To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is a well known, touching novel that examines stereotyping and its consequences. The novel follows Atticus Finch, a small-town lawyer, as he raises his two children Jem and Scout to avoid the common disease of racism in the town of Maycomb, Alabama. Going against the guidance of the community, Atticus decides to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. After he accepts to defend Tom Robinson, people throughout Maycomb begin to question him as a father. Some people that criticize his parenting skills are Mrs. Dubose and Aunt Alexander.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee is an exceedingly powerful novel. It includes many significant minor themes such as racism and hatred which leave the reader to have grown more attentive to the past once they complete the book. The book takes place in Maycomb County Alabama during the great depression. During this period there was a great deal of hate and prejudice towards people of color, in addition to a great regard to social class. The novels protagonists, Atticus Finch a well-respected lawyer and his children Jeremy “Jem” Finch and Jean Louise “Scout” Finch are a few of the towns occupants who respect others regardless of social class or race. For this reason, Atticus has no objections
Although the people of Maycomb view Dolphus Raymond as a disgraceful man, Scout learns that his true personality does not match what others think of him. Once she discovers that Mr. Raymond actually drinks coke, she asks why he still pretends to be intoxicated, and he replies by saying, “it’s mighty helpful to folks. Secretly, [...] I’m not much of a drinker, but [..] they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that’s the way I want to live” (268). Through fathoming the reality of Dolphus Raymond, Scout learns that there is more to a person than what meets the eye. She is enlightened of the fact that Maycomb’s citizens are not like Atticus. They “could never, never understand that” Mr. Raymond wants to live among the coloured people. Due to their inability to “really understand a person”, a man who is “not much of a drinker” must allow “folks” to think that his behaviour is due to being intoxicated. Scout’s conversation with Dolphus Raymond furthers her comprehension of empathy and leads her to learn that it is important to understand everyone, even those who are seen as sinful by society. Scout is also capable of instructing others to be empathetic, such as Uncle Jack. After being punished by Jack for fighting with Francis, Scout says, “you don’t understand children [...] you never stopped to gimme a chance
To Kill a Mockingbird, author Harper Lee uses unhypocritical, more experienced characters like Atticus to expose Jem and Scout to adult knowledge. Their adult influence is what brings about the empathetic growth and maturity of Jem and Scout.
People judge him for marrying a black woman, having mixed children and choosing the company of coloured folks. Despite the rude comments and hardships Mr. Raymond has to face, he still manages to live up to his standards in his everyday life. Since he has many coloured friends, and children, it is obvious that Dolphus believes that everyone is equal, and is not one to care about what society thinks. Atticus represents social courage by defending the black man falsely accused of rape. Dolphus Raymond represents social courage by being around coloured people, and marrying a black
Can you recollect a person that you hate all the time? Is this person rude, not sociable, emotionally abusive, or just plain racist? In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the novel digs deep into the roots of Social Classes. One of these classes, in particular, is “White Trash.” “White Trash” is a class that has the poor white people that don’t contribute much to society and sometimes even make the society worse. There is one character that everyone loathes in Maycomb, and he is Mr. Ewell. Harper Lee portrays Mr. Ewell and his kids as uneducated, racist, murderous pigs because of three reasons. This family disrespects other members of the community in cruel ways, abuses their power by accusing a black man of rape, and tries to kill two
“The ability to do something that frightens one.” This quotation shows that to have courage isn’t always when you are being brave but when you finish something that you start. In the book “To Kill a Mockingbird” By Harper Lee, Many characters show the trait of courage throughout the book. It also shows many important parts of the book through these quotes that are shown. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper lee Atticus shows the trait of courage a lot in the book. The next two quotes are ones that show that Jen is a person in the novel that shows the trait of courage when he tried to find boo. these quotes are ones that show that Dill has courage because he travelled by himself and because he he is a daredevil. In my three
How would the novel be different if it were narrated from a different character’s perspective? Jem? Atticus? Calpurnia? Boo? What benefit does a child narrator provide?
Maycomb County, Alabama during the Great Depression a young lady, Mayella Ewell blamed a black man, Tom Robinson of something incredibly despicable that turned Maycomb upside down. Mayella took advantage of the laws back then so that she could end the aggression her father gave her. Mayella is powerful due to the fact that she is white, her family is the poorest family out there, but because of her color she will always be preferred over African-Americans. In “To Kill A Mockingbird,” Harper Lee uses class, race, and gender to determine if Mayella has power after all.
Was Atticus Finch was the true hero of To Kill A Mockingbird? Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird narrates the journey of Scout Finch from an immature, feisty, close minded young girl, to a strong, brave and courageous girl that now knows the truth about Boo Radley the towns ‘freak’. Boo Radley is middle aged man who is known as a creep but by the end of the novel they realise that he is a nice man. Scout is the daughter of Maycomb's brave and courageous lawyer, Atticus Finch who defends Tom Robinson in a situation where he is being wrongly accused of rape. Through the eyes and experiences of Scout, Lee explores the themes of racism and justice but most notably to consider what it means to be a hero. Heroism is when you demonstrate great
Although he only remains in Maycomb for a season at a time, Dill Harris experiences first hand the inequalities that certain groups of people face, acting like no other child would. After Dill runs away from his home to Scout’s dwelling, he talks to Scout about Boo Radley in bed when Dill declares, “Maybe he doesn’t have anywhere to run off to…” (Lee 192). Although he is merely a child, Dill possesses the ability to relate to Arthur “Boo” Radley, the man who is constantly being made fun of by children of the same age group. While the standard children in Maycomb fear and ridicule Boo, just as Dill once did before, now he severs the stereotype. Dill feels empathy towards Boo. Unlike Dill escaping to Scout’s abode, Boo cannot escape anywhere. Moreover, when Dill hears how differently Mr. Gilmer, the prosecutor, speaks to Tom then how Atticus speaks to Mayella, he becomes furious. He separates himself from everyone else in the courtroom in that moment and creates a sense of chaos: “I don’t care one speck. It ain’t right, somehow it ain’t right to do ‘em that way. Hasn’t anybody got any business talkin’ like that—it just makes me sick” (266). When nobody else seems to notice how Tom Robinson is being treated, only because he is an African American, Dill notices how wrong this treatment is. In addition to figuratively creating chaos, Dill begins to cry, creating a scene at the balcony of the courtroom. Whereas Dill recognizes the issues in Maycomb after only a few visits, another boy, who resides in the limited town permanently, recognizes the social issues more rapidly.
"'Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy...That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.'" (119) Reading the beginning of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, one would assume there is no connection with the title to the storyline. After delving deeper into the novel the connection becomes evident. The concept of the mockingbird is introduced when Scout is given a gun for Christmas, she is then told by her father that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Scout dismisses this fact until it becomes relevant again, when someone in her life is compared to mockingbird after a life altering experience.
In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, many themes are conveyed throughout the book, including the lessons of childhood. As Scout and Jem grow up, Atticus attempts to teach them proper morals and values. They become very aware of their surroundings and try their best to do the right thing.
The character Atticus impacts the story and many people throughout the book “To Kill A Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee. However, does Atticus change much throughout the story? Do the events that occur throughout the story that change Jem and Scout’s views of many thing even affect Atticus? Atticus knew that Maycomb would disrespect Tom Robinson. He knew that in the court Tom Robinson would get a lot of hate. Since Atticus does not change much throughout the story, what does he represent and symbolize, and how does he affect others. Atticus is an educated and respected southern gentleman, whose traits continuously take people by shock.
Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird details the life of a typical white American family during the era of the Great Depression. Although each of the family members is portrayed in a detailed manner throughout the novel, Jean Louise Finch is the main character, as well as the narrator for the majority of the novel. The narration of “Scout” works through two points of view: The view of an independent six year old girl, and simultaneously, the view of a mature woman who is recapping some moments of her earlier childhood. Lee does a superior job in combining the two very unique voices, and forming what came to be a well known novel throughout the United States. The mature adult voice narrating the story To Kill A Mockingbird not only informs readers of the views of the young Scout, but also gives the mature outlook on the events in which the child could not see.