In the book "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee there are many ways that the characters deal with conflicts. In the story there are as many as 5 underlying conflicts in the town of Maycomb. Each of the characters experience one or more of these conflicts in the book and has to deal with them some way. These end up showing us a lot more about the characters and giving them some development. Scout is one of the best examples of this. She has seen or experienced all of the different types of conflicts, but some more than others. She mainly went through two, gender bias and racism. While Scout has experienced all of these, her father, Atticus, has also experienced them but in different ways. First, Scout has dealt with gender bias throughout
In Harper Lee’s novel ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, the main character Scout’s journey of maturation is charted as she progresses in her moral education and gains a broader, more adult perspective of the world around her. Scout learns the vital need for utilising tolerance, compassion and empathy when dealing with others, no matter an individual’s reputation or the circumstance. She is also exposed to the terrible injustice and racial prejudice that overcomes Maycomb’s community, and sees how this outright bigotry has severe consequences. Atticus also teaches Scout the meaning of true courage, in both a physical and a moral sense, and how true bravery is often not appreciated by the majority. Harper
The book, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is centered around the racism and injustice in the American South in the 1930’s. It focuses on a young Alabama girl named Scout, and her father, who is defending an innocent black man accused of rape. In her book, Harper Lee reveals the idea of empathy, through quotes such as, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb inside his skin and walk around in it" (Lee 30). In the book, Atticus Her writing exemplifies the theme that empathy helps people better understand the motives and actions of others, through juxtaposition, symbolism, and stereotype revelations.
Throughout this novel, Scout gains insight into herself by learning to cope with racism. Scout first discovers that her father is defending Tom Robinson, an African American in the Maycomb community after she gets into a brawl with Cecil Jacobs when he calls her father a “nigger-lover”. “Atticus had promised me he would wear me out if he ever heard of me fighting anymore … the sooner I learned to hold in, the better off everybody would be”(Pg. 74). This quote shows how Scout has to cope with different ways to deal with the racism directed toward her father for defending a black man. Moreover, Scout learns to refrain from showing belligerence to those who insult her family and, instead turns to ignoring them and not giving them a reaction. When Scout acts out and harms those who are racist toward her family, it shows how she finds racism morally incorrect. Though she does not know what the term nigger-lover means, she still acts out because she is aware that it is an offensive term. Scout believes that people should not be discriminated against and her bursts of anger support this concept. Racism provides maturing children insight into themselves because whilst Scout
Atticus teaches Jem and scout a number of important lessons which will help them in life. However tolerance is one of the most important, because if people tolerate one another then things like war or racism will not exist, and they are two of the biggest areas of conflict in the world. Atticus models tolerance for his children by taking the case of and accused rapist. He defends a black man even though most of the town is against it and treat him discourteously because of it. Scout went against her father’s wishes by not
Furthermore, as Atticus is seen as a role model he is challenged by Scout. Atticus is challenged as Scout is determined to find out if he is a good father who doesn’t only do things for the well-being of Maycomb County, but also does things for her by being an ideal father. At times, this has an effect on both Atticus and Scout, as Atticus starts being honest with his daughter. This honesty also leads to Scout having faith and trust in her father. The qualities and characteristics that Atticus and Scout have, enhances’ the relationship between them as they both learn that they need each other’s support to overcome difficulties and hardships.
In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, there are several external and internal conflicts. The most common conflict throughout the book is character versus character. For example, when Scout finally entered the first grade her teacher, Miss Caroline, is not happy with Scout because she already knew how to read which created a battle between Scout and Miss Caroline’s opinions. Scout also had a spark of conflict with Atticus when she demanded that she will not attend school anymore because of Miss Caroline; Atticus disagreed. Character versus nature is another external conflict demonstrated in the novel. For example, Miss Maudie is conflicted with fire as exemplified when the narrator says, “We stood watching the street fill with men and cars while
In To Kill A Mockingbird, the understanding of good vs. evil changes depending on age, race, perspective, environment, and experience. A young girl, Scout Finch, comes across good and evil as she confronts lies, attacks, and racism in the small town of Maycomb. Harper Lee uses Scout’s life to show the readers that one’s perspective of life will change as they grow older and mature. As Scout matures and comes close to her death of innocence, she is able to balance her thoughts on good and evil and starts to see the true, ugly colors of Maycomb and its people.
Basic Situation: The main characters for To Kill A Mockingbird are Jean Louise ‘Scout’ Finch, Jem Finch, Atticus Finch, Boo Radley, Robert Ewell, Mayella Violet Ewell, Dill Harris, and Tom Robinson.
Scout was raised in a time with racial prejudices going on around her. This instilled in her the admirable qualities of courage and maturity. Her father, Atticus Finch, was fighting for the freedom of the opposing side, the one everybody despised. This caused her to be put in many dangerous and hate filled situations in public which included school and the
In the novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird' two important characters influence each other significantly over the course of the book. The book is set in the 1930's in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama. The novel is centered around a young girl named Scout and the events that developed her into a mature you lady. Scout develops greatly alongside her father, Atticus, who teaches Scout, along with her friends and family that life can teach you a lot of lessons, if you know where to look. Scout changes from a naïve, impulsive young girl to a mature young lady that ,with her new understanding of the world, influences the those around her. Atticus has learnt that humans are not faultless and not all of them share his moral values.
Has there ever been an event that has changed your life? When you’re a kid, you see things through a child's eyes. As you get older, your mindset changes as you gain more experience. Therefore, at some point in your life, you will have a coming of age moment. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem, his younger sister Scout, and Dill, a friend from out of town that visits every summer, share an experience that changes their outlook on the world. Together, they create a new mindset for themselves based on their experience with Dolphus Raymond, the town drunk, when they realized that he was not really what they thought he was. Through these characters’ experience, Harper Lee uses the literary elements of internal conflict, imagery, and characterization to develop the theme that people are not always who you think they might be.
Atticus and Jem have a unique and unusual relationship as father and son. Atticus and Jem’s relationship is also based on respect and love. Atticus gives forth to is son the personal responsibility to have and make mistakes and then learn from them. Even as a younger kid, Jem not only looks up to his father but also tries to remain worthy of his father's respect, unlike lots of child-parent relationships .Their amusing bond influences Scouts outlooks on things, outcome in life and personality, and teaches great lessons. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird there is a racial battle, which conflicts the small southern town of Maycomb.
Matt Berman from Common Sense Media commented, “This richly textured novel, woven from the strands of small-town life, lets readers walk in the shoes of one fully realized character after another.” In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee lets the readers look into the perspectives and identities of some of the characters which makes the story seem very life-like. Lee’s ability to write in such a way helps people distinguish the characters’ admirable and dislikable qualities portrayed through their actions. Young six year old Scout contains the likable qualities of being courageous and mature for her age. Her father, Atticus Finch, who was at the time dealing with the Tom Robinson case, kept the admirable aspect of being sympathetic and strong
From the years 1954-1968 there was a large struggle for people who had a dark skin color in mostly the southern states of the Unites States of America. In the famous novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee there is a large racial struggle shown through conflict between several equal minded whites, a falsely accused black man, and racists who do not see the value of a life that is not theirs. To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in Alabama during the Depression, and is narrated by the main character, a little girl named Jean Louise "Scout" Finch. Her father's harsh criticism in the heavily racist Maycomb because of Atticus's decision to defend Tom. But, Atticus insists on going through with the case because his conscience could not let him do
Therefore this shows that racism was the main conflicts that drove the plot. In addition, there were internal conflict in Scouts mind as she was confused why Atticus Finch was defending a black man although the society of Maycomb shows strict classification between two different races. She was not sure what was correct to do as she didn’t know if Atticus Finch was doing the right thing. She was teased in school