Week 12 – To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Last year on Mondays we had fun with books. This year, we'll look at most of the same books but also some new ones, and see if the first line [or first paragraph] met the goal of a first line which is ==> to hook the reader's attention.

Here are some tips on writing a first line

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/tips-for-writing-the-opening-line-of-your-novel

Week 12 – To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Kill_a_Mockingbird

https://www.britannica.com/topic/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird

First published: July 11, 1960

Here's what the story is about: The story is told by 6yo Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, and set in the years 1933–1935 during the Great Depression in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama. Scout’s father Atticus, an attorney, is appointed to defend a black man, Tom Robinson, accused of raping a young white woman. The book explores racial and social injustice. It won a Pulitzer prize in 1961, and was made into a movie in 1962 starring Gregory Peck, who won an Oscar for his performance as Atticus.

First line/paragraph:
When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. When it healed, and Jem’s fears of never being able to play football were assuaged, he was seldom self conscious about his injury. His left arm was somewhat shorter than his right; when he stood or walked, the back of his hand was at right angles to his body, his thumb parallel to his thigh. He couldn’t have cared less, so long as he could pass and punt.

This story starts with the main character, apparently a child although she has a great vocabulary [assuaged], speaking directly to the reader in first person POV about her brother. The reader knows a little about the child by the voice. We also know a little about the brother and what he cared about. Really nothing about the plot or setting though. But character being “king” for most readers, if the characters are interesting you'd read at least a few pages.

Does this first line/paragraph hook your attention? If you had never heard of this story, would you buy this book in 2024? Knowing the story, would you change the first line? Tell us in the comments!