To Kill A Mockingbird Analysis

Author uses Atticus teach these lessons through his wise words. Atticus teaches these lessons to not only the audience, but Jem and Scout too. Some of the main things he teaches his kids about are understanding people, using the mind instead of the body, the cruel reality of stereotypes, and true

Boo Radley is another example of a character who symbolizes the mockingbird. Boo Radley is and innocent and harmless man who was accused of things he didn’t do. He did not mutilate animals or eat them raw, and he didn’t poison pecans. In the early chapters of the book he is thought to be a monster by most of Maycomb. Jem and Scout never saw that part of him. Boo gives the children gifts and even save their lives when they are attacked by Bob Ewell.

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.

As Stephen King once said, “The trust of the innocent is the liar’s most useful tool.” In the book "To Kill a Mockingbird", by Harper Lee, Jean Louise Finch, a young girl who also goes by Scout, experiences many things such as racism, friends, and family. Her father, Atticus Finch, is a lawyer who is sacrificing his reputation to defend a black man, Tom Robinson. Scout and her friends take it upon themselves to uncover the mystery of Boo Radley. In this book the mockingbirds represent innocence. Many characters take on the role of the “mockingbird". Exploring Lee’s title, to kill a mockingbird is to kill innocence.

Lee implies that people learn lessons through life experiences that school can ever teach. Throughout this novel, Atticus taught his kids many lessons that was hard for them to hear at times, but it later on helped them in the story. Or it helped them grow up and mature. On page 40 of To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus was explaining to Scout that Miss.Caroline was new and didn’t know anyone, and she especially didn’t know the Cunningham’s story, Atticus states, “Atticus said… but if Walter and I had put ourselves in her shoes we’d have seen it was an honest mistake on her part” (40). This quote by Atticus is meant to explain to Scout that Miss. Caroline just made an honest human mistake. He tried to get Scout to realize that if he put herself in Miss.Caroline’s shoes then she might better understand the confusion. Obviously you can’t really be in her shoes, but he said it figuratively to show her why it was important to give her another chance, or at least try to be nice and listen. Atticus taught this to Scout at home later on that night. At her school after that she tried to just get by in her class. Lee also shows mainly throughout that the school system doesn’t help when it comes to teaching children life lessons. As shown in the earlier quote Atticus, had told Scout to jump in Walter’s shoes, and walk around in it. This other quote shows how Scout actually takes into consideration of Atticus’ words, and chooses to not bother Jem because she tried to imagine what it had

"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (pg. 119.) Miss Maudie spoke the previous quote with deep thought going into each and every word. She wasn't just trying to teach Scout a lesson, but she wanted there to be a powerful meaning behind it. Miss Maudie's main purpose was to stress that you shouldn't kill something that is doing no harm. Everyday "mockingbirds" are killed, broke down, and mistreated by society.

"It is a sin to kill a mockingbird...Mockingbirds do not do one thing but make music for us to enjoy...They do not eat up people's gardens"(90). Although this may be true, various people deliberately harm mockingbirds. The sin of harming a mockingbird is a daily occurrence in Maycomb County. Several people, including Atticus Finch, Boo Radley, and Tom Robinson, represent the moral and spirit of the mockingbird. Sadly, the townsfolk of Maycomb inflict prejudice, injustice, and pain onto them. Atticus, Boo, and Tom have so much good to give, but they are wrongfully discriminated against. It is wrong to hurt those who give and expect nothing in return. Thus, Atticus, Boo Radley, and Tom Robinson are mockingbirds.

As the famous American author, Nerburn, says,“It is much easier to become a father than to be one”(http://www.wiseoldsayings.com/fathers-quotes). Nerburn writes about how hard it is to be an eligible father .He proposes the question, “Do people think their father is the person who is able to provide them a lot of guidance or help? In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Jem and Scout live with their father, Atticus, who is a lawyer, and regard him as an excellent example. However, Scout and Jem don’t value Atticus as a father with full diligence because he is elder than most of other students’ father and he is not able to do any sports. Due to the accident with the mad dog, atticus’s educations and the case of Tom Robinson, Jem and Scout come to understand, respect, and finally admire their father.

The ambition of oneself to pursue justice and righteousness may result in prosecution. In the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, and movie "A Time to Kill" by Joel Schumacher, each demonstrate one’s open-mindedness and forward thinking leads to penalization through protagonists Atticus Finch and Jake Brigance. Both egalitarians take the position as an attorney for an African American and are prosecuted in the process.

The story "To Kill a Mockingbird" metaphorically portrays characters as mockingbirds in several ways. Each character in its own way portrays traits of a mockingbird. For example, Atticus is like a mockingbird since he does not harm anyone with his hands or words. Tom Robinson only does good deeds for others in the story just like a mockingbird. Boo Radley is like a mockingbird because he is very kind and innocent. These characters illustrate mockingbirds by having the same characteristics of a real mockingbird.

“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

Atticus supports equality, and that does not bode well with the townspeople because of their years of being raised on racism and bigotry. “There's something in our world that makes men lose their heads—they couldn't be fair if they tried. In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins” (Lee 295). All through the book, Atticus teaches Scout and Jem right from wrong, and to always be moralistic. He continually shows integrity, respect and honour. Nevertheless, this is not a good thing to the residents of Maycomb, who shame Atticus for supporting Tom. Atticus is hurt with his beliefs, because the town of Maycomb does not support him defending Tom, although he was assigned the case. “I do my best to love everybody... I'm hard put, sometimes—baby, it's never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesn't hurt you" (Lee 87). Atticus tell Scout that people should not judge you for loving others, and that proves that they are the ones with poor character. He speaks from experience, from the adults who bully him, just like the other children bully Scout. His mindset affects him and his children, even though he’d rather protect them from the criticism and hurtful words of the townspeople. They, in turn push their own

In both the text “To Kill a Mockingbird” written by Harper Lee and the film “A Time to Kill” directed by Joel Schumacher, similar ideas are presented using language devices and stylistic features in differing ways to appeal to their target audience. Each have very similar storylines in which a white lawyer defends a an African-American in a prejudiced court case. Racism is a key idea presented strongly in each due to the eras they are set in. The era and country set in each story provide a strong base for the prominent issue. With the unpleasant happenings in each text and through the racist acts the idea of compassion shines through. As well as compassion being a significant idea, forgiveness is also presented through the racists acts.

Evil is found all around the world. In Maycomb County, the town consumes evil like a disease. Multiple characters in Harper Lee’s, To Kill A Mockingbird, are often robbed after they stumble across the atrocious sickness passed on from generation to generation. This sickness is identified as the evil in people and events because they all took some innocence from another person. Biased opinions impact many aspects of daily life essentially determining one's future. It left some characters in the novel without a significant other or even took parts of others childhood. Harper Lee suggests that the loss of innocence is caused by the exposure to evil changing one's mindset and life.

The story, in the eyes of two innocent children Scout and her brother Jem, of the discrimination and hypocrisy throughout the town. Maycomb County, Alabama, faces an African American’s injustice while the children learn valuable lessons from their father, Atticus and their housemaid Calpurnia, during the Great Depression. All the while, we are learning from it. To Kill a Mockingbird teaches us the lessons of morale, justice and equality.