Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, takes place in the 1930’s, segregated Alabama. The novel is about the main character, Scout’s, experiences and learning about her community and world around her. Scout lives in a town where prejudice is very prominent and there are a lot of differing clashing opinions. The town is also going through the Depression, which affects different families throughout the story. In the novel, an African American man, Tom Robinson, is accused of taking advantage of a white woman. Throughout the novel, Scout learns about different people and how they act in certain situations. A theme in the novel is the coexistence of good and bad in a person gives them depth and complex motives that may be hard to understand. …show more content…
In the beginning, Walter Cunningham is described as a dependable and trustworthy person and someone who really cared about his reputation and example. This is shown when when Scout has a conversation with Atticus, “I asked Atticus if Mr. Cunningham would ever pay us. ‘Not in money,’ Atticus said, ‘but before the years out I’ll have been paid.’” (Lee 27). Cunningham pays Atticus back in anyway he could, stovewood, hickory nuts, smilax and holly, and turnip greens. Scout also says to Miss Caroline, “‘The Cunninghams never took anything they can’t pay back--’” (Lee 26). Later in the book, Cunningham is shown to be apart of the mob trying to kill Tom Robinson. To which Atticus says, “‘Mr. Cunningham’s basically a good man’... ‘he just has blind spots like the rest of us.’” (Lee 210). Atticus also says that a mob is always just made out of people no matter what. The way Cunningham acted in society with Atticus and the way he was associated it's the mob shows that Walter Cunningham has more depth to his character than Scout thought.
Another character who has coexistence of good and evil is Arthur “Boo” Radley. Boo Radley had always been a mystery to the neighborhood. The main things they heard of him were mostly rumors that may or may not be true. Scout and Jem start to have strange occurrences with Boo
The novel “To Kill a Mocking Bird” is based in the fictional small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s. When slavery and the Civil War were still present in the people’s way of living and the civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s are far from close. The novel focuses on the Finches: Scout, her brother Jem, and their father Atticus, and the trial of Tom Robinson and how it affected them and the town. Witnessing the injustice of Tom Robinson’s trial changed Scout Finch in many ways. Scout learns that there is more than one type of courage, she learns about race and its complexity, and she also changes how she views the people around her by putting herself
‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is a novel written by Harper Lee. It is set during the early 20th Century in the fictional town of Maycomb. Lee has decided to write the novel from a child’s point of view because a child is innocent but as the novel progresses the narrator, Scout, loses her innocence as she deals with the complications of her father being a lawyer. The novel revolves around racism and Scout sees discrimination wherever she goes whether it is racial or social prejudice. The town’s people agree with the idea that whites are superior to blacks. An example of this is when Atticus, Scout’s father, has to defend a black man who is accused of raping Bob Ewell’s daughter.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a multi-faceted novel which explores the principles and morals of people in the South during the 1930s. Mockingbirds are symbolic of the people that society abuse. Lee narrates the events of the novel using Scout’s voice and uses this technique to add emotional context and develop themes. Themes of racial and classist prejudice are developed by Lee to challenge the reader. These techniques are all powerful ways to alter the views of the reader.
The novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is a simplistic view of life in the Deep South of America in the 1930s. An innocent but humorous stance in the story is through the eyes of Scout and Jem Finch. Scout is a young adolescent who is growing up with the controversy that surrounds her fathers lawsuit. Her father, Atticus Finch is a lawyer who is defending a black man, Tom Robinson, with the charge of raping a white girl. The lives of the characters are changed by racism and this is the force that develops during the course of the narrative.
Harper Lee’s book, To Kill A Mockingbird takes place in the difficult times of the Great Depression in the early 1930’s. The novel surrounds the life of a young girl named Scout Finch, along with her brother Jem, and their friend, Dill. Who are forced at a young age to watch the people of their small town of Maycomb not only receive, but also give prejudice to numerous, harmless people. Whether it be Boo Radley, a shut in who falls victim to the town’s gossip, even though he is constantly showing acts of kindness towards the Finch children. Or it be Tom Robinson an innocent man that Atticus, Scout’s father must defend be accused rape, and be convicted of a crime he did not to just because of the color of his skin. Throughout the novel, the people of Maycomb deal with prejudice in the forms of sexism, intolerance of differences, and in racism.
Decades ago, in the 1930s, people of color were not treated fairly. Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird took place in the 1930s in the fictional place of Macomb County, Alabama. It was narrated through a young girl named Scout Finch. Throughout the novel, Scout, her older brother, Jem, and their good friend Dill discover realities of society. Scout and Jem’s father, Atticus, was appointed to be the attorney of a black man. Because of the time period, the case was almost hopeless, but Atticus fought anyway. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird displays universal themes such as racial intolerance and innocence of youth.
To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a powerful novel that explores the widespread racial discrimination in 1930’s Alabama. Throughout the novel rarely is Alabama’s racism bridged, with the exception of three main protagonists Scout Finch, her brother Jem Finch and their Father Atticus. Lee’s use of symbolism, foreshadowing and irony present the consequences of the loss of innocence and the penalties that racial prejudice can have on a community.
The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is based on the experiences of one girl, Scout, growing up in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s. The novel explains some conflicts in Scout’s life. Scout, the main character, learns that things are not always morally correct and is confronted with the reality of prejudice and stereotyping. Scout struggles with understanding the prejudice and stereotyping she witnesses. Atticus Finch, Scout's father, "with his strongly held convictions, wisdom, and empathy, Atticus functions as the novel's moral backbone." (2). Atticus tries to raise his children to be fair and nonjudgmental. It is through the lessons of Atticus and Scout's experiences with discrimination that the reader sees
“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you” (Ralph Waldo Emerson). To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a novel about people in the 30’s who show a number of different themes. Firstly, maturity is shown a lot near the end of the novel and during Tom Robinson’s trial. Secondly, racism is a huge part of this novel because a lot of people were judgemental and didn’t approve other races. Lastly, loyalty appears throughout the novel, especially during the trial. Many people in have really grown to be much better people as a result in these challenging times.
To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel written by Harper Lee, tells the story of a little girl named Scout. Set in Alabama in the 1930s, Maycomb county, Scout’s home, is a sleepy place, that hides a dark streak of racism. Maycomb gets pulled into a whirlwind court case of sexual assault consisting of an African American man getting accused of beating and raping a white girl. Scout, whose father defended the African American, learns of the deep problems in society. Still in the mindset of constant racism, the jury ruled against the black man, even though the evidence clearly proved that the girl’s father beat her. Unfortunately, this racism survives today, and one only has to take a peek at the news, or a glance outside to notice it. Racism still exists today, as seen through brutality against
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a book that takes place in the Deep South during the early 19th century. Throughout the book, we learn about the ideas and mentality of southerners especially towards issues like race. An ongoing theme in the book is the symbol of a “Mockingbird” which supposedly symbolizes goodness, beauty, innocence and vulnerability. One of the main characters named Tom Robinson can be portrayed as a Mockingbird. He is vulnerable by simply being black in the south; and his goodness and innocence are both illustrated during the court case. Most African Americans are mistreated in Maycomb county, and Tom Robinson is no exception. He has been accused of raping a young lady named Mayella Ewell which shows his vulnerability.
In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout’s childish perception of the world throughout the novel reveals her lack of understanding and unawareness to her surroundings. Through the events in the small town of Maycomb Scout develops higher levels of maturity in interpreting the events occurring to influence her character. With racism being prevalent in the South, Scout’s exposition of the complexity of interracial relationships challenges her and the community’s views toward. Lee having Scout narrate the story filters the way characters evolve into the novel.
During an individual’s childhood, culture and morals have a dramatic effect on the outcome of the person as an adult. In Harper Lee’s classic To Kill A Mockingbird, she writes the novel based on a young girl’s point of view to exemplify the racial prejudice that occurred throughout Maycomb, Alabama. Scout Finch, the narrator, goes through situations with multiple characters during the novel that show Lee’s perspective on The Great Depression time period. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee stresses the theme of innocence destroyed by evil using several characters symbolized as mockingbirds, analyzing the characters’ morals, and detailing the Tom Robinson court case.
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is a beautiful story depicting a family living in the South of the 1930’s, and their struggle against the prejudice which was common to that time. The book centers on Atticus Finch, the father of the family as well as a lawyer, and his fight against prejudice. We see the story unfold through the innocent eyes of his young daughter, Scout, who is free from prejudice and not yet jaded. By viewing events as Scout sees them, the author shows us how to overcome prejudices, and gain tolerance.
“To kill a mockingbird” by Harper Lee, shows that there is good and there is evil. Those are two big elements who separate us from one another . Without having any logic knowing that nothing is perfect and we all have our flaws . The novel takes place is a small town in Alabama called Maycomb, and is mainly about how a white man who’s a lawyer named Atticus takes on a case that has to do with a black man named Tom Robinson who is accused of rape.