To Kill A Mockingbird Essay In the early 1900’s during the great depression, most families were very traditional with many social boundaries. There was lots of racism, segregation, and specific gender roles being played. The Finch family in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee had a harder time in life because they were not the typical Maycomb family. Near the beginning of the book when Scout is in school, Cecil announces it in front of everyone that Scout’s dad defends niggers. At that time Scout didn’t know what “nigger” meant. Later that evening, Scout asks, “What’d he mean sayin’ that?” (Lee, 100) Jem told her to ask Atticus, so she did. “‘Do you defend niggers, Atticus?’ I asked him that evening. ‘Of course I do. Don’t say nigger Scout. That’s common.’” (Lee, 100) When cecil told everyone that, Scout automatically defended Atticus saying that he doesn’t. It is already frowned upon defending for negroes in their society, but it makes them stand out even more because of the way Atticus approaches this. He responds to Scout very proudly. Atticus knows this is the right thing to do, and he shows it. This shows how Atticus defending blacks makes them stand out as …show more content…
When Walter Cunningham comes over for dinner after school, he pours lots of syrup on his food. Scout protests and Calpurnia tells Scout to meet her in the kitchen. As scout walks in Calpurnia says fiercely, “There’s some folks who don’t eat like us, but you ain’t called on to contradict ‘em at the table when they don’t. That boy’s yo’ comp’ny and if he wants to eat up the tablecloth you let him, you hear?” (Lee, 32) Most families would not allow their black housemaid to treat their kids like that. Atticus has a lot of respect for Calpurnia. He trusts her with his kids, letting her treat them like her own. He also gives her a lot of power considering that she is like a mother to
In the beginning of the story we learn of the life of Scout Finch, a little girl growing up in Alabama who is oblivious to the atrocious racial discrimination during this time period. Her father, Atticus Finch is a lawer. So Atticus was appointed the defense attorney for a crippled black man named Tom Robinson. In the process of defending Tom Atticus has many drawbacks for his own social image as well as his family. For example in chapter 15 Atticus almost has to defend Tom from a mob but luckily Scout saved the day. “Cecil Jacobs made me forget. He had announced in the schoolyard the day before that Scout Finch’s daddy defended Niggers. I denied it, but told Jem.” (Lee 99) “He is nothing but a nigger
Atticus teaches his children indirectly how to handle situations about racism to others and name calling. He teaches them through his actions and by talking to them after situations happened. Atticus wants his children to be different and not treat others differently because of their race especially because of the time they were in. The Jim Crow Laws were laws that discriminated blacks. Since Atticus decided to defend Tom Robinson, a black man, Jem and Scout had many encounters with people in their town. Atticus was called a nigger-lover by Scout and Jem cousin.She knew the term nigger-lover wasn't a nice term and this wasn't the first time somebody called Atticus this name Scout got really mad and handled the situation in the wrong way.She got in trouble by her uncle and eventually told Atticus what really happened. This is what Atticus had to say to
Scout is showing a trait of obnoxiousness when she replies with the statement "He ain't comp'ny Cal, he's just a Cunningham". She is punished meaning that this is an example of Scout obtaining negative consequences because of her lack of integrity. Atticus and Calpurnia both display a strong sense of integrity in this scene. Atticus treats Walter as an equal even though he may be a 'lower class citizen' and Calpurnia treats Walter with dignity by punishing Scout for her absence of integrity. This scene shows that Scout is too young to understand the complexities of the world. She sees things in black and white and gets humiliated and punished for it. Atticus and Calpurnia exhibit integrity by the way that they treat other individuals and also how they
Once, Scout asked Atticus what does the term “nigger lover” means and Atticus said to Scout, “Nigger -lover is just one of those terms that don’t mean anything-like snot nose. It’s hard to explain-ignorant people, trashy people use it when they think somebody’s favoring Negroes over and above themselves. It’s a slipped into usage with some people like ourselves, when they want a common, ugly term to label. somebody” (107). In this quote, it is shown that Atticus does his best to protect Tom Robinson, who’s an African American man who is accused of assaulting and raping a white woman. Although he is aware that he won’t win the trial, Atticus takes the case to show his children that one’s views on race should not dictate how they serve justice. Despite the fact that he's getting judged for protecting some person who's unique in relation to him, it doesn't stop him. Atticus disclosed to Scout that some people should be battled for regardless of whether other individuals are against it. He's saying that adversely labeling somebody who's
In To Kill a Mockingbird, the character Jem Finch Strikes me as most interesting. This character reminds me of my brother, asher. The age gap between jem and scout is quite similar to that of my sibling and I. Being an adolescent boy, Jem Finch has selected an individual to base himself off of, in this case, his father, Atticus Finch. As we have already established, Atticus is known for living his life with principles we call “Laws of Life”, and it seems to be that Jem has begun to follow some of these laws as well, such as an unconditional care for his family, a kind heart towards other people from different communities, or to always give to those around us. When Scout has been carried all the way into Mr. Radley's yard on the tumbling tire, Jem is frantic for her to be okay.
In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the characterization of Jean Louise Finch, also known as Scout helps to reveal the THEME of the book. As shown in the beginning of the book, we find that both Dill and Jem are planning to peep through the window of the Radley’s house to see if they can catch a glimpse of Boo Radley. With Atticus being absorbed into his readings and it being late at night, helps them get to the Radley’s house without being detected and have a better view within the dark house. During the time of planning, Scout had tried to plead Jem, but was cut short where he ended up saying, “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!’ With that,
Far beyond blood relatives, families are people that care for eachother, and they all have influences on one another. These families that everyone finds themselves in make up who they are as people, and shape their morals or beliefs. This idea is portrayed through countless stories and works of literature, including the novella of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck and the novel to Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. Although their books address different topics, Lee and Steinbeck both use their individual characters to portray the theme of family impacts on people's personalities and beliefs.
All of Scout’s family claimed to be negatively affected by Atticus standing up for a black man, Atticus disagreed because he believed that all races were equal. To show how unfair discrimination and segregation against African Americans were, and how nothing but a permanent law could stop it. Cousin Francis says “Uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover, it certainly does mortify the rest of the family… he’s ruinin’ the family”(Lee 94). Francis says this to Scout when he is talking about Atticus defending an African American in a case he has basically already lost. If Tom Robinson was white Atticus would not be given as much hate as he has right now.
In the novel, Atticus is called a "nigger-lover" on multiple occasions because he is fighting for a black man in the court. Atticus does not pay attention to these insults because he knows it doesn't matter. In the book, Atticus tells Jem that "In our courts, when it’s a white man's word against a black man's, the white man's always wins. They're ugly but those are the facts of life."(Lee 220). By saying this it makes you realize what life was like for a black man in that era. They stood no chance against a white man, and there was nothing they could do about it. Tom, Mr. Raymond, Reverend Sykes, and Calpurnia were all treated differently due to the way people in Maycomb thought. Racism was a big issue in Maycomb county, and Atticus called it "a fact of life"(Lee 220). The Scottsboro boys were faced with racism just like Tom. They did not have the fair trial that they should've gotten, but it didn't stop them (Linder). The boys were first faced biased when they were accused of raping Ruby Bates and Victoria Price. Then they were faced with whit bias in the first trials with all white, racist juries. When the boys were faced with racism and prejudice they kept fighting for freedom in a white man's world. The Scottsboro boys and Atticus showed that you can defend the innocent even if they are black and stand up in the fight for an anti-racist world
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
To begin, the Cunningham family occupies a critical role in showing kindness throughout the story. While the family may not show compassion to others in the early scenes of the book, the behaviors of others influence them. Near the start of the story, Jem and Scout invite Walter over to the Finch home for dinner, during which Scout begins to taunt Walter for pouring syrup all over his food. When Calpurnia sees this, she pulls Scout aside and gives her a lecture that reads, “Hush your mouth! Don’t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo’ comp’ny, and don’t you let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty!” (29). This moment in the story serves as a reminder to
One of the characters the reader can most easily follow through this change is the protagonist, Scout. Scout begins the book as an innocent young girl who finds no wrong in the world around her, but as the trial commences and tensions run high, Scout soon learns of the evils the world possesses. Society’s hatred for the blacks is shown so commonly in everyday life that all the children in the novel use the word nigger in an innocent way. Society has taught these kids at a young age that calling the negroes niggers is the cultural norm and that they are expected to use it. Atticus reminds Scout not to use the term, but Scout points out the prevalent usage in their world. “‘Don’t say nigger, Scout. That’s common.’ ‘’s what everybody at school says.’’From now on it’ll be everybody less one—’‘Well if you don’t want me to grow up talkin‘ that way, why do you send me to school?’(77). This conversation shows the reader that the influence on kids to use racist terms is heavy, even the kids can see it. Scout’s brother, Jem, is also influenced by the public’s thoughts. Scout overhears Atticus telling their uncle that he hopes he can get Jem “‘through it without bitterness, and most of all, without catching Maycomb’s usual disease’” (91). The disease Atticus is referring to is the racism the town shows toward negroes. He recognizes that it is common in the town around them, but
The electronic medical record has changed things immensely in the health care world but there are so many other
Somaliland is an unrecognised country which is a self-declared autonomous sovereign state in the Horn of Africa. The population is about five and a half million people who mainly receive money from abroad and in fact, there is no export except Livestock such as camel, sheep, goat, and cow. Thus sixty percent of the population are nomadic and they depend upon the rain and the weather.
Daniel Hernandez “Another day in Mexico” Mothers weeping, guns speaking Drugs are ruling, police shooting This just another day in Mexico Another day with violence and coke The narcos are taking over With cocaine coming from Colombia and AK’s from Russia But what the government doing? Why are the people booing?