Rough Draft In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird there are various key themes that Harper Lee includes, ranging from the importance of family all the way to innocence. One of the most recurring themes in the book is moral development.In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee conveys the theme that self control reveals a person’s higher moral development when Scout refuses to fight the boy that is bullying her, when Atticus compliments the woman that was screaming insults at his children, and when Atticus walks away after Robert Ewell spit in his face. One scene in To Kill A Mockingbird where Harper Lee displays the integrity needed to execute self control is when Scout is being antagonized by a boy at her school about how her father is defending Tom Robinson, and when asked to fight, she decides, instead, to walk away. She was tempted to attain revenge, but then she, “drew a bead on him, remembered what Atticus had said, then dropped [her] fists and walked away” (Lee 102). She was mentally strong, and instead of listening to the angry voices inside of her, she followed the advice of her elders. It was a major milestone for her, as it was, “...first time [she] had ever walked away from a fight” (Lee 102). …show more content…
It was later at night, and, “Atticus was leaving the post office when Mr. Ewell approached him, cursed him, spat on him, and threatened to kill him” (Lee 291). Instead of firing back and even calling the police, Atticus remains calm and collected. Atticus’s, “... peaceful response…” (Lee 291) indicates that his main goal is to do what is right, and not what is easy or justified. Lee portrays Atticus as a symbol for moral integrity, and as a person who always does what is right, so the reader naturally realizes that exerting self control is a trait that only the most upright people