‘Big Read’ for Spokane’s literary community

Movie stars and film titles fill the pages of gossip magazines and the minutes of entertainment shows. When books manage to temporarily capture the limelight, crowd-pleasing plot usually dominates discussion rather than the quality of the writing or the overarching message of the author. The place of literature in popular culture seems to shrink by the day.

In 2004, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), found that fewer than half of American adults read literature. The number of literature readers declined by 10 percent from 1982 to 2002, with the sharpest drop occurring in young adults between the ages of 18 and 24.  The NEA wants to rescue reading and restore it to a place of prominence in American culture.

With this goal in mind, the NEA launched the national Big Read project in 2007. Communities across the country read a classic work of literature and sponsor events based on that book. Events include discussion groups, film showings, and theatrical readings. This month, Spokane participates in the Big Read with Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird."

Gonzaga hosted one of the Big Read events last Monday. The University's Readers Theater performed a trial scene from "To Kill a Mockingbird" in the Barbieri Courtroom of Gonzaga's law school.

Maycomb, Ala., in 1935 set the backdrop for the trial. Tom Robinson, a black man, stood accused of raping a white girl named Mayella Ewell. The revered lawyer Atticus Finch defended Robinson, who claimed that Ewell tried to seduce him. Her father discovered Robinson in the house and beat the girl while Robinson fled, but both Mayella and Mr. Ewell tell the story that Robinson forced himself upon the girl and battered her despite his broken left arm.

Gonzaga student Nate Clemons portrayed Atticus Finch as he direct examined Robinson and cross examined the Ewells. The direct examination, in particular, had the audience leaning forward in their seats as the defendant, played by Christian Santa Maria, contradicted the testimony of the Ewells.

Kiki Wright, who played the part of Mayella Ewell, also gave a stirring performance as she went through all the shades of emotion tied up in lying, defending her father, and facing her own guilt.

The most memorable moments came during and immediately after Atticus Finch delivered his closing argument.

He took off his coat and began.

"This trial is as simple as black and white," he said.

He pointed out that despite the grand rhetoric enshrined in the American cultural narrative, not all men are created equal. Some are smarter, some are wealthier, some are luckier. But there is one institution that levels society.

"In a court of law, all men are created equal...But a court of law is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up," Finch said. Then he implored the jury, "In the name of God, do your duty."

Despite, Atticus's powerful words, the jury found Tom Robinson guilty. Finch's children asked him how the jury could commit such an injustice. He replied that he did not know but that juries had done it before and would do it again.

"And when they do it," he said, "it seems like only children weep."

With that last statement, the scene ended, but not only children wept at the trial's conclusion; tears glistened in the eyes of adult members in the audience.

After the performance, Mary Pat Treuthart, a faculty member at the law school, described the factual foundation of "To Kill A Mockingbird" and fielded questions from the audience.
Remembering how Finch's children watched the trial and expressed outrage at the verdict, a visiting sixth grader asked, "Why were kids more involved in politics back then?"

Treuthart laughed and responded with a question, "What do you think? Is a GameBoy the problem?" The Big Read seemed to be having an effect as middle schoolers reflected on how they spend their time.

The actors and director, Brian C. Russo, also answered questions. When asked what she regarded as the biggest challenge of the performance, Alexandria Osborn, who played Atticus's daughter, responded.

 "I think of the play as more of an opportunity than a challenge. The more we do this, the more we're bring back the justice," she said.

The cast also continues to help bring back literature in three more performances: tonight at 7:30 in the Wolff Auditorium, another on March 1 at 6:30 p.m. in the South Hill Library, and a final show on March 3 at 7:30 p.m. in the Spokane Valley Barnes & Noble.

Other Spokane Big Read events include showings of the film version of "To Kill a Mockingbird" at 2 p.m. Feb. 27 in the Otis Orchards Library, March 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the Deer Park Library, March 5 at 7 p.m. at Riverpoint Campus, and March 13 at 9:30 a.m. in the Garland Theater.  There will also be a book discussion at the North Spokane Library Wednesday, March 10 from 7 - 8 p.m.

College students have stopped reading literature in greater numbers than any other age group. The NEA hopes to reverse the trend, and Gonzaga has thrown its weight behind the effort.