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The Thematic Struggle Between Society And Self

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INTRODUCTION
“It is essentially a tale about a variety of boundaries—those of race, region, time, class, sex, tradition and code—boundaries that are at times threatening to collapse, that are threatened by circumstances and community members.” (Johnson 31) Praised by Chicago Tribune as being “a novel of strong contemporary national significance” , Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird presents an unforgettable story about a sleepy, traditional town and the larger evils that threaten the very foundation on which it was built. Racism, prejudice and class struggles are brought to light as the curious Scout Finch depicts the events that unfold in Maycomb. However, the established ways of a stubborn people are hard to alter: thus various …show more content…

Atticus Finch agrees to represent a black man, Tom Robinson, who was charged for rape, even though they “were licked a hundred years before [they] started” (Lee 101). Boo Radley falls victim to the town’s unwavering prejudice as his story becomes shrouded by mystery and gossip. Finally, the poorer citizens of Maycomb seek various ways to better their status, which in turn reveals the nature of education in the 1930’s. Each of these characters find various ways to challenge conventional norms, which contribute to thematic development in Harper Lee’s world renowned novel.
II. CHARACTERIZATION OF ATTICUS FINCH
To Kill a Mockingbird is saturated with instances of direct and indirect characterization, which are threaded throughout the plotline of the novel. Through Lee’s detailed portrayal of key characters, the thematic struggles between society and self are brought to light, the first of which concerns Atticus Finch and the stubborn town of Maycomb.
The novel unfolds in this fictional county during a time of “national economic depression” alongside conflict arising from the “regional history of race relations in the South” (Johnson 3). Racism in Maycomb is unrelenting and it truly serves its purpose in Lee’s tale: to keep blacks in their place. Nevertheless, Atticus Finch accepts the role of defending Tom Robinson, a black man accused of taking advantage of a white woman. This is arguably Finch’s first act of challenging Maycomb society because “[he] aimed to defend

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