To Kill A Mockingbird Analysis Essay

To Kill a Mockingbird is the story of the trial of a black man, Tom Robinson for the raping of a white woman, Mayella Ewell, in racist Alabama in the 1990’s.

Essay Prompt: In a 1-2 page character analysis, explain what makes Atticus such a good parent, using quotes and evidence from the text to back up your claims.

“Remember, it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird,” (Lee 119). In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, this is the quote that Atticus, one of the main characters, says to his kids. Atticus is a lawyer who takes on a tough case in his town, Maycomb. His kids are Scout, and Jem. Throughout the book, they grow and mature. They don’t mess around with their neighbor, Boo, as much as they used to. But, luckily because of him, they live to see the next day. In To Kill a Mockingbird, it shows that because of prejudice, innocent people can be harmed. This is shown through Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Jem.

The intriguing novel, To Kill A Mockingbird is written by the prestigious author Harper Lee. Lee has utilised the lifestyle and attitudes towards ‘African-Americans" in the 1930's to create a novel which presents the reader with Lee's attitudes and values. The dominant reading of the novel is focused on the issues of racial prejudice, but there are also a number of other alternative and oppositional readings. Examples of this are the Marxist and feminist readings which can be applied to the text.

Chapter nine of Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ begins with Scout fighting a classmate named Cecil Jacobs. It starts when Scout reflects what happens that day at school when she fought Cecil Jacobs at school and her cousin Francis later on. We also learn more information about the family of Atticus and his relatives. Lee’s style of writing is extremely coherent and uses imagery and figurative language in her writing. She uses these writing techniques to demonstrate human action and story development throughout ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. She also uses metaphors as a literary device. Using these writing techniques, she gives the story a unique perspective as the plot develops.

“It's right hard to say," she said. "Suppose you and Scout talked colored-folks' talk at home it'd be out of place, wouldn't it? Now what if I talked white-folks' talk at church, and with my neighbors? They'd think I was puttin' on airs to beat Moses, "But Cal, you know better," I said. “It's not necessary to tell all you know. It's not ladylike—in the second place, folks don't like to have somebody around knowing more than they do. It aggravates 'em. You're not gonna change

Purpose: To get readers to understand that although Mayella is guilty of causing an innocent man’s death, she still deserves some sympathy.

On March 4, 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt stated in his first inauguration speech, “So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself, nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance," (Baughman). This quote translates to a confusing concept at first, but once discussed is practical: the fear of an individual should not be the concern, yet it should be the damage fear itself has on one. Little did we know at the time that this quote, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself” would turn into “the very symbol” of Roosevelt’s Presidency (Baughman).

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Harper Lee articulates coming of age in a town struck by racism. Scout begins the novel as a six year old girl who does not fully recognise how skewed her world is until she is nine and sees what it really means to kill a mockingbird due to the actions of a shy Arthur Radley. In the passage Jem and Scout are attacked by Bob Ewell; the father of supposed rape victim Mayella Ewell, in response to Jem and Scout’s father Atticus embarrassing Bob during the trial of Tom Robinson. However, Arthur Radley comes out to save them, inevitably killing Bob. This means he will have to go through the burdensome court process, but the county sheriff, Heck Tate wants to change that and Scout needs to understands why. Furthermore Scout realizes what it's like to be Arthur Radley, always watching. Within the final two chapters, To Kill A Mockingbird conveys the theme that there's good and evil in coming of age throughout the book by utilizing symbolism, conflict, and character.

Mockingbirds will only sing their hearts, not cause any damage or give their lives to pleasing others. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird great examples are shown of different types of mockingbirds. Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Arthur (Boo) Radley are great examples of representing a mockingbird.

Growing up is a difficult task, especially when the town around you doesn’t offer to help you understand what’s going on around you. Using many examples of the loss of childhood innocence, Harper Lee shows us that a corrupted society leads to growing up faster and one’s childhood is stripped away. Through Jem, the eldest of the Finch children, and Scout, the youngest, the readers see how a trial in 1930 Alabama takes a toll of young minds. In Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, she implies that growing up leads to loss of innocence, especially in troubling times.

Racism is a part of human nature; everyone judges their surroundings and the people living in it through a secret lens. Since the beginning of time racism has occurred, but during the Great Depression this lens was most clear to all. This goes hand in hand with the story of “To Kill a Mockingbird”, written by Harper Lee. This book is based on Lee’s childhood during the Depression. Some of the characters in the story are portrayed in her actual life; Atticus is based off her father who was also a lawyer, Dill was in reference of her friend Truman Capote, and Jean Louise is referring to Lee herself telling the story of her life experiences (Baddeley). Throughout the novel, Lee expresses the events that went on around her during the

In order to set an example for his children and peers, Atticus upholds a strong moral base unbridled by rumors, race, and ridicule. “‘You really never understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-’”...“‘-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it”’(39; ch.3). Atticus’ integrity is so strong such that he never fails to stand up for what is right, even in the most precarious situations. Lee paints the vivid, and necessary, picture of how everyone has different experiences, thoughts, and routines and may not be condemned because of it. Though Atticus is human he must attempt to go about his life without predispositions in an attempt to defend everyone in need of defense. Atticus chooses to see people as they are rather than categorizing them with labels. “‘But this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of men. There is not a person in this courtroom who has never told a lie, who has never done an immoral thing, and there is no man living who has never looked upon a woman without desire’” (204; ch.20). Atticus breaks down the barriers of hypocrisy between the people of Maycomb, and Tom Robinson in an effort to orchestrate a fair trial. Lee creates the mood of hope and innovation in this moment to show that Tom may

As children, we often copy our parent's values and beliefs. In the novel ”To Kill a mockingbird” by Harper Lee the author demonstrates that parents pass down their ideals and values to their children through their actions . This leads to their children inheriting their character traits. In the novel, Atticus and Bob Ewell demonstrate their kind and abusive parenting style through their actions that influence the values and beliefs of their children.

In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, I’ve learned a great amount of moral lessons and reminders about our world and the people in it. To Kill A Mockingbird takes place in Alabama during the Great Depression. The story is told through a young girl name, Scout Finch’s perspective. Scout has an older brother name Jem Finch and her father is Atticus Finch. Her father Atticus is an attorney for a black man name Tom Robinson who is being accused of rape. Atticus pushes to prove Tom’s innocence. Throughout the book you see Scout and Jem come of age with everything that’s going on in their town and in their lives. Boo Radley was another character who’s important in the story because he saved the kids lives when they were attacked by Bob Ewell, the prosecutors (Mayella Ewell) father on Tom Robinson’s case. Also he gave them gifts when they were curious to see him and make him come out of his house. To Kill A Mockingbird shows the goodness and the evilness in people. The title To Kill A Mockingbird comes from the belief that it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird because all they do is sing their hearts out for us. A few people in the book represent a mockingbird. To continue with the themes in the book the ones that stuck out to me were empathy and justice.