The great expectations I had having seen the film with enthusiasm as a child, didn't come true. I remembered how well I had been able to understand the way of thinking of little SCOUT, the main character - being a little girl then myself.

The film was very impressive, but when I read the book now, a few years later, the magic was gone.

SCOUT talks to the reader about her childhood in a childlike way I couldn't understand anymore. The reader is told all of her devoted love to her family, the tears and joys of her childhood days and her growing up in a society that is determined by origin, skin color and social merits while she herself doesn't care about these values at all.

He never gives in when the whole village turns against him in his attempt to save his client's life.

And this is the lesson the father teaches his children - and I think also the message Harper Lee wants to teach the reader: Be just and judge people after their inner values, no matter what others say or think.