For those of you who are unaware, her newly published novel paints Atticus Finch as a racist. The name is often tied to this character by those who like it so do you think this new revelation will effect it’s popularity?
I was going to post a quote but I realized the language might be offensive so I included a link to a review instead. You can see some excerpts there
PS long time no see berries, I hope all is well with everyone!
The biggest issues I have with the book - and the article even mentions them - is that a) it’s still questionable as to whether or not [name_u]Lee[/name_u] wanted the book published in the first place and b) it’s allegedly based on an earlier draft on TKM. [name_f]Do[/name_f] I think [name_m]Atticus[/name_m]'s popularity will be affected by the new book? Maybe. But the fact remains that it’s a literary name with a cool sound. I doubt this new book will ever be as widely read as TKM, and a character’s obvious flaws have never stopped parents from naming their kids after them. See: [name_m]Rhett[/name_m] [name_m]Butler[/name_m], [name_m]Christian[/name_m] [name_u]Grey[/name_u], [name_m]Edward[/name_m] [name_m]Cullen[/name_m], etc.
I have problems with this as well which is why I don’t plan on reading it, I can’t help but think she only consented to having it published because she’s old and senile although some people say otherwise.
Wow thanks for sharing, I had no idea there was a new novel.
I’ve always seen [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] [name_u]Finch[/name_u] as a terrible namesake anyway because of the white-saviour controversy surrounding him.
Yeah, I agree with what the previous posters have said. I doubt this book will be as widely read as TKM, and in the information age, even if word of [name_m]Atticus[/name_m]'s supposed racism spreads, I doubt it will impact the name.
At the expense of sounding self righteous, I’ve always thought that [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] was popular just because it was an easy literary name. Most people I know only read the book because it was required in school, so I don’t think the majority of people using the name are religious fans of [name_u]Lee[/name_u]'s. Kind of like [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f]. I seriously doubt that everyone using [name_f]Ophelia[/name_f] thoroughly enjoyed [name_m]Hamlet[/name_m] (I know I didn’t.), and love [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] with all of their heart. I’m not saying people should scour the depths of Tolkien’s works for more obscure literary names to prove that they’re [name_u]True[/name_u] Literates™, but I just don’t think that the love for [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] is as sincere as it seems, if that makes sense. Buuut, I suppose you’re allowed to use a name even if you’re not a die-hard fan of the book. I like [name_m]Dante[/name_m], but didn’t like the character by that name from the [name_f]Divine[/name_f] Comedy. Sometimes a name is just a name.
I was never a fan of [name_m]Atticus[/name_m], but I know it has been regarded as quite fashionable, or hipsterish.
It’s hard to tell what will happen to its popularity, because it depends on so many things [name_f]IMO[/name_f].
I’d say [name_m]Atticus[/name_m], even though it is just a name, is very much tied to the character in Western culture. Because of this, I estimate that everyone who plans to name their kid [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] is a fan of the book and will therefore know about this update. And [name_u]Harper[/name_u] [name_u]Lee[/name_u] created [name_m]Atticus[/name_m], so really, whatever she writes about him is canon.
After that, on this basis, it comes down to the individual. People who ignore racism, or are themselves racist (whether they know it or not) might not care about this development and still use [name_m]Atticus[/name_m]. Naive people who mistakenly believe racism is over may also overlook this and use [name_m]Atticus[/name_m]. Conversely those who are uncomfortable with racism today and in the past are unlikely to use [name_m]Atticus[/name_m]. And as oliviasarah pointed out, it’s not like the original novel didn’t have racist implications either.
I guess the question is, between the people who will use [name_m]Atticus[/name_m] now, and those who won’t, what sort of ratio we’re looking at and how it could affect [name_m]Atticus[/name_m]'s popularity as a name. Honestly, I couldn’t even begin to guess, because the US is having a VERY big conversation about racial inequality right now.
Hmm. Not sure. I know I would still use it, mainly because I used the name as a “fake name” for my son and then grew quite fond of it. On the other hand, my second daughter’s name was changed from [name_u]Remy[/name_u] because I didn’t want the tie to [name_u]Michael[/name_u] Rapaport’s character in Higher Learning. Makes no sense, I know, but most of the time, I don’t. I guess it will come down to how each person ties the name to the character.