To Kill A Mockingbird Promise Analysis

Jem and Scout’s actions clearly illustrate the embarrassment they have for their father’s age and hobbies. Jem wishes desperately that Atticus would do things the other fathers did and is embarrassed to be watching the game with his father who refuses to play. Later in the chapter however the children’s view changes from embarrassment to admiration. When a rabid dog gets loose around the neighborhood, Atticus shoots it with incredible accuracy and talent. As Miss Maudie explains, Atticus had the best marksmanship out of anyone when he was growing up.

As a result of Atticus's decision, Jem and Scout get into a number of fights with classmates and their cousin when they taunt them and call Atticus a "nigger lover." Life seems to be full of lesson for Scout and Jem. For example, when a rabid dog chases Scout, she discovers that her father, whom she previously thought too old to do anything, does possess some talents. Atticus turns out be a crack shot, killing the dog in one shot at a great distance. Another time the children learn to be tolerant of people who have problems even though they say mean things. A neighbor, Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose, derides Atticus and spreads lies about him, and screams insults at the children when they pass by. Jem gets very angry at her and cuts off her flowers from her bushes. Instead of siding with Jem, Atticus feels that what he did is wrong and as punishment, Jem has to read out loud to her every day to take her mind off her predicament. Atticus holds this old woman up as an example of true courage as she

Atticus asked Aunt Alexandra to come for a visit unexpectedly. Aunt Alexandra says, “Jem’s growing up now and you are too, we decided that it would be best for you to have some feminine influence.” (Lee 169-170). It is unfair of Atticus to suddenly want Scout to change her personality just because she is getting older. This could lead to Scout thinking that she is not good enough for Atticus the way she is. That utter disrespect for Scout’s feelings shows Atticus’s ignorance, because if he was an understanding father, he would love her the way she is and not want her to change. Furthermore, Atticus is ignorant because he does not show interest in the activities his children enjoy. Jem and scout had received air rifles for Christmas, from their Uncle Jack. When it came time for them to learn how to shoot, Atticus said that he was not interested in guns. One day a rabid dog was wandering around their neighborhood, Scout explains, “Atticus’s hand yanked a ball-tipped lever as he brought the gun to his shoulder. The rifle

To start with, the surprise attack of the mad dog made Jem begin to understand Atticus.At the beginning of the novel, Jem and Scout are always disappointed at Atticus because he is nearly 50 and he wears a pairs of glasses which make him look different with other students’ parents who can play all kinds of exercises with their kids. One day, Jem and Calpurnia who is the housekeeper of Atticus’s family, find a mad dog existing in the town. Neighbor’s will get hurt unless somebody is willing to take the risk and kill the mad dog. Under this emergency situation, Atticus stepped in and killed the mad dog with a gun in only one shot, his spectacular action amazed the neighbors, also surprised Jem and Scout. Jem learns that Atticus’s nickname was OL’ One-Shot when he was a boy, but Atticus has never mentioned about it. As Miss Maudie said “People in their right minds never take pride in their talents.”(P112 To Kill a Mockingbird). After the event and Miss Maudie’s words, Jem grew up a little bit and something has been changed in his mind. “Naw, Scout, it’s something you wouldn’t understand. Atticus is real old, but I wouldn’t care if he couldn’t do anything—I wouldn’t care if he couldn’t do a blessed thing.”

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.

Scout and Jem had always believed that their father was not like any other father in school. They saw him as an old man who couldn’t do anything. However, when a mad dog appeared on the street and Atticus killed it with one shot. "The rifle cracked. Tim Johnson leaped, flopped over and crumpled on the sidewalk in a brown-and-white heap. He didn’t know what hit him." (pg.96) They were surprised to learn that he was the best shot in the town. Scout’s attitude towards her father changed, she feels proud of him and even brags about him. This respect continues growing as she sees Atticus defend Tom Robinson against the whole town because he knew he was innocent as opposed to the prejudice-blinded people of Maycomb. This is a sign of maturity and of outgrowing childish ideas about what being a cool father

“It was Jem’s turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. ‘It ain’t right,’ he muttered”...

Jem and Scout are extremely surprised when they discover their father is a talented marksman. Atticus never mentions or uses his talent; he is reluctant to shoot a gun even when it is deemed necessary. The children wonder why Atticus has never told them of his talent; in their minds, marksmanship is an impressive and glorious skill. They discover Atticus' motive for this omission when he mentions he does not want his children to get the "idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand.

Jem is very impressed and admires Atticus's shooting skills. He says afterwards, “'d you see him, Scout? 'd you see him just standin' there? . . . an' he did it so quick, like . . . I hafta aim for ten minutes 'fore I can hit somethin' . . . .” Scout and Jem both see a new version of Atticus after this event. They begin to see him as more of a brave heroic figure rather than just a tired, boring, old man.

Jem and Scout look up to Atticus and have the highest regard for him. Atticus purposefully teaches his kids valuable life lessons such as do not kill a mockingbird, stand in other people’s shoes, and show respect. When they learn about a “non-boring” secret--he is the best shooter in town-- from Atticus’s “boring” life, they learn yet another life lesson, in addition to Atticus’s overarching lesson, do not kill a mockingbird, an innocent life, but they also learn about what is important in life. Atticus “kills a mockingbird”, the dog, in order to protect his family. The fact that Jem wants to stay “humble” about his father’s skill with a gun while Scout wants to “brag” individualizes the two characters.

Harper Lee’s Novel To Kill a Mockingbird details the life of young Scout Finch and brother Jem Finch, who is growing up in a time of racial uniqueness. Jem and Scout Finch are what most would call a typical family growing up in the small Alabama town of Maycomb. They encounter many different obstacles during their childhood missions with many characters making the novel an interesting read. Throughout the book, Lee is showing Jem and Scout grow up and become mature young adults. This novel, written by Harper Lee, demonstrates the themes of growing up, Innocence and most importantly, racism.

Jem , AND Scout both change for the good, because of what they learned from Atticus. These changes happend ,because of the courage ,and audacity Atticus had shown the kids, and the town of Maycomb . For example throught Atticus’s time in defending Tom, he takes the time to teach his kids ”fight with your own head instead of using your fists.” This statment shaped both Scout ,and Jem by changing them to not be violent ,and physical, but to smart ,and witty .Another way Atticus changed Jem ,and Scout is by shooting the disturbed dog with one shot . This showed both of Atticus’s kids that he is not the “feeble father” they thought he was. Instead he is known as “ One shot finch”. After this Scout wants to go tell all of her friends at school

To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee, 1960), an insightful and gripping novel composed by Harper Lee in 1960. Originating in Alabama South America, based during The Great Depression. This didactic novel highlights the controversy of racism, dominant discourses and social inequality through the storyline of young ‘Scout’ who has grown up with these prominent social issues in her everyday life. Scout finds herself having to find a new perspective as her father takes on the risky case of defending a wrongly accused African American man of rape.

They did not know that Atticus was capable of such accuracy. With his sharpshooting skills, they both wondered why Atticus never went hunting. Miss Maudie, an opened-minded and a neighbor of the Finches, said that Atticus is, “...civilized in his heart. Marksmanship’s a gift of God … different from playing piano or the like … he realized that God had given him an unfair advantage over most living things. I guess he wouldn't shoot till he had to … People in their right minds never take pride in their talents” (Lee 98). Miss Maudie knows that Atticus does not take pride in his marksmanship skills. He sets an example of showing humbleness and not boast of his skills. He also wants Jem and Scout to follow him in knowing that a better person treats everyone with equality and respect, and not someone who is skilled at shooting guns. Although there is a lot of evidence to show that Atticus is a good parent, one may support to argue that Atticus was

However after the ‘mad dog’ incident, in which Atticus killed Tim Johnson, with one shot, Jem and Scout has totally new perspectives on their father. The children where stunned, they had no idea they Atticus was so talented at shooting. After the incident Jem and Scout showed a lot more respect for Atticus. “I'd reckon if he wanted us to know he’d a told us. If he was proud of it he’d a told us… but Atticus is a gentleman…and people in their right minds never take pride in their talents” (page 98).