Essay about Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird

It’s interesting to see the ways different authors depict how a character matures. In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mocking Bird we can easily see how she chose to do it. The novel is set in Alabama in the 1930’s, while black vs. white racism was a big issue and problem for many. Atticus is the father of Scout and Jem, young children who witness the discrimination first hand when their father, a white man, defends a black man in court. Lee does a great job developing the characters; especially the narrator, Jean Louise Finch (Scout). Scout’s thoughts, conversations, and actions, illustrate that she’s emotionally maturing from the innocent child that she was.

Firstly, Scout herself shows signs of sexism, on page 93. While talking to Francis, she stereotypes a common thought. “Boys don’t cook” she giggles. In To Kill A Mockingbird, one of the only paid working women is Calpurnia. Atticus pays her to look after Scout and Jem, and also to cook and clean. In other words, what the wife was supposed to do in the 1930s. One of the only other paid workers mentioned in the book are the teachers in the school. Miss Caroline is a new teacher, and brings a new way of teaching to Maycomb for Scouts first year of school. In contrast to being house workers and maids, the men mentioned in the book have very big, important jobs. Atticus is a lawyer, Heck Tate is the sheriff, and John Taylor, a judge. All are jobs that have considerably more immediate impact on the county of Maycomb. All are high paying. Link Deas owns a store. Mr. Underwood runs the only newspaper in the county.

The book "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a story of life in an Alabama town in the 30's. The narrator, Jean Louise Finch, or Scout, is writing of a time when she was young, and the book is in part the record of a childhood, believed to be Harper Lee’s, the author of the book..

What it Means to Kill a Mocking Bird: an in depth analysis of the morals in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird

Scout was particularly affected by gender discrimination as she was a girl. She was told she acted too much like a boy when she should be acting like a girl. Scout described Aunt Alexandra as “Fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pant” (108). Aunt Alexandra discriminated Scout for not wearing lady like attire and told her that if she continued to dress that way then she could not be a lady. Aunt Alexandra soon became determined to put an end to Scout’s non-feminine behavior. Atticus tried to explain to Scout that "She asked me to tell you must try to behave like the little lady and gentleman that you are. She wants to talk to you about the family and what it's meant to Maycomb County through the years, so you'll have some idea of who you are, so you might be moved to behave accordingly"(178). Atticus decided to take his sister’s word and told his children what they should act like despite him not approving of this. Scout’s behavior is what leads her Aunt Alexandra to discriminating her and telling her she will never be a lady if she continues to not dress

As children grow up, they open their eyes to the harsh truths in the world around them that they once did not understand or question. This is experienced by the main characters of Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The story is of a girl called Scout and her older brother, Jem, who go through the trials of growing up in the fictional small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s. Racism is rampant in the mindset of the townspeople, shown when the children’s lawyer father, Atticus, takes the case of an obviously innocent African-American man and they convict him in their hearts before the trial even starts. Through this all, we can see the theme of loss of innocence in the children. Lee uses characterization to portray

If the book had taken place in today’s times as opposed to the 1930’s scouts life would be different. First of all, throughout the book she struggles with being a lady or being “Lady-like”. “Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches” (Lee, Page 108). She is told to act like a lady would and wear dresses even though she does not want to. If this were now, she would have less pressure to wear dresses and act ladylike. Nowadays young girls wear dresses less often and there is less of a “Girls have to wear dresses” stereotype.

128) The quote shows that women are often perceived as gossipy, and care a lot about their appearance, because Maycomb's version of “feminine influence” is equal to Aunt Alexandra's personality and lifestyle. This could be true for both genders and it is stereotypical to believe that woman gossip and worry about their appearance, 24/7. Furthermore, being a girl is stereotypically associated with being delusional. In chapter 4, Scout says “Jem told me I was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, that's why other people hated them so” (4.119) Kids are heavily influenced by adults, from what Jem says it shows that it's a stereotype for girls to be delusional and it's bad to be a girl. It's shown here that Scout believes that being a girl meant you had to be delusional, which is not true and just a stereotype. Now Scouts so afraid that anything she does results in would make Jem see her as unworthy, even though being a girl is something to be proud of.

During the 1930's prejudice and racism was spread through the U.S. For example in Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, the small town of Maycomb struggles with these aspects. Each character of the novel has a strong personality. Scout Finch is tough, always has an opinion, and is a tomboy. On the other hand Boo Radley stays hidden most of the time, but we all know he is actually a friend to Jem and Scout. Then there is Tom Robinson, a hardworking, strong, and innocent man. But what do all these characters have in common? They can all be analyzed as "mockingbirds". Throughout the novel each of their innocence is destroyed in some way. In Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird several of these characters become a symbolic mockingbird including

Scout Finch is an unusual little girl. She’s overall intelligent, confident, and thoughtful. Scout Finch is strongly affected by the social force of gender, scouts appearance is irregular and her style does not follow the typical expectations of a girl in the 1930’s. Scout Finch is identified as a tomboy. She has short hair with bangs and chooses to dress in overalls instead of the stereotypical dresses.

But, specifically for women and girls. They didn’t get many rights and freedom as they do today. Also, it was a big deal for a woman or girl to not match society’s standards because it wasn’t common. That leads into how Scout’s representation of a girl is viewed in various ways by others. Back to the day when Alexandra first comes, she starts hammering on Scout, starting with what she said first: “We decided it would be best for you to have some feminine influence. It won’t be many years, Jean Louise, before you become interested in clothes and boys-” (Lee 170). Scout doesn’t like what she said because she simply isn’t interested in what Alexander says she should be. Again, it seems that Alexandra doesn’t like how Scout isn’t fitting into society’s standard for girls. Scout is also convicted of being different from Jem. Jem’s view on Scout is the complete opposite of Alexandra’s, meaning he isn’t used to or wants Scout acting ‘girly’. Jem started to notice change in her when Scout refuses to sneak into the Radley’s property to see inside of the house. “Jem, please-” Jem replies,"Scout, I’m tellin‘ you for the last time, shut your trap or go home—I declare to the Lord you’re gettin’ more like a girl every day!" (Lee 69). Scout isn’t intending to act differently than she has used to, but she is saying no because she knows it isn’t a smart decision to begin with. Later on after the trial, Jem is

In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird a major theme is the loss of innocence. Whether from emotional abuse, racial prejudice or learning, Boo, Tom, and Scout all lose their innocence in one sense or another. The prejudice that each character endures leads to their loss. Through the responses of Boo, Tom, and Scout, Harper Lee shows how each character responded differently to their loss of innocence.

Harper Lee demonstrates the gender inequity In to Kill a Mockingbird through the description and words of the female narrator, Scout. The prejudice of Maycomb is shown so clearly, even an innocent child like Scout can see the raging extent of gender prejudice that surrounds her. Scout having traits that are more masculine in quality automatically makes her an outcast and disliked by Maycomb's many conforming ideals. Scouts innocence allows the novel to develop through an unbiased perspective. Women had little to serve in juries and there was the constant expectation all women had to act and dress like a Lady. Aunt Alexandra an evident example of having strong beliefs on how separate genders should behave, constantly scolding Scout for wearing her overalls and behaving too tomboyish." I was not so sure, but Jem told me i was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, thats why other people hated them so, and if i started behaving like one i could just go off and find some to play with. (4.119) Scout is raised to believe boys were better than girls, raised in a bigoted and heavily bias community, scout finds it a difficult and unfair experience trying to understand the unjust perceptions of the adults around her. Having Scout narrate the whole novel allows Harper lee to highlight the gender inequity in Maycomb.

Courage is the quality of mind that enables one to face danger with confidence, resolution, and gain a firm control of oneself. Many of the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird showed courage in their own way. Courage can come in many different forms: physical, mental, emotional and moral. Courage is not the only main theme displayed in To Kill a Mockingbird; prejudice and education are also very important themes exhibited throughout the progression of the novel. Through the eyes of Scout Finch, a bright, sensitive and intelligent little girl, these themes of the novel are explored in great depth.

“The worst thing you can call a girl is a girl. The worst thing you can call a guy is a girl. Being a woman is the ultimate insult” (Valenti). Harper Lee was ahead of her time, and did all the things society said she was not supposed to. From cutting her hair short, to going to law school and eventually becoming a writer. All of these are examples of what women should not do in the 1960s.. She never married which even today is considered to be a woman’s greatest accomplishment. Her whole life she faced criticism for going against gender norms, but yet she did not conform to society. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee introduces the idea that society should not enforce gender roles on women, because she believes women should be able to express themselves in their own way.