Harper Lee’s famous historical fiction novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, is a timeless story about the fragility of childhood innocence and the deeply-ingrained racism that defined life in the American South. Narrated by a now-grown Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, the book follows Scout’s experiences growing up from the age of six to nine in America during the Great Depression. She spends most of her days playing with her brother Jem and best friend Dill in her small hometown of Maycomb, Alabama, all the while hoping to catch a glimpse of her reclusive neighbor, Boo Radley, who is said to have never left his house for over a decade. When Scout’s lawyer father, Atticus, however, is chosen to defend a black man unjustly accused of a terrible crime, she finds herself exposed to the prejudices and inequalities of the Deep South -- things which she is much too young to truly understand. To Kill a Mockingbird explores issues such as racism and hatred from the point of view of an innocent young girl, and employs recurring symbolism throughout, aspects of the book which I found to be very thought-provoking. Though a little slow-moving in the beginning, this classic novel was truly captivating, written in a beautiful style, and left me feeling deeply connected to the characters.