...Racism, Poverty, and Violence in To Kill a Mockingbird Maycomb, like other Southern towns, suffers considerably during the Great Depression. Poverty reaches from the privileged families, like the Finches, to the Negroes and “white trash” Ewells, who live on the outskirts of town. Racism violently attacks the people of Maycomb and causes many conflicts throughout the novel which causes violence amongst the citizens. Harper Lee uses the characters involved in To Kill a Mockingbird as symbols of the main themes of the story, which includes, poverty, racism, and violence and these recurring themes influence the actions of the characters in numerous ways. Poverty is repeatedly referenced throughout the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Many citizens...
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...To Kill a Mockingbird is a book written by Harper Lee about a small town in Alabama named Maycomb. The time period that this book takes place in is the late 1930s, the end of the Great Depression and prejudice is extremely prominent. The story is about a black male, Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell, and is defended by a white attorney, Atticus Finch. Atticus and his children, Scout and Jem, endure tough love from their community, but learn many things from the treatment they received. During the book, as the Harper Lee expresses the themes she uses symbols to interpret them. The major themes in the story are revealed within symbols, such as, a mockingbird, an oak tree, and geraniums. The mockingbird...
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...Catrette Lit/Writ 1 15 May 2015 Defining a Mockingbird Life is like a pair of smudgy glasses. At first finding it difficult to see anything clearly, but once effort is rendered in, seeing everything clearly is a piece of cake. Looking into Maycomb, the glasses gives a virtuous understanding of prejudice. Knowing the neighbors do not exactly hold friendly relationships when there is a crazy man also known as Boo Radley living next door, those who care enough to clean their glasses, are not affected by prejudice, therefore do not believe the circulating rumors. “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee demonstrates the meaning of the mockingbird, innocence throughout the story, using Tom Robinson the black man, Boo...
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...Truth versus reality is a common mistake in society. When applied in everyday life the two words are often placed improperly. When this mistake is compared to the trial held in To Kill A Mockingbird, the reader finds this to be an archetype of the common misunderstanding. In To Kill A Mockingbird, a trial is held to find the verdict of Mayella’s case, Mayella lacks family support and a social life, and Tom Robinson is found guilty as Mayella’s raper. The verdict is true to the jury, but in reality Tom Robinson is an innocent man. A trial is held to find the person who took advantage of Mayella and caused her injuries. Both sides of the story completely contradict each other, but both sound truthful. Bob Ewell, Mayella’s father, makes his confession which essentially states that he found Tom Robinson beating on Mayella when he arrived at his home. On the other hand Atticus, Toms defense attorney, states that Tom was requested to do a chore for her and ended up being kissed by her. Atticus also adds that when...
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...universal scholars and philosophers, this idea does not fail to become a real motif in some of the greatest discussed literature known to humanity. Moreover, among these exceptional classics, stands a prominent example of to kill a mockingbird, an “unforgettable novel of childhood in a sleepy southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it” (Lee 282). This “[c]ompassionate, dramatic and deeply moving” classic of American Literature by Harper Lee not only portrays society as a whole, however, it also accomplishes the task through the use of countless dynamic characters, symbols and allegories (Lee 282). Among...
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...is the ability to be comfortable with people who are not like us” (Coolnsmart). Jem and Scout Finch are two children who pass their time with friends, playing games, and making mistakes, as all children do, but recognizing mistakes and learning from them is all part of growing up and becoming mature. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird shows how Jem and Scout Finch change over the course of the novel for the better, as shown by contrast through Jem and other adults, allusion when speaking about J. Grimes Everett, and similes when Scout finally understands the meaning of not killing a mockingbird. Jem indicates that he has bettered himself when he feels sympathy for people being treated deceitfully unlike the other adults in the novel. For example, when Boo Radley, a neighbor, couldn’t leave the kids gifts in the tree any longer because the hole in the tree was concealed, Scout states “When we went in the house I saw [Jem] had been crying…I thought it odd I had...
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...In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus teaches his children many lessons about life. Atticus teaches his children the importance of acceptance, how to avoid stereotyping, and lastly how racism shows the people of Maycomb’s true colours. To conclude Atticus makes it clear to his children that they should never judge a person before getting to know them. Firstly,stereotyping is the main thing in To Kill a Mockingbird.Scout and Jem learn from their mistakes or they learn from the people themselves. For example, Scout judged Mr.Dolphus Raymond because she thought he was a drunk and he had mulatto children from a black woman. She thought that it was wrong to speak to a drunkard and to even deal with someone that loves and lives with black people. But he confronts her and Dill, as a result he makes a simple point that he prefers blacks over his kind because they are uptight and are hypocrites. The white people have their views and judgemental ways against the black community. Mr.Dolphus Raymond tells them this so they can change their views on how they see people. "I try to give 'em a reason, you see. It helps folks if they can latch onto a reason... folks can say Dolphus Raymond's in the clutches of whiskeythat's why he won't change his ways... that's why he lives the way he does." (Chapter 20)... I shouldn't be here listening to this sinful man who had mixed children and didn't care who knew it, but he was fascinating. (Chapter 20). People stereotype ...
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... “That’s what it takes to be a hero, a little gem of innocence inside you that makes you want to believe that there still exists a right and wrong, that decency will somehow triumph in the end.” Harper Lee's novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” shows how courage can be shown in different ways and that even the most subtle act of courage makes a difference. According to Atticus Finch, an honest lawyer in Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" teaches the children that courage can be portrayed as both physical bravery and strength, but fighting for what is right regardless of whether you win or lose takes more strength in character, and that is ultimately more courageous. Many characters show real courage in Maycomb, such as Scout, Atticus, and Tom Robinson. Courage is shown in different ways. Early in the novel, Scout illustrates the courage she is full with. On her first day of school, Scout acts as a leader for the entire class and takes the duty of informing Miss Caroline of Walter Cunningham's situation. Miss Caroline had just scolded Scout for her ability to read, however, Scout still feels the class is in need of leadership. This is courageous because most children at her age would fear speaking to the teacher is such a bold fashion. A very good example of courage is when Atticus asked Scout not to fight anymore. "When I committed myself to a policy of cowardice. Word got around that Scout Finch wouldn't fight anymore, her daddy wouldn't let her." The fact that Scout quit...
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...| Condemned or Forgiven | To Kill a Mockingbird | | Micah Randall | 5/19/2014 | 2nd Period | How many times have you judged someone before you go to know and understand them? How many times has that judgment been wrong? When first reading To Kill a Mockingbird, Mayella Ewell comes off as a heartless, ignorant child whose mistake costs a man his life. It’s easy to make an overall judgment of her and it’s certainly effortless to blame her for everything that happened to Tom Robinson, as she played a key role in his death. Even so, maybe she was judged too quickly and harshly before understanding what she’s been though and who she really is. Considering this, Mayella Ewell was a beaten and broken child who simply wanted more from her life, but was so desperate for attention, affection, and friendship that she latched onto the first person who showed her any kindness. To clarify, despite what judgments were thrown her way, Mayella Ewell is an extremely caring and loving person. For example, the Ewell house was literally a dump. Yet, among all the garbage and trash littered around the yard, there’s one place of beauty. For example, the book says, “One corner of the yard bewildered Maycomb. Against the fence, in a line, were six chipped-enamel slap jars holding brilliant red geraniums, cared for as if they belonged to Miss Maudie Atkinson, had Miss Maudie deigned to permit a geranium on her premises. People said they were Mayella Ewell’s.” The...
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...Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel centered around a few years in Jean Louise “Scout” Finch’s childhood, featuring her experiences and the lessons that she learns growing up in the 1930s. Scout and her brother, Jeremy “Jem” Finch, mature in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, in a one-parent home. Their father and aunt, Atticus and Alexandra, raise them with help from Calpurnia, their African American maid. Harper Lee weaves several different themes throughout the novel, but some are more prominent than others. Lee develops the main themes of growth, protection of innocence, and perception throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, disguised in the form of lessons learned during the narrator’s childhood. Harper Lee reveals her theme of growth...
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...The story “To Kill a Mockingbird” was written by Harper Lee. Its setting was in Maycomb County, Alabama during the Great Depression in the 1930’s. The story was narrated through the eyes of a child, Jean Louise Finch, who was nicknamed Scout throughout the book. The dominant themes in this story were justice, courage and racism. To Kill a Mockingbird was basically about the story about the lives of two children, Scout and Scout’s older brother Jeremy, nicknamed Jem in the story, who were both the children of Atticus Finch, and their progression of their mentality for childhood to adulthood. This was greatly influenced by their father, Atticus and the case of Tom Robinson in which Atticus was defending Tom. Atticus was a proud and dignified person in Maycomb. Everyone in Maycomb respects him and he also respects himself. When Atticus was given the case of Tom Robinson, because he always wants to do what he sees as being right, he has to take Tom’s case because he sees this as his duty. Although he knows this case was a lost one because of the racial society he lives in where a white person’s words always triumph over a black person’s words, he still tries his utmost best to defend Tom Robinson. “I’ve got to live with myself” is how he explains his determination to Scout. If he didn’t defend Tom, he “couldn’t hold up his head in town.” Because his would have proved that he was as just as racial as the Maycomb folks. Atticus was “the deadest shot in Maycomb County” and...
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...The theme in The Crucible is redemption, which is one being saved from sin by their savior or, in a broader sense, redeeming one’s self from their mistake. This is present in life in our daily lives; every time we make a mistake we apologize and try to make it up to the person we caused a mishap. The image relates to the theme by the girl having chains wrapped around her hands which represent the sins she has committed. She is looking up towards the light that shines upon her as a representation of God’s salvation. The bare skin represents that she is willing to be saved from sin, which is why there is more flesh exposed. In The Crucible after Proctor has been locked up because he was under suspicion of witchcraft and associating with the...
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...Lucius Greene Dr. Seymour ENG 113D 11th April 2016 Portrayals of Race In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Lee uses a variety of techniques to show how race pays a factor in many different ways of life during 1930s time period in a small town Maycomb, Alabama. As Harper Lee writes with vivid details of what the events are like during the 1930’s. During her book To Kill a Mockingbird, she showed exactly what it was like to live in Maycomb County Alabama when it comes to race. Atticus is the father of Jim and Scout who also is a lawyer whose office was in the Maycomb County Courthouse. Atticus had a very special role in that court house; Atticus had not had just an empty office but an office full of work. His first two clients...
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...States. When slavery became illegal, racism was still active but as segregation instead. African Americans were separated from whites in every sense of the word. Segregation has been moved past and African Americans are permitted to roam free to wherever they please. Even so, racism is still ongoing in the United States; between all races. Four examples of racism in the United States is the Tom Robinson case in the book To Kill a Mockingbird, the Scottsboro Trials, the Emmett Till Murder Trial, and the Ahmed Mohamed case. In author Harper Lee’s book To Kill a Mockingbird, she writes of the activeness of racism in the 1930s. The main...
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...a person, is someone who gives no respect to anyone and self-centered. They have no shame for their actions and have no morals. By looking at someone being trash, in To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the reader can see the real difference between Bob Ewell and Walter Cunningham rather than how they are treated by others. Bob Ewell is considered trash by Maycomb County which is a correct description of him. According to Miss Stephanie, “Atticus was leaving the post office when Mr. Ewell approached him, cursed him, spat on him, and threatened to kill him. Miss Stephanie said Atticus didn’t bat an eye, just took out his handkerchief and wiped his face and stood there and let Mr. Ewell call him names wild horses could not bring her to repeat” (291). He has no respect for Atticus and he believes that spitting and insulting Atticus is going to satisfy the anger he has towards him....
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