JOHAN BI SM - PERTANDINGAN BICARA BUKU KEBANGSAAN TAHUN 2024

[0:01]As reading broaden one's mind, I have fallen deeper and deeper into its abbys. In that journey, I stumbled upon a particular book with a title so bizarre to me at first. Despite that, this particular book is the reason that I, Lim Sinning, am here today. I am from SMJK Yokbin Melaka Tengah and my school code is MEB2101. The best book of the last 125 years, according to New York Times book review. A book that has been translated into more than 40 languages. A book that won the Pulitzer prize. Yes, it is none other than the masterpiece by Harper Lee, To Kill a Mocking Bird, the book which I am going to review today. This story is told from the perspective of a young girl named Scout. She lives with her father Atticus and her elder brother Jim in a fictional town called Maycomb during the era of the Great Depression. Scout witnessed the trial of a black man, Tom Robinson, who is unfairly accused of assaulting a white woman. Innocent, but just because of his skin color, Tom becomes the easy target as prime suspect. Hence, the scapegoat in this case. Atticus takes on the case. He courageously defends Tom, ruining his own reputation and even risking his children's safety. One thing I really like about this book is that we need to carefully digest each lines because the story is narrated through the perspective of an innocent young girl. In fact, Scout's innocence is what makes her a more reliable narrator than an adult because she narrates the story through her most simple and naive view, without prejudice, without discrimination. The character that I admire the most is definitely Atticus. He is humble, loving, and most importantly, he is not afraid to stand up against injustice. He stands firm in his beliefs, even when faced with adversity or social pressure. I really admire his pursuit for justice and his respect for all individuals, despite their social status, despite their vast differences in backgrounds, despite the already stigmatized prejudice of the community. What I found intriguing is this book also explores the coexistence of good and evil within a society and individuals. After immersing myself in this book, I learned that humans are neither good nor bad. Again, the writer Harper Lee demonstrates remarkable skill in weaving these important lessons into her writing. Take the character of Miss Dubose, for instance. Miss Dubose is an elderly woman who is initially portrayed as mean and harsh. However, Atticus sees beyond her outward demeanor. He recognizes her struggles with addiction and applauds her courageous efforts of overcoming them. Reading this has prompted me to reflect on how many of us can deal with other's belief, which differ from our own without any stereotypes. Through this book, I've learned to resist the urge to conveniently categorize people into simplistic binaries of good or bad. To me, this book is a timeless masterpiece. Why, you may wonder? This book is strongly relevant into today's world, despite it being published in June 1960. Yes, 1960. In a diverse country like Malaysia, where racial narratives often dominate, this book serves as an important reminder of treating everyone with respect and tolerance. Although we might not have accused an innocent person like Tom of committing a crime. Yet, how many times have we given someone the death sentence in our hearts just because of their race? Instead of having a monologue demeaning that person, why not start a dialogue to see them for yourself? If only we could see the world from another's perspective, we could foster unity in a diverse society. This book sparked some sense of wake up call to me. Am I willing to do what Atticus has done? Even if I am, will I be able to? I must confess, I used to have my own prejudice against friends of different cultures and different races. However, after reading this book, I have learned that we shouldn't judge others merely based on their backgrounds. All in all, this is a thought-provoking story of morality and humanity. So, will I recommend this book to you? Definitely, and I'm sure you'll enjoy reading it as much as I do. Have a good read. Thank you.