4.A hero named Atticus Finch

A father explaining to his children the hypocrisies in life is the unlikely hero of " To kill a mockingbird" and a memorable one at that. Some books inform you of what is , others give you a different perspective , a new pair of lenses to see this world ,still some others simply entertain you. This was one of those rare books that simply touch you. A feeling of guilt seeps into your consciousness and you realise that somehow that feeling of self consciousness has made you alive again.

Atticus Finch is the Gandhi mould of a hero - gentle,bespectacled, understanding yet very determined. The book describes him as a simple man who one day is made to fight for the ideals which are dear to him and the dignity in which he redeems himself. While doing so, he guides his children through their discovery that evil does exist ( even in those close to us). The trick though is not to bow down to it nor embrace it , but accept it as a fact that there is work for us to do. No need for violence, no need for aggression, but a single minded determination to preserve the innocence in our hearts - The Mockingbird

Somehow as the picture of the family unfolded in front of my eyes ,I felt an uncanny resemblance to Mani Ratnam's Anjali. There is the same normal family living a normal existense which suddenly finds itself in a sticky scenario. Events unfold which threaten to move it away from the comfort zone and challenge the core values that society holds them ransom to.