To Kill A Mockingbird Analysis

Racism has the power to change anybody’s life. Jem Finch is a young teen character from To Kill a Mockingbird who longed for the warm summer days when he could just play on the lawn and not care about the future. However, as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that he cannot just play around when he knows what is going on around him and what is happening to the black community of Maycomb, Alabama. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a success in the world of literature. Set in the 1930’s down south where racism was rampant, Harper Lee shows us the challenges of growing up in a community of inequality through the characters Jem and Scout Finch. Jem is older than Scout by 3 years so he understands how serious the nature of racism is and

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

“Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you,” stated Bethany Hamilton, an American professional surfer, who survived a shark attack, when she was only 13 years of age. This quote relates to the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, on account that plenty of people in the book had fear, but did not let it stop them from doing what they needed to do. A few of these courageous people were Mrs. Dubose, Atticus, and Boo Radley.

“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 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.

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.

It just takes three kids and their traits to make a difference in a community. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, racism, classism, and sexism are all showcased, through the eyes of children. The children, Dill, Scout, and Jem, try to understand and change the segregated ways of the town of Macomb. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Dill, Scout, and Jem create chaos, causing changes in Macomb County, by not judging people only from their background, speaking out for what is right, and are continually being persistent.

Charles Lamb once said, “Lawyers, I suppose, were children once.” The author of To Kill

Mayella Ewell is an abused young woman in Maycomb, Alabama who accused an African American man Tom Robinson of rape during the Great Depression in the early 1930’s. Mayella took advantage of the Jim Crow laws so she could end the mental and physical abuse her father caused. Since Mayella is white and female, she has power. Although she lives behind a dumpster this still provides a significant amount of power for her. In the book “To Kill A Mockingbird” Harper Lee shows Mayella’s power for class during the trial.

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.

“‘Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird’” (Lee 119). The meaning of the quote is mockingbirds don't do anything but, sing for us to enjoy. Mockingbirds only want to bring happiness in the world like some characters in To Kill A Mockingbird. Harper Lee stated this quote in the book to get us thinking about how Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley are mockingbirds. Tom Robinson just wanted to help Mayella Ewell but, got accused of raping her when she kissed Tom. Boo Radley was the town’s mystery neighbor. He was known to be crazy, but really he was a caring man. Atticus Finch only does what he needs to do but, he doesn’t mean to harm anyone. He wanted to give Tom a chance at

Summer finally comes, and brings a shift in Scout’s idyllic childhood. Jem is now twelve: moody, inconsistent and difficult to live with. Scout doesn’t understand the abrupt changes in her older brother, and turns to Calpurnia for solace. Dill doesn’t come home to Maycomb for the summer, and Atticus is away serving in the state legislature for two weeks, causing further disappointment for Scout. One Sunday, Calpurnia decides to take the children with her to her own church, First Purchase. For the most part, the all black congregation welcomes the Finch Children warmly, except for a woman called Lula who is angry that white folk entered a place of solidity for Black people. Through Scout's eyes we can see that the church is in poor condition. The children notice that Calpurnia talks differently to ‘her people’, and they realize that the sermons they hear in Cal’s church are not much different than the ones they hear in their own. They also learn that most of the people in First Purchase cannot read, cannot afford hymnbooks, and thus sing their hymns by ‘lining’. Reverend Sykes explains to Scout that the church is collecting funds for Tom Robinson’s wife, who is having trouble finding a job and providing for her family because her husband was accused of raping an Ewell girl. Scout doesn’t know what rape is, and wonders why on earth the town would trust the word of an Ewell. Cal reveals a bit about her own history to Jem and Scout, who intrigued by the fact that Calpurnia lives a double life. Cal, Jem, and Scout go home to be greeted by an unexpected guest: Aunt Alexandria.

Furthermore, Jem learns the inherent value of human life through the trial of innocent Tom Robinson. When the story first opens, Jem and Scout have little regard for the value of life. This is shown when the trio of best friends halt their fool’s heaven plays to turn to a real, but just as exciting, topic: the mysterious monster with hands forever stained red because he ate vermin raw: Boo Radley. The numerous rumors that swirled around the hidden man were mind candy for the best friends. Before long, Dill has challenged Jem and Scout to try to get Boo to come out of his “haunted” home. While Dill ponders the best way to lure Boo Radley out of his dark shell, Jem puzzles over how to make him come out. He says, “It’s kinda like making a turtle come out...put a flame underneath it…you don’t know what hurts it…” This shows his indifference to what the turtle feels, believing that a turtle’s senses and feelings must surely be duller and less important than his, even believing the turtle’s pain was no

“Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird. (Lee In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee the mockingbird is used as a symbol of innocence, and it is shown in the book. To Kill a Mockingbird is told through Scout Finch’s point of view and follows the her family, with her father, Atticus, and her brother, Jem. The Finch’s have a neighbor named Boo Radley, whose reputation is not good, but it turns out that he didn’t do anything that the rumors said. Atticus is a lawyer in this trial representing Tom Robinson, a black man, accused of raping a white woman who happens to be the daughter of Bob Ewell. Tom Robinson didn’t do anything to hurt Mayella, but was still convicted, and was shot and killed soon after. Because of the trial Bob Ewell attacked Jem Finch, and broke his arm. Jem would’ve died if it wasn’t for Boo Radley. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird it tells us that you shouldn’t hurt or change anything that is innocent. This is shown through interactions with Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and Jem Finch.

To Kill a Mockingbird, is a novel being read in several high schools throughout the country, but what is the importance of this novel to American students today? As well as, are the factors that are expressed in this novel beneficial to students everyday lives? Throughout the course of the book, Scout's perspective on things drastically change. After she experiences or learns from past events, she begins to see people, and the world differently. Through all of the doubts, misjudgements, and assumptions given towards other characters, there are lessons brought forth with them, that don't just teach Scout but the reader as well. To Kill a Mockingbird provides unique characteristics, that could inform and teach students of today's day and age.