"The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience."-Atticus Finch

To Kill A Mockingbird

1960 novel

by Harper Lee

Set in Maycomb, Alabama,a typical small southern town at the end of the Great Depression,To Kill A Mockingbird is narrated through the eyes of a child, Jean Louise "Scout" Finch.

The story unfolds on a summer day.Scout and her older brother, Jeremy Atticus "Jem" Finch, are playing in their yard when they're introduced to a young boy who goes by the name of "Dill" who is visiting his Aunt Rachel for the summer.Jem and Scout quickly befriend Dill, who accompanies them on their summer adventures around the neighborhood.

Soon after his arrival, Dill becomes fascinated with the story of the Radley house, which sits at the end of the street the Finch's live on.There are many stories that circulate around the Radley house, and speculations that the younger Radley boy, Arthur "Boo" Radley is forced to stay inside and is chained to his bed because he's a madman.Jem, Dill, and Scout soon set about trying to use different approaches to entice Boo Radley to come out of his house.Jem and Scout's father soon finds out what they're up to and forbids them from playing their morbid games.

Atticus Finch is one of the most respectable men in town.He is one of the best lawyers in Maycomb, and almost everybody admires him for his wisdom,trustworthiness, and fairness.He's a good father, who, it can be safely assumed, adores his children.When he discovers what his children are up to, he tells them that what goes on in the Radley house is not their concern, that they are letting their imaginations run away with them, and to please leave the Radley's alone.

Life goes on in a sleepy, slow paced way in Maycomb for a while.Things start to get serious when Atticus is assigned to defend a black man who is faced with battery and rape charges.The whole county,including other members of the Finch family, is whispering that Atticus Finch is a disgrace for agreeing to defend a colored man.Atticus dutifully takes the case saying, "Do you think I could face my children otherwise?...Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up,is something I don't pretend to understand.I just hope that Jem and Scout come to me for their answers instead of listening to the town."

The case turns out the be one of the biggest ones that Maycomb has ever seen,everybody waiting with bated breath for the official verdict.Atticus does his best to free Tom Robinson, but the town's prejudice holds sway, and he is deemed guilty.Atticus tells Tom not to panic, that they will make an appeal,but Tom tries to escape from prison,and is killed.

Atticus tries to help Jem and Scout understand everything that has been unfolding around them with the Tom Robinson case.He tries his best to help them comprehend the true meaning of right and wrong, prejudice, and the fact that just because something is right or fair, doesn't mean it always works out the way it should.

Life starts to piece itself back together again in it's usual pattern,but one person has not gotten over the Tom Robinson case.Bob Ewell, the father of the girl who accused Tom Robinson of raping and beating her, continues to badger Atticus,even threatening his family.One night, Scout and Jem are walking home after participating in a school play, and are attacked by Bob Ewell at the end of their street,next to the Radley house.There's alot of commotion, and an (at the time) unidentified person fights off Bob Ewell and saves Jem and Scout.

Once safe at home, and after the doctor has been sent for, Scout learns that it was none other than Boo Radley who came to save her and Jem.She finally comes face to face with the supposed neighborhood "madman," only to learn that Boo is just very shy, and hasn't wished to leave his house.She learns that Boo enjoys watching life go by from the safety of the window at the front of his house,has always known who she and Jem were, and that it was him who left little gifts for them in a knot in a tree at the end of the street.The story ends with Atticus tucking Scout into bed after the evenings traumatic events,saying that "Most people are [nice] when you finally see them."

"I think there's just one kind of folks.Folks."-Scout

"The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom,be he any color of the rainbow,but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box.As you grow older,you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life,but let me tell you something and don't you forget it-whenever a white man does that to a black man,no matter who he is,how rich he is,or how fine a family he comes from,that white man is trash."-Atticus Finch

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."-Atticus Finch

Ever since the very first time I read it, To Kill A Mockingbird became an instant favorite of mine.I love to read.Seriously,LOVE to read,and I have alot of books that I really enjoy.But To Kill A Mockingbird is one of the few that,whenever I reach the end,I feel sad.I just want it to continue on forever,but at the same time,I know that would change the story because Scout would grow up,and her perspective would change.I think that's one of the things that makes To Kill A Mockingbird so special.Being told from a little girl's perspective gives it some magical quality.

"Shoot all the bluejays you want,if you can hit 'em,but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

"I've never been alone with a man before,even with my dress on.With my dress off,it is MOST unusual."

So,this post is about one of my favorite movies, which I cannot believe I didn't own until two weeks ago when I received it as a birthday present.

I've now fallen in love with it all over again.

Roman Holiday
1953

Starring the beautiful Audrey Hepburn, and equally beautiful Gregory Peck

Princess Ann (Hepburn) is on a Royal tour of various European capitals to politically establish her country's allied position with surrounding nations.Despite having the opportunity to travel to all of these beautiful countries, Princess Ann is extremely unhappy. Her days are already filled for her with meetings, luncheons, press conferences,and balls which she must attend, when all she really wants to do is be one of the people. She longs to stretch her legs, and tour all of these historical cities that she has been sent to.

One night, Princess Ann's unhappiness overcomes her and she throws a fit.A doctor is sent for, and he gives her a sedative to help her sleep, but warning that it will not kick in until later.Once she is left alone in her room, Ann devises a plan to sneak out of the royal palace, and truly discover Rome for herself.She manages to do just that, but her discoveries only reach as far as a distant street before her sedative begins to take over.Unable to keep upright, she collapses onto a bench, where she is lying in a stupor when American reporter Joe Bradley (Peck) finds her as he is waiting for a taxi.

Joe doesn't recognize her as the Princess. He tries to wake her up, but she is apparently intoxicated and has no intention of behaving normally. He asks her name, to which she replies "Anya Smith." He then tries to give Miss Smith some money,which she refuses,still in a haze and continually sinking lower.Joe is completely baffled, and doesn't want to leave her in the middle of the street at night.When his taxi arrives, he puts her in the back and tries to ask her where she lives.After several failed attempts, he finally receives an answer: the Colosseum.Not knowing what to do, he drives the strange Anya Smith to his own apartment, where he figures she can stay for the night, until she sobers up.

In the morning, Ann wakes up and is initially frightened at finding herself in unfamiliar surroundings. Eventually, it dawns on her that she really did escape the palace, and she can do whatever she wants, all day long.While all these revelations are occurring to her, Joe is having a revelation of his own. He learns that he has the Princess Ann, not one Anya Smith, sleeping in his apartment, through a local newspaper.He rushes to his editor and offers an exclusive story on the Princess, through being able to spend the day with her and observe her interactions with the city of Rome.He then runs back to his apartment, where he continues his charade of wanting to help the poor,lost Anya Smith.

He agrees to taking a holiday from work (without revealing what his true profession is) to be her guide and show her around the city of Rome,recruiting his friend Irving to secretly take pictures of her for the article.Ann is delighted and spends the best day of her life doing all the things she's never been able to.She cuts her hair, eats a gelato on the Spanish Steps, rides a Vespa around the city, visits the Mouth of Truth, and goes to a fair.Throughout the day, while observing Ann taking delight in the smallest things, Joe realizes he's starting to fall in love with her. He begins to rethink publishing the article and all the pictures, too.

At the little fair on the water that night, Joe and Ann dance together. He and Irving also help her escape the police, who have been searching for her all day.After their narrow escape, Ann and Joe also share a kiss.Ann realizes that they both have feelings for eachother, but also realizes that she cannot keep running forever, and things cannot work out for the two of them.Not realizing that he's known it all along, she tells Joe who she really is, and has him take her back to the embassy.The two embrace one last time, and then part ways after she asks him not to watch her go, but just to leave her.

Joe tells Irving to forget about all the pictures.Once Irving learns who the pictures are really of, he is tempted to publish them on his own, but decides not to.Instead, he prints them and gives them to Joe.At a press conference the next day, Ann pieces together exactly everything that was going on when she sees Joe and Irving in the crowd.Irving manages to slip her copies of the pictures as well, and she and Joe give eachother formal, distant messages of gratitude and love before they part ways for the last time.

"I could do some of the things I've always wanted to."

"Like what?"

"Oh, you can't imagine.I-I'd do just whatever I liked all day long."

"She would have laid down her life for 'ee.I could do no more."

"She philosophically noted dates as they came past in the revolution of the year...She suddenly thought one afternoon, when looking in the glass at her fairness, that there was yet another date of greater importance to her than those; that of her own death, when all these charms would have disappeared; a day which lay sly and unseen among all the other days of the year, giving no sign or sound when she annually passed over it; but not the less, surely there."

Tess of the D'urbervilles
1891 novel
by Thomas Hardy

Tess Durbeyfield is a young woman, and oldest daughter of poor Wessex merchants, Joan and John Durbeyfield.When her father is informed of his familial connection to an old,noble,and long-forgotten family by the name of D'urberville, he is overjoyed.There is a last section of the D'urberville family living in a manor in Tantridge.They urge their beautiful,innocent daughter Tess to go and "claim kin," not knowing that this family purchased the D'urberville title long ago.
At first, Tess is against the idea, but eventually agrees, wishing to make amends for accidentally killing her father's only horse.After her visit to her supposed relations in Tantridge, Tess is offered a job on the estate, which she accepts.While living at Tantridge, Tess is introduced to Alec D'urberville, the unruly son of the late Mr. D'urberville, and the blind, invalid Mrs D'urberville, who Tess works for.Tess wishes to make connections with this extended part of her family, but is wary of Alec's behavior towards her.She discovers that she has just cause, when Alec rapes Tess in the middle of the night.
Tess immediately returns to her home in Marlott, where she soon after discovers that she is with child.She gives birth to a child, whom she names Sorrow.Tess loves her child, yet hates his connection to Alec.Sorrow falls ill and dies in the middle of the night not long after he is born.Tess buries him in unconsecrated ground.She decides to leave this all behind her, as she takes a position as a dairy maid at Talbothay's.
In the rural valley where Talbothay's is situated, Tess begins to feel at home,as if she has a new chance at life.She befriends her fellow dairy maids, as well as one Angel Clare, the son of a reverend in Emminster, who is learning agriculture in hopes of owning his own land one day.Angel is equally captivated by the beautiful Tess Durbeyfield.Their friendship soon develops in to more, and Angel, believing Tess to be a saintly virgin, asks for her hand in marriage.Tess,who had previously said she would never marry, eventually accepts, knowing that she truly does love Angel too much to refuse him.
The newlywed couple is immensely happy until their wedding night.Angel confides in Tess that he is not spotless himself, having had an affair with a woman in London.Tess forgives him, and feels that he will surely understand that her virginity was forcefully taken from her.She tells him the truth, seeking forgiveness, but is shocked to find that Angel is mortified, and cannot forgive her, even though he still claims to love her.Angel immediately makes arrangements for Tess to go back to her parents home, while he goes to South America to establish himself as a farmer, the plan being to send for her once he is ready.
Tess, heartbroken, does as Angel desires and the two separate.At first, Tess sends him letters of love and support.Not knowing that Angel has fallen desparately ill, which is why he has not responded, she then writes a letter saying that she does not forgive him, and she never wishes to see him again.
Shortly after this time, Tess runs into Alec D'urberville again.At first she lashes out against him and tries to avoid him.Alec persists, however, professing his undying love for her.He eventually offers her some kind of "proof," which is never revealed, that Angel is never coming back to her.That, along with promises to provide for her poverty stricken family, persuades Tess to become his mistress.
Angel eventually recovers from his illness and rushes back to England to find Tess.He searches for quite some time, eventually finding her staying in a boarding house as a Mrs. D'urberville with Alec.Tess is shocked to see him again, and tells him it's too late, and to leave.Angel does as she wishes.Tess returns to Alec, furious with him for lying to her about Angel being gone forever.The two fight, and Tess stabs Alec and runs away to catch up with Angel.She confesses her sin to Angel, and the two flee from the law together, hoping to make it to a neutral country so that they can escape.
The police find them eventually, and take Tess into custody.Tess is willing to pay for her crime, and departs only after making angel promise to marry her younger sister Liza-Lu, and to try to love her as much as he loved Tess.In the end, Tess is put on trial and sentenced to death.

The story of Tess of the D'urbervilles is not exactly light-hearted, but is a passionate, heartbreaking love story, as well as a commentary on some of the social rules and religious views of the time.

You can find Tess of the D'urbervilles at any bookstore.
Also, if you're interested, BBC made it into a movie in 2008.
You can see the preview here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snhZ_flom1Q
OR you can begin watching the actual movie here, and follow consecutive links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFLSYxx9Jvo