Study Task 2 - To Kill a Mockingbird - Book Cover Analysis

Existing Book Covers

The book cover makes reference to the children's swing in their back yard which was the main focus of their discussions and plans for adventures. It reflects the innocence of their play and provides a symbol for childhood. The use of black typography on a cream background could possibly make reference to race but cream rather than white better reflects a natural skin tone. The typography fits around the imagery allowing for the smaller words to fit alongside the image and providing enough space at the bottom of the cover for 'Mockingbird'. Having typography below the image creates a sense of elevation , making it seem like the swing is raised off the ground with the 'Mockingbird' acting the floor, helping with perspective. The typography is brush like with the ends of the strokes being quite feather like which could reference the Mockingbird. 

Sarah Jane Coleman

This cover is much more illustrative in its approach and uses the whole cover as a means of placing the imagery, which allows the image to wrap around the cover. The book makes reference to Boo Radleys tree, where he leaves objects for the children to find. Placing the tree trunk along the spine with the hole in the middle of it creates balance and symmetry in the design whilst allowing space for typographic elements on the front and back covers. Having a child on both sides of the tree also balances the design graphically. Scout is looking directly up at the Mockingbird which draws the viewers attention up along her line of sight, however for me this stopped at the title as the bird was not as obvious in the top right corner.There are four different typefaces used in the cover which is possibly too many. The type in yellow may be too ornate and clashes with the main illustrated title on the cover, also the contrast between the two types of typography on the spine, is too much with one being very angular and the other being curved and script. However the yellow typography works well in reflecting the whimsical nature of the title illustration, with this in mind potentially the authors name should be changed to a typeface that is less severe. Using the serif typeface on the front cover for the yellow typography would have been better matched creating similarities in the design rather than a mix match.

When the children get rifles Atticus tells them to never shoot a mockingbird because

 '...its a sin to kill a mockingbird' ..... 'Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.... but sing there hearts out for us'. On the book cover the bird is circled similarly to when a guns line of sight is trained on its target, also the fact that the bird is perched on a branch in its natural surroundings tends to suggest it is being hunted.

Frutiger suggests that a circle provides protection from outside influences and is a life preserving form. In this case the circle may represent the idea, that because it is a sin to kill a mockingbird, it is protected or should be protected, however the use of a thin line suggests the protection is quite fragile. 

Keeping the design simple with a clear idea being represented is effective.The design is clever in juxtaposing the two ideas of protecting the bird , whilst also possibly showing it being targeted through the use of a simple circle. 

The image of the mockingbird in this cover has a similar aesthetic to the children's drawing in the opening sequence of the film. Using the drawing reflects the innocence of the children and their main role in the story. By colouring the bird red this evokes a sense of danger or blood which could preempt the outcome of the story with Toms death as he was seen as a representation of the mockingbird. The use of black for the background and white for the typography suggests reference to the topic of race in the book. 

Breaking 'Mockingbird' into two words makes sense in allowing the typography to all be the same point size however it could be seen to be a little clumsy particularly because of the dash which signals the continuation of the word on the next line.