Critique de School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-For students reading Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, this program presents a discussion of the novel's context, voice, and values. A female college English instructor and a soft-spoken male literature expert act as hosts, explaining why they believe the novel has become a classic in American literature. The conversation alternates with a narration of the novel against a backdrop of still photos from the time period. A young, Southern-accented female voice narrates some of the novel's passages, in character as Scout, providing a sense of time and place. The discussion points out the context of the novel which was written in 1960, at the height of the civil rights movement, but was set in the 1930s, "a time of hopeful optimism." The hosts agree that the story is nostalgic and its voice reflects black injustice as well as the innocence of childhood, but they disagree about whether there was a feminist or humanist point of view. Some characters, such as Atticus and Tom Robinson, are discussed in terms of their values and societal roles. Several news clips and still photos show how black Americans were treated in the socially stratified society, including riots and KKK activities. The commentary between hosts is sophisticated and their points are made subtlely, requiring viewers to listen carefully. This program will be most valuable for students who have already read the novel.-Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.