Harper Lee’s award-winning novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ has remained a classic publication since 1960. Recalling her experiences as a six-year-old from an adult perspective, Jean Louise Finch, nicknamed “Scout,” describes the circumstances involving her widowed father, Atticus, and his legal defence of Tom Robinson, a local black man mistakenly accused of raping a white woman. Throughout the three-year trial, Scout and her older brother, Jem, witness the unjust consequences of prejudice while at the same time witnessing the values of courage and integrity through their father's example. To Kill a Mockingbird was published during the Civil Rights movement.
To start with, Harper Lee influenced readers by interoperating different themes within the novel. Four of the major themes that run throughout are childhood, bravery, education and most importantly prejudice. Atticus is a man of equal rights and is one of the only men in Maycomb County that doesn’t judge anyone by their socioeconomic status race. Throughout Tom Robinson’s case, he deals with prejudice and racism head on. Black people are seen as the lowest class level of Maycomb society, with Atticus realising he has no chance to defend and win the case for Tom, as he is black, offers the most explicit sign of racism. To the reader, it is clear that cultural prejudice is wrong and the way African-Americans are treated is cruel and unfair. Innocent Scout highlights the racial problems when she asks Atticus, ‘Do you defend
Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t.”
Harper Lee, author of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, acknowledged the prejudice in 1930’s America. This novel won the Pulitzer Prize for its strength in upholding the prejudice in a small town in the south. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in a town called Maycomb, where a family of three and their cook lives and deals with this animosity everyday. Atticus, the father, is a well-respected lawyer and Alabama state legislator. He chooses to defend African American Tom Robinson against charges of assault against Caucasian Mayella Ewell. Although Atticus knows that he would not win the case, he still wants to defend Tom to teach his children, Jem and Scout, a valuable lesson. Harper Lee made the right decision in having Atticus Finch defend Tom Robinson; however, the decision came with consequences (Lee).
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird was an influential study of race relations in America in the mid 20th century. The development of the main character, Scout, is closely tied to what she learns from Atticus, her father, and what she learns from watching the unjust treatment of Tom Robinson, who is a black gentleman accused of rape that Atticus decides to defend in a court case. As Scout grows up, she is forced to deal with prejudice that every person living in Maycomb, Alabama seems to demonstrate in their everyday life. When Atticus agreed to represent Tom Robinson, he likely knew that many town people would resent any attempt to prove Tom Robinson was innocent. In this novel, Scout learns that there are right and wrong times when one should
“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
“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?
“The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience,” (Lee 120). This quote from To Kill a Mockingbird is a good representation of the book. The book is set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression. Jean Louise (Scout) Finch, narrates the story of herself and her family facing the racial prejudices of the time. When her father Atticus, defends an innocent black man in a rape trial, Maycomb turns on Scout's family. Atticus, Scout, and her brother Jem stand up for what they believe in even if their neighbors disagree. By analyzing Harper Lee’s use of symbolism and tone, the reader can learn that courage isn’t physical strength, you gain morals as you grow, and prejudice kills innocence.
The central idea in an excellent piece of literature To Kill A Mockingbird, is open to many different interpretations. This book builds upon the central idea of racism based upon one’s upbringing or location thru the prospective of Jean “Scout” Louise, a child. She witnesses the long-standing racism between both black and white people. In the summer of 1935, she witnesses the stakes for standing up against racism.
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
A mockingbird is someone or something that does no harm to others. In the story To Kill A Mockingbird, there are three characters that symbolize a mockingbird. They are Boo Radley, Atticus Finch, and Tom Robinson. These characters are innocent and do good to others. They also deserve no harm to be done to them.
Children may be the path to better comprehending society. Having no inherent sense of evil, they may not truly understand bias or discrimination until they have matured. In To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, three young children in the modest southern of Maycomb are forced to witness people at their worst at an unspeakable time in American history. Maycomb’s orderly community is greatly disturbed for the better when Dill Harris, Jem Finch, and Scout Finch create chaos and instill change because of their childhood innocence.
"'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.
Society looks for worth and value of themselves in individual’s comments and opinions; individuals always want to feel important to others. Although this is a delightful feeling for the person and seems innocent, at the end others are left behind and hated; as if what they did or looked like was inappropriate. Kids are thought to be a certain way as well, following in their parents’ footsteps, and being rude to those believed to be below them. Some though, believe that there should be no such thing and that nobody should be hated no matter the cause. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird portrayed the significance of how we treat each other based on differences, and how do we learn to do so. The novel then states that people should never treat others differently because they don't act the same way they do, and the ways hatefulness spreads through the future, the children.
Harper Lee’s highly acknowledged ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is a long and complex novel that encompasses a wide range of issues and universal themes. Lee has fictionalised the infinitesimal county of Maycomb, a town set in her Pulitzer prize winning book. This piece of golden fiction is narrated by Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, a girl whose naivety increasingly declines as the story progresses. Her father, Atticus Finch is a lawyer who upholds high moral standards, and was given the position to defend Tom Robinson, a character who is a Negro and of whom is “guilty” of raping a young white woman, Mayella Ewell. The community established in Maycomb evidently informs an audience that racism is tolerated nonetheless; may not always be agreed with. Atticus successfully portrays a character who doesn’t discriminate against others because of their skin colour. Moreover, he embodies a stalwart, tenacious and resolute character throughout the novel, epitomising for his kids: Scout and Jem that the skin colour of someone has no significance. Accordingly, the novel emphasises the importance of people in positions of privilege to stand up and resist systemic discrimination in order to protect the innocent. Atticus’s actions and ideologies promote this invited reading as he does not retaliate with other characters who are racist and frame others in a negative light. His interactions with other characters, those who particularly victimise those of a different colour demonstrate the strong,