The English Assessment Task For Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

When people think of heroes, they will likely think of Superman, Spiderman, or the Hulk, but Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, has created a new hero. His name is Atticus Finch. Scout, Atticus’s daughter, says, “Our father didn’t do anything. He worked in an office, not a drug store. Atticus did not drive a dump truck for the county, he was not the sheriff, he did not farm, work in a garage, or do anything that could possibly arouse the admiration of anyone” (Lee 118). Although Scout does not consider her father to be neither youthful nor energetic, he does what all heroes do- he protects the innocent. The main theme of To Kill a Mockingbird is destroyed and preserved innocence, and without Atticus protecting the innocent, all innocence would be destroyed. Atticus embodies the theme of To Kill a Mockingbird and shows heroism by setting a good example for the children and the townspeople, giving insightful advice to his children, and protecting an innocent African American man before the civil rights era had even begun.

Undeniably, the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is an interesting yet enlightening read about the discrimination and unfairness African Americans faced in the 1930s through the eyes of a child. There are numerous passages throughout the novel that are life lessons for not just the characters in the story, but the readers. Without a doubt, one life lesson that is displayed in the story is the empathy shown by Atticus. The life lesson of personal integrity is also a major one in the story, as well as persistence. Lastly, the theme of courage is significant and the life lesson of the mockingbird in the story has a deeper meaning than what might appear to readers. Overall, the life lessons of empathy, personal integrity, persistence,

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

Being at the top of the social hierarchy has been a must for every American of past generations, but can lead to fatal damages for some trying to obtain that goal and a cause to ruin people’s lives. In a remarkably triumphant story on compassion, Harper Lee explored the horrors of racial prejudice in the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Set in the 1930’s, the poor town of Maycomb, Alabama has been hit by the depression hard, which created a vast, complex social pyramid, with distinct families and lifestyles. At the Finch household, composed of a little nine year old girl, Scout, a twelve year old boy Jem, and their father Atticus, proceed through a whirlwind of events throughout the next few years. Atticus, a lawyer who is a hardworking, honest man at the top of the social hierarchy of Maycomb, has to defend a colored man by the name of Tom Robinson. This happened to be very unusual for the time period, as the family has to transcend through the struggles in a racial prejudice town and learn the raw nature of the worst in humans, thus trying to overcome these events through compassion. The author utilizes metaphor, characterization, and mood to describe the situation of Maycomb, it soon then becomes very clear that the dangers of ruining innocence can lead to a vast road of horrors and evils.

It is rare to find a courageous and sympathetic person who is willing to stand against social injustice. In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus represents this rare hero. He is a lawyer and a single parent to his kids Jem and Scout. He understands that society should not be black and white and helps those who are mistreated. Not only does Atticus demonstrate acts of courage and empathy, he is also an excellent role model to his children. Atticus represents the qualities of a true hero by exposing injustice, and through courageous and sympathetic activities, teaching his children moral values.

Both examples clearly show the prejudice within Maycomb and how incorrectly the community portrays these individuals. Prejudice is still evident in today’s society, racism and social classes still apply to how some people

In Maycomb, a black man named Tom Robinson is on trial for raping beating up Mayella Ewell. From the beginning Mr. Robinson never really received a fair trial. The law states that someone should get a fair trial from a jury of their peers. However, in Maycomb this doesn’t happen. The Courthouse in Maycomb is filled with local white people. Two men say “You know the court appointed him to defend this nigger...Yeah, but Atticus aims to defend him. That’s what I don’t like about it”(163). This quote is important because it shows the overall attitude of Maycomb’s white citizens. One critical moment may have shown why the trial wasn’t a fair trial. Atticus proved that Tom Robinson was not involved in the attack. “His left arm was fully 12 inches shorter than his right and hung dead at his side” (186). This represented the physical

Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird was published in the year of 1960, and is one of the few American classic novels awarded the Pulitzer Prize. The racism that is prevalent in many southern American towns in the 1930s is brought to life with profound imagery in To Kill a Mockingbird. There are several characters in the book, yet the true main character is the narrator's father, Atticus Finch. He is a man of great integrity and intelligence. A very heroic figure in more ways than one, Atticus possesses traits like being principled, determined, and, more importantly, he teaches others. When looking at To Kill a Mockingbird, one can see that Lee uses lots of description, dialogue, and actions to portray Atticus as a heroic individual.

To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a powerful novel that explores the widespread racial discrimination in 1930’s Alabama. Throughout the novel rarely is Alabama’s racism bridged, with the exception of three main protagonists Scout Finch, her brother Jem Finch and their Father Atticus. Lee’s use of symbolism, foreshadowing and irony present the consequences of the loss of innocence and the penalties that racial prejudice can have on a community.

Atticus Finch, the father of Scout and Jem and a lawyer in Maycomb, is a compelling character in To Kill a Mockingbird. He catches the eye of many readers because of his honesty, courage, and his ability to be a outstanding father. We witness these qualities when Atticus defends Tom Robinson, helps his children grow, and the way he conducts himself with the angry white folks of Maycomb, AL. Atticus Finch is one of the main characters in this book portraying a role of a lawyer defending a black man, in a small-town with a majority of white supremacists. This essay will provide examples of the previous three traits to display how Atticus is a compelling character.

“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you” (Ralph Waldo Emerson). To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a novel about people in the 30’s who show a number of different themes. Firstly, maturity is shown a lot near the end of the novel and during Tom Robinson’s trial. Secondly, racism is a huge part of this novel because a lot of people were judgemental and didn’t approve other races. Lastly, loyalty appears throughout the novel, especially during the trial. Many people in have really grown to be much better people as a result in these challenging times.

Raising children in the era of Jim Crow laws provided a unique teaching experience for Atticus to provide to Scout and Jem. These laws followed the Southern societal ideas of the separation between races, but also demonstrated a division between a community where individuals held different moral ideas. To Kill a Mockingbird explores human morality from the perception of a six year old child, providing a different perspective on important issues of this time period. Scout’s understanding of morality develops from her once simple idea of an individual being either good or evil to a much more complete comprehension of its complexity. In retrospect, Scout as the narrator revels in her naivety and child-like innocence throughout her

In recent literary history, perhaps the strongest contender for the one character that has had the greatest influence on a generation is Atticus Finch, father of the protagonist in “To Kill A Mockingbird”. Both as a father, and a lawyer, he has served, and still today serves as a pillar of righteousness and morality. The ability for his morality to translate to all people, across ages, races, and cultures, is a feat preformed by Harper Lee in her masterpiece, “To Kill A Mockingbird”. She establishes Atticus Finch as the moral center of the novel by juxtaposing his actions and the relationships with those of the majority of Maycomb. In doing so, she has made him a cultural, and oftentimes personal icon.

The sentimental and thought-provoking story begins by establishing the nucleus of the film, the Finch Family, lead by the father Atticus Finch, who is the quintessential father, strong, honest, intuitive, and spoke with wisdom; whose character was consistently imparted to his children through small teachings on life as it unfolds. One such example shows Atticus hugging Scout as they swing back and forth on the front porch, He tells her, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." In another scene after being teased at school for her father defending a Negro, Scout questions her father as to why he chose to take the case. He states that if he didn't he would be unable to "hold his head up high", or even tell his children what to do anymore. Given the standard of that day, Atticus was risking his reputation and even the safety of his children by defending a black man. These phenomenal displays of impeccable character are so rare that it causes the credibility of the role to come into question; Atticus, at times seems too stoic to be

Harper Lee uses her novel to teach us important lessons from the characters presented in To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus, a fair and moral character, whose parenting style is unique, lined with honest and example, teaches us to follow his ways. Scout, an innocent girl who teaches us what’s important in life. Tom Robinson, someone who is ostracized for being African American, can teach us the importance of equal treatment and awakens us to our surrounding society. Lee’s construction of characters gives us perspective to issues in our society today, how they still matter and what we can learn from the novel such as compassion, justice and understanding.