A timeless classic, To Kill a Mockingbird has been a staple on required reading lists since its publication in 1960. In writing it, Harper Lee managed to capture the essence of Southern living and the undercurrent of racial, social, and gender issues beneath. In many ways, the books mirrored her own experience growing up in the South, witnessing these prejudices for herself.

The book follows Jean Louise 'Scout' Finch as she comes of age in Maycomb, Alabama--a small town stuck in its ancient ways. Her father, Atticus Finch, is an attorney defending Tom Robinson against a rape charge leveled against him by Mayella Ewell. From the start, it is clear that Tom has not committed the crime since Mayella Ewell was punched on her right eye and Tom lost his left arm in an accident. Even with this glaring evidence, Tom Robinson is convicted as guilty and eventually dies.

At the outset, the story may seem helplessly cynical, but through the eyes of Scout, we can see that change has begun to take root in Maycomb. Scout and her brother began to grow more aware of the world as their father continuously drills in the lesson that “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” (Lee 36)

And this takeaway is why the book has remained a staple of our education system. Today, more than ever, these lessons hold true, and this is what gives the book its power. It teaches us to see the world through other’s eyes--to truly empathize with everyone.