think about racism?? 

Click to watch the TedTalk