Tag Archives: South Africa

Is Everyone Real Nice When You Get to Know Them?

Anthony Daniels talks about his concept of Harper Lee and the memories To Kill a Mockingbird provoke for him.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, the blacks in the courtroom stand when Atticus, who has just defended Tom Robinson vigorously and decisively but unsuccessfully against a false and malicious charge of rape, goes by, such is their grateful respect for him. The next day Atticus receives a large quantity of such humble presents as very poor people are able to give. And when the children, Scout and Jem, are taken by Calpurnia, the family’s black cook, to the church for blacks, they are treated virtually ex officio as very special. These are similar to experiences I had in South Africa and in other parts of the continent.

He eventually draws it down to questioning the novel’s conclusion, that “most people are real nice when finally you see them.”