To Kill A Mockingbird Third Outline
Paragraph 1: Introduction
“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”(119). A mockingbird doesn’t “do one thing but make music for us to enjoy”(119). In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, the portrayal of a mockingbird matches the personality of Jeremy Atticus Finch. Serving as the brother and friend of his sister Scout, Jem’s once innocent and naive personality is exposed to the true nature of a southern county when his father takes on a case defending an African American man accused of rape. Within rural Alabama during the Great Depression Era, Jem’s character adapts to the outside world as a result of the unsheathed tradition
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Someone rolled against me and I felt jem. He was up like lightning and pulling me with him”(351) Jem’s level of bravery changed throughout the story. During the first summer, Dill and Jem were constantly daring each other to touch or approach the Radley house. In the beginning, Jem was too afraid to knock on their door, so he went up to their porch and merely touched it; Jem then quickly returned to safety of his own house. However, Jem and Dill developed the courage to intrude into the Radley yard and look in a window. This plan failed and Jem lost his pants during the escape, he later told Scout that night that he had to go back and get them. Jem’s most important demonstration of bravery was after the Tom Robinson trial, Scout and Jem were stalked by Bob Ewell and Jem stood up for his sister and tried fighting a grown man by himself.
Paragraph 4: Scene - Realization of the cruelty of the South
“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”(284)
“‘Atticus-…How could they do it, how could they?’”(285)
“‘Guilty...guilty...guilty...guilty…’ I peeked at Jem: his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each ‘guilty’ was a separate stab between them.”(282) Jem was confident that Atticus had won the trial of Tom Robinson. Atticus had successfully proven that the bruises and marks
Sympathy is understanding between people as well as sharing a common feeling for one another. “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it. (Lee 39)” Atticus defines sympathy by saying: “Consider things from his point of view.” Throughout To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus shows Jem and Scout that you can get along with everyone if you sympathize with them, not for them. The novel follows the young kids, Jem and Scout as they mature during a time of the Great Depression in a small town called Maycomb, in Alabama. Throughout this time, as they grow as people they learn important lessons
On page 187 it says, “Dill’s eyes flickered at Jem, and Jem looked at the floor. Then he rose and broke the remaining code of our childhood. He went out of the room and down the hall. ‘Atticus,’ his voice was distant, ‘can you come here a minute, sir?’” When Jem did this it represented him moving on in a way. As he grows up he starts to take responsibility. Jem starts to recognize the influence he has on Dill and Scout; they don't take this very well. Jem begins to set a positive example on them to help lead them onto a positive path. Jem losing his innocence and becoming more mature causes him to see from a big brother
* Jem still thinks that juries are a crock of @#$%, and Atticus tells him that if the jury had been made up of Jem and others like him, Tom would have been acquitted. He goes on to say that the jury left behind the written law to follow the unwritten one – that the white man always wins.
Atticus is guarding the jailhouse to make sure no one hurts Tom Robinson before his trial, when he is approached by Walter Cunningham and his fellow goons. Atticus shows his bravery by standing his ground for what he believes is right in front of his son. When Scout lashes out to her father’s side, Jem holds onto her and tries to stop her from interfering. Then Jem refuses to go home and stands up for his father’s side although the odds were against them, while trying to protect his sister from harm. In page 152, chapter 15, Scout says, “... but from the way he stood, Jem was not thinking of budging.” This shows us that Jem has matured from the boy who would do anything if dared, to a young man who can barricade his emotions and proceed with reason in difficult situations.
Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, is a realistic story that deeply discusses issues involved with the 1930’s that still resonate today. The struggles of life are evident within the believable characters of Maycomb County which is a microcosm, reflective of universal issues. Along with the authentic characters, setting and style also helps to convey Lee’s controversial notions of racial and gender prejudice, and persecution of the innocent, discussing many other ideas within.
Jem hasn’t gotten over the fact that the decision was so unfair. Jem exclaims to Atticus:”Doesn’t make it right’, said Jem … ‘You can’t convict a man on evidence like that you can’t “(252).
During the process of the trial, Jem experiences his coming of age and lost innocence moment by opening his eyes to the racism he is constantly surrounded by. When Tom Robinson lost the trial, Jem instantly matured and realized how racism in Maycomb was the only reason Tom lost. After Tom was declared guilty, the kids walked with Atticus, “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’” (Lee, 1960, p. 284). Throughout the entirety of the trial, Jem was blinded by his innocence and thought there was no possible way that Tom could lose the trial. It was the moment when the jury declared Tom Robinson guilty that Jem lost his innocence and started opening his eyes to the world. This quote illustrates how frustrated Jem was by the unfairness of the trial. Jem now understands the only reason Tom Robinson lost the trial was because of his skin color. Due to his young age, he had not yet succumb to the disease of Maycomb and realized racism is not right. Furthermore, when Tom Robinson lost the trial, Jem’s perspective of Maycomb changed Jem is left to understand the reality of people’s biased opinions. When talking to Miss Maudie, Jem described to her, “‘It’s like bein’ a caterpillar in a
As children grow up, they open their eyes to the harsh truths in the world around them that they once did not understand or question. This is experienced by the main characters of Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The story is of a girl called Scout and her older brother, Jem, who go through the trials of growing up in the fictional small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s. Racism is rampant in the mindset of the townspeople, shown when the children’s lawyer father, Atticus, takes the case of an obviously innocent African-American man and they convict him in their hearts before the trial even starts. Through this all, we can see the theme of loss of innocence in the children. Lee uses characterization to portray
After the Tom Robinson trial was over and the jury had pleaded him guilty, Jem cried in anger, this showed innocence because he didn’t understand how the jury could do that to him when they all knew that Tom was innocent. When they were walking home from the trial Jem asked atticus how they could do that to Tom, this showed innocence because by him asking this it shows that Jem would never do anything like that, also it shows that Jem doesn’t understand the social asset of the trial. The morning after the trial Jem was still irritable. When he was irritable it showed how much the trial really affected him. After the jury pleaded Tom Robinson guilty in To Kill a Mockingbird Scout tells us, “It was Jem’s turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd.” (Lee p242). This quote shows how mad and sad Jem was at the results of the trial. Jem shows innocence because he cried because he didn’t understand how they could do that to someone even when they know that the white man was lying.
Courage is shown by different characters in varying ways throughout the novel. These characters are Jem, Boo Radley, Mrs. Dubose and Atticus. Jem shows a small amount of courage when Atticus decides to face a lynch mob. Jem understands who they are and what they want to do, but he still refuses to go home and remains to defend his father. Boo Radley also shows courage by putting all his fears of the outside world behind him to save Jem and Scout's lives.
Another reason is when Jem starts to understand how the town is towards racism. In fact during the case Jem was hurt when the jury voted tom guilty “I shut my eyes Judge Taylor was polling the jury:”Guilty..guilty...guilty..guilty..” I peeked at Jem: his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each “guilty” was a separate stab between them(282). Jem is upset that the town found Tom guilty, although there was much evidence that claimed Tom wasn’t
Tom Robinson’s trial was a hard one to watch, but it was so intriguing for the kids. Jem, Dill, and Scout just had to watch, so they left their house without permission to go see their dad defend Tom Robinson against Mayella Ewell. Jem thought that Atticus had a good chance at winning due to his cross-examination questions and the evidence he had. Once all of the jury’s votes came in unanimously as guilty, Jem started to realize what a twisted thing racism was. “I shut my eyes. Judge Taylor was polling the jury: “Guilty … guilty… guilty...guilty” I peeked over at Jem: his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each “guilty” was a separate stab between them” (Lee 282). This quote really shows that Jem cares deeply for the trial and Tom Robinson. He does not understand why people are so rude to black people just because of skin color and he just wants everything to be equal. “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” (Lee 284). Jem’s anger reflected the unfairness towards Tom Robinson and the fact that justice was not served. During the trial Jem never seemed too phased by Bob Ewell’s attorney Mr. Gilmer clearly showing that Tom was worthless, because he thought that his dad was a
Firstly, Jem possesses amazing determination. In this intriguing novel, Jem’s determination pulls him through his life, through his childhood, the court case and the huge aftermath of court case. Jem, Dill and Scout devised methods of causing Mr. Arthur to show his face. Though none of them proved to be successful, the three constantly continued to think up ideas that would enable them to
In addition, Jem abandons all of his childish morals: “Jem looked the floor. Then he rose and broke the remaining code of our childhood. He went out of the room and down the hall. ‘Atticus,’ his voice was distant, ‘can you come here a minute, sir?’” (p.187-188). Dill, Jem and Scout’s best friend, ran away from his home and came to the Finch’s house. Jem has broken “the remaining code of our childhood” by telling Atticus about Dill, rather than keeping it a secret. He has matured past his childhood years, and realizes that sometimes it is best to involve adults.
Injustice is a theme that Lee portrays through Tom Robinson’s case and both Jem and Scout have trouble getting to grips with the fact that an innocent man is going to jail for a crime he clearly did not commit. The fact that good people can still suffer injustice is difficult to take on at such a tender age. However, the two understand the situation and although they are not happy with the result they are ‘coming of age’ and