In the first several chapters of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the novel develops in its characters, plot, conflicts, etc. which are influenced by setting and theme, among other factors. One example of character development in the novel’s first seven chapters is the story’s main character: Jean Louise Finch. In the earlier chapters, specifically chapter three, Scout isn’t the most pleasant toward a fellow, poorer classmate named Walter Cunningham, whose family is known for being especially poor. But in chapter seven, the reader sees, briefly, that she has grown a bit more open minded when it comes to poorer people. For example, when Walter is invited over for dinner, Scout acts insensitively, questioning his eating choices and saying, “He ain’t company, Cal, he’s just a Cunningham--” (27). Nevertheless, Scout later says, “Don’t take it Jem… This is somebody’s hiding place… Somebody like Walter Cunningham comes down here every recess and hides his things-- and we come along and take ‘em away from him” (66) when Jem tries to take a ball of twine hidden in a tree. Comparing these two instances, the latter shows Scout’s development for she is no longer saying ignorant things, but being thoughtful for those less privileged than her. The novel first begins with describing the summer Scout and Jem first met Dill and how the latter dared Jem to touch the infamous Radley house. After that summer, Jem and Scout begin the school year and Scout is met with Miss Caroline, a
Three Characters that are more complex than they seem. In Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, most of the characters are more complex, than they originally appear. Characters are perceived as monsters, alcoholics, and loons. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the main character, Jean Louise Finch or Scout, and her brother, Jeremy Finch or Jem, are trying to uncover the mysteries of their hometown, Maycomb County, Alabama.
In ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ written by Harper Lee, the author has used numerous different methods to portray the themes of innocence, maturity and growing up. These themes were put in so that the audience could become more empathetic towards the characters, especially the protagonists. She depicts these themes through characters, events, using symbolism, imagery and contrast located throughout the book.
In books, many characters go through moral development. The book To Kill A Mockingbird shows many examples of characters that go through this development and characters that help others develop. While there are many different characters in the book, the focus is on the development of Jem and Scout Finch with the help of Atticus and Calpurnia. The kids are introduced when they are young and over the span of the book, the adults teach and help them, making them have a different understanding of the world only two years later. With the guidance of Atticus and Cal, Jem and Scout go through a big moral change.
In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, the author Harper Lee conveys that being different can lead to being brave. In the book there are many events that led up to the main climax. The story takes place in a small town in Alabama named Maycomb, where there may be the strangest characters anyone could think of.
Lawrence Kohlberg is known for his theory of moral development developed in 1958. His theory was dependent on the thinking of Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget and American philosopher John Dewey. It consists of three levels of moral reasoning: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional. These levels are based on the degree to which an individual accommodates to the conventional standards of society. Each level aquires two stages that serve as different standards of sophistication in moral reasoning. Overall, Kohlberg affirms that moral development is a process of maturing that emerges from thinking about about moral issues (“Kohlberg’s Moral Development”).
In the book to To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, a young girl is being put through a variety of challenges that have set her up to learn about aspects of life. Scout, the young girl is being put through situations throughout the book, and is going through different moral developments that have been set up into three levels by Kohlberg, a psychologist. Kohlberg gathered this information by giving people of different ages, different questions that would identify their moral stage (“Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development”). For example, some of the questions would be; if you were trapped in a room full of innocent people and someone dying would be the only way to save everyone else in the room would you risk yourself? On that
Lee has done a very good job at characterizing the Ewell family, specifically Burris. His descriptions, I feel, would definitely match them in real life. He definitely passed the message that Burris is dirty. He has dirt everywhere on his clothes, in his hair, and on his feet, yes feet, he wears no shoes. Along with the dirt on his clothes, it would not even matter if it was dirty or not, because they are are just straight up messy, they are “ruffled, and tattered. If that does not convince you, he was actually sent home, for being to dirty, by his teacher Ms. Caroline. Also another way to prove Burris is dirty is he has living insects, “Cooties”, in his hair. These things, are very similar to lice, they live in your hair and mess around with your scalp.
A moral: “To be concerned with the principles of right and wrong behaviour, and the goodness or badness of a character”. Harper Lee’s, “To Kill a Mockingbird”, evidently shows the importance of morals, and how Jem and Scout's development is affected and modified as the plot unfolds. In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”, there are multiple debatable morals induced by Jem and Scout, and both their ways of being. Scout was able to progress throughout the plot, exceeding herself along the way. Jem as well had an increase of growth as the novel developed.
Lawrence Kohlberg was an American psychologist and educator known for his theory of moral development. He was a professor at Harvard University before he was a developmental psychologist. He later moved into the field of moral education. Jean Piaget (Swiss psychologist), John Dewey (American philosopher), and James Mark Baldwin (American philosopher and psychologist) all influenced Kohlberg’s theory of moral development, though Piaget 's work heavily influenced Kohlberg’s. Kohlberg ran tests to prove his theory.He tested 72 boys from middle and lower class families who were either 10, 13 or 16. Later in his research, he tested both boys and girls from different states and countries other than Chicago. Kohlberg found
Throughout the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, main characters, Scout and Jem, matured greatly. In the beginning they were both very innocent, but by the end, they came to a knowledgeable understanding of Maycomb and society. Though Jem and Scout both undergo pivotal moments, they affect them differently and both characters react in separate
The chapters 1 and 2 of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the story begins at the beginning of summer, with the introduction of Scout and Jem two kids trying to enjoy to dog-days of summer in the plain and simple town of Maycomb. Their summer stays this way until they meet a boy by the name of Dill; Dill, Scout, and Jim play together by reenacting scenes from famous movies like Dracula. But when Dill hears about the legend of the Radley’s and there abandon estate, he becomes entranced with the Radley’s and wants to find out what really happened to Boo Radley. His interest in the Radley’s goes to such an extent that he dares Jem to get Boo Radley to leave his house by going on his property. After the deed was done summer winds down to an end as Dill leaves for Meridian, bored with nothing to look forward in summer Scout realizes that school is going to start. Jem starts to distance himself from Scout saying “Jem was careful to explain that during the school hour I was not to bother him”. Scouts starts to realize that school is different as she is punished for speaking out of turn and trying to explain why Walter cannot accept money from Miss Caroline. She takes this as an insult against Walter and punishes her, as it turns out school is a lot different than home.
Lee explores the theme of the Importance of Moral Education throughout the novel. This idea is still relevant in today’s society as we all face moral decisions which shape who we are. Harper Lee investigates this idea through the use of characterisation. Lee uses characterisation very effectively and particularly uses Atticus Finch and Calpurnia to portray this. Ever since Jem and Scout were at an early age Atticus would read to them and slowly over
Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t.”
First, we have innocent and oblivious Scout; the youngest character in the book. Despite of her purity, her actions have a great impact on everyone. On the night when Scout, Jem
Imagine you are a lawyer tasked with an impossible case, and everybody in your community is against you, but still there is a shred of hope you cling to. What might that be you ask? That to which you cling are your morals. In To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch had been given the Tom Robinson case, where a black man was convicted of raping a white woman. As a single father of two children, he continues to reinforce his values throughout the trial and during his daunting task of raising his children. In To Kill A Mockingbird what Harper Lee suggests about the nature of morals is that you should try to stand up for what you believe in even if people oppose or reject your ideals. Even when faced with an insurmountable opposition you should stand up for your morals because in the end if your don't follow your beliefs you are just contributing to the problem. We should try to create a voice for what we believe in and impress that upon the next generation so they can continue to exercise their beliefs to make the world a better place.