Law and Literature: To Kill a Mockingbird as a Legal Thriller

Abstract

This study examines the close affinity and historical relationship between law and literature through a meticulous study of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mocking a Bird (1960). Reading literature challenges conventions, fosters empathy, and stimulates critical thought. It acts as a mirror for analysing moral conundrums and legal doctrines. The nature of laws and their consideration of past decisions provide rich material for exploration in literature. Thus, the relationship between the two is long and well established. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee serves as validation of this connection between law and literature. Its legal dimensions transform it into a forceful entry in the genre of legal thrillers. While the novel garners praise for its literary merit, it also fascinates as a legal suspense novel. It has captivated readers with its intricate examination of the judicial system and its philosophical interpretation on justice, prejudice, and morality. Harper Lee’s masterpiece transcends mere storytelling to offer profound insights into the complexities of modern judicial system. This study examines the rendering of jurisdictive arrangement, analysing the courtroom drama and characters’ battles against social injustices. It also shows how the novel captivates readers not only as a literary work but also as a gripping murder mystery. The close examination of the court proceedings surrounding Tom Robinson’s trial and the larger social context of racial tensions in 1930s Alabama is confronted with the Atticus Finch’s defence of Tom. Atticus represents a moral light in the novel against the darkness of bias and evil values of society.