...Thesis: Lee’s philosophies of hypocrisy, the difference between right and wrong, and the symbolism of the mockingbird is shown by the use of dialogue, and characterization. In the novel, Lee expresses hypocrisy within the Society through the use of three characters. Lee shows hypocrisy with the use of Miss Gates, Scout’s third grade teacher. Miss Gates teaches the class about all the evil things Hitler does to the Jews in Germany. Showing her students why she disagrees with Hitler, Miss Gates tells the class that “over here we don’t believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced” (208-209). However, while at the Missionary Society meeting Scout overhears Miss Gates talking about how Tom Robinson's conviction...
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...Final Analysis on “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee Jackie Berry Colorado Technical University LITR 240 Prof. Peggy Huey May 9, 2011 Abstract When an author writes novels, short stories, or poems, most of their ideas come from life experiences. The author is trying to send a message that may mirror what the reader can understand. Many writings address conflicts, themes and symbolism. Harper Lee (2006) introduced many of these elements into her novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”. Harper Lee gives accounts of the story as if she was a young child and learns many life lessons that change her life forever. “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (2006), takes place a small populated town in Maycomb, Alabama. The author has taken us back when hatred and prejudice is very common in the 1930s. Atticus, Scout, and Jem Finch are frowned upon because Atticus is defending a black man of allegedly raping a white woman. Atticus uses this opportunity to teach Scout and Jem morals that we teach our children today. Atticus teaches Scout and Jem to not to be judgmental towards anyone, not be afraid to stand up for what is right, and violence does not solve anything. Jem and Scout will also learn the true symbolizing of why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Harper Lee described the town of Maycomb as being a very poor and run down. The community is very small and everyone knew each other. The blacks and whites are divided and some that...
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...Atticus Finch is one of the most steadfastly honest and moral characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird“ by Harper Lee and his character remains, for the most part, unchanged throughout “To Kill a Mockingbird”. As any character analysis of Atticus Finch should note in terms of the plot of “To Kill a Mockingbird” he begins as an upstanding citizen who is respected and admired by his peers and even though he loses some ground during the trial, by the end of To Kill a Mockingbird he is still looked up to, both by his children and the community as whole—with all class levels included. As a lawyer in To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch represents everything that someone working in the justice system should. He is fair, does not hold grudges, and looks at every situation from a multitude of angles. As Miss Maude quite correctly puts it in one of the important quotes from “To Kill a Mockingbird”by Harper Lee, “Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets” (87) and this could also be said of how he behaves in the courtroom. He is a skilled lawyer and without making outright accusations in a harsh tone he effectively points out that Bob Ewell is lying. Even more importantly, the subject of this character analysis, Atticus Finch, is able to gracefully point out to the jury that there although there probably are a few black men who are capable of crimes, “this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of men” (208). His understanding of...
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...Essay Theme: To kill a mockingbird Student: Slugina Irina “To kill a mockingbird” is a magnificent and powerful novel written by Harper Lee, a well-known American writer. It gives a deep insight into human society. The author highlights the theme of moral nature of the human beings – whether they are good and merciful or cruel and evil. It also deals with the problems of racial prejudices, inequality and racial discrimination. In a small Southern town in the 1930’s, it took exceptional courage for a white person to take a stand against racism. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the main character - a smart experienced lawyer Atticus Finch becomes a fighter for justice and truth. He possesses such traits as being principled, determined, honest and courageous. Atticus goes beyond the racist limitations of his society. By doing so he risks becoming an outcast for the courageous stand he takes. By agreeing to defend a black man falsely accused of having raped a white woman, Atticus demonstrates he is the most courageous person in Maycomb. He not only risks being alienated from the town, he also tries his best to defend his client, Tom Robinson, though he knows his struggle for justice is ultimately doomed, regardless the strength of his character and his good intentions, Atticus is too small to win this fight for justice. As the saying goes: “One man - no man”. The story is told from memories of Atticus’s Finch daughter Scout. She and he older brother Jem become...
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...The Influence of Historical Events on Harper Lee’s Writing The 1930s were a time of great social upheaval and economic turmoil. The United States was experiencing a drastic change as new ideas and problems arose throughout the country. These problems and ideas not only swayed public opinion, but also influenced action (Rauchway 1). Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, lived though all of these events and felt their effects growing up while living in the Deep South. Looking at her only novel, it can be concluded that the similarities within it and reality are no coincidence. The Historical events that occurred during Harper Lee’s lifetime clearly influenced her writing of To Kill a Mockingbird as elements of the Scottsboro Boys Trials are undoubtedly evident in the trial of Tom Robinson, the Jim Crow Laws are unjustly in effect towards the African-American population of Maycomb, Alabama, and the deleterious economic hardships faced after the Great Depression are present in the citizens of the town throughout the novel. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird revolves around the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman, and the lawyer defending him. This fictional trial is in fact an almost exact recreation of a trial that Harper Lee lived through: The Scottsboro Boy Trials of 1931. Both the fictional and real trials of Tom Robinson and the Scottsboro Boys share several similarities, two of which are the race and crime of the defendant...
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...Throughout the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee discusses the effects of discrimination and the toll it takes on people. Through examples of sexism, prejudice, and racism, from the townsfolk of a small town in Alabama, she shows the readers the injustice of many. The victims of discrimination serve as the ‘mockingbirds’ of the story, as said by Atticus,“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (Lee, 94). In essence, this story demonstrates the loss of innocence of many, especially Scout who is affected by sexism and racism most of all. By far, one of the most evident forms of discrimination present in To Kill a Mockingbird is racism. It impacts the actions of every single character in the book and formulates...
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...the years 2009-2010, a University of Vermont professor looked at a statistics to see how many more times people of color are to be pulled over in a car than white people. The statistics show: “An analysis of traffic stop data from four police departments in Chittenden County shows that blacks are more often stopped by law enforcement than their white and Asian counterparts. Blacks are two times more likely to be to pull over than whites in Burlington and South Burlington.” The forces of conformity are more cultural than legal these days. People of color or who are “different” are covering from racists and prejudice people. A similar instance happened with Tom Robinson, Atticus, Calpurnia, and Mr. Dolphus Raymond being outcasts from society. Since they were outcasts, they were treated with less respect and privilege. Harper Lee wants the reader to take away from this; Take a moment before judging another person or racially profiling someone and, possibly, try walking in their...
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...and decisions to belong and not belong. Max Lucado’s picture book ‘You Are Special’, and Harper Lee’s novel ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ delve into the intricacies of belonging within community. Both texts explore how personal differences can alienate individuals from their community and cause a loss of self-worth. However people often overcome this disconnection to community through experiences of belonging in their own unique identity. Lucado’s ‘You Are Special’ follows the story of a Wemmick (puppet) named Punchinello who lives in a small village, where the same creator carved all the inhabitants. The Wemmicks that excel in fields deemed worthy such as looks, physical and mental ability, are given golden stars, whilst puppets that do not have these characteristics are given blue dots. Punchinello is a puppet that is given many blue dots, due to his lack of skills or looks, alienating him from his small community of puppets. This alienation from his community causes Punchinello’s loss of self-worth, ‘I cant walk fast. I can’t jump. My paint is peeling.’ Lucado uses dialogue to highlight Punchinello’s insecurities due to the predetermined societal rulings of what it means to be beautiful. This idea connects to that of superficial morale and is reiterated through the accumulation of imperfections ‘…can’t walk fast…jump…peeling paint.’ Lee’s ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ follows the events that unfold within the town of Maycomb, as narrated by an adult Scout. Many different examples...
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...“I’m simply defending a Negro- his names Tom Robinson”. With these words Atticus informs Scout of his life altering task of standing up to the prejudice and racism that pervades the sleepy southern town that was Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930’s. The effects of racism on Maycomb and its citizens will be discussed with further reference to ‘To kill a Mockingbird’. The court case of Tom Robinson seems to be a turning point for “the sleepy town “of Maycomb County. One acquires the impression that Tom is hated by everyone in the town as he, a black man, falls at the bottom of the social hierarchy that is very much a part of the town. Due to racism , black people are looked down upon by white people and the very few who choose to go against this norm...
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...to the book To Kill a Mockingbird. Both authors talk about hypocrisy and want us to understand clearly the message that they are trying to send. In To Kill a Mockingbird hypocrisy was a common thing that the people in the society of Maycomb seemed to have. Tom Robinson a black man who was accused of raping a white woman had taken the guilt although he was innocent. Because of the hypocrisy in Maycomb, Tom would never be able to get his hopes up. Atticus (a white lawyer) took the responsibility to defend Tom and try to eliminate the hypocrisy in his town. However Atticus was the only one in his town who wanted to do the right thing and stands up for what he believes in but the others wouldn’t. They just wanted to go along with the situation and let whatever happens, happen. There is a quote in the song “America is” that says “America is the home of the hypocrite”. The quote is really connected to the book because the people in Maycomb let their hypocrisy grow among them and won’t do what is right. American people always say “All people should be treated equally” but their actions never show whether or not they do value what they say. The people in Maycomb are afraid, and possibly wanted to do the right thing especially telling the truth, but they did not because they fear that their decisions or actions will somehow unplease others. Atticus couldn’t be the eye opener for the people in Maycomb because he was the only one that was kind of an outcast from the society...
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...bouraghda assia llcer l1 TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD : the family and social values To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee might be the greatest novel of the 20th century. The story puts the finger on family and social values that has made it appealing to all generations of readers. The narrator uses the small town of Maycomb and the Finch family as the basis of her story for describing family values. "Maycomb was an old town, but it was an old tired town when i first knew it" p.5 Nearly all the families in TKAM are atypical, even if the Finch seems to be the most normal in the novel. in fact Atticu's family is still unusual: it is a single-parent family and his children call him by his first name. Harper Lee uses the 1st person narrative to put the reader in the shoes of Scout, a tomboy daughter of Atticus Finch. Scout is an intellingent and neither She nor her brother Jem have any close friends, but only Dill who comes to visit each summer. Atticus is one of the only parents that takes time with his children. Him and Scout would read everyday for example. the only motherly touch in the house comes from Calpurnia, the african american housekeeper. Nevertheless, the Finch serves as role models I mean The novel traces the life of Scout, her brother Jem and Atticus over many years. Meanwhile, Harper Lee uses great descriptors and try to show the values of the other dysfunctional families found in Maycomb: The Ewells are "the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations" in...
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...Loneliness is sadness because one has no friends or company. Harper Lee explores the loneliness of peoples experience through many of the characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird”. The importance of family is very important in every persons life wither they are young or old. Throughout the novel, Dill, Boo Radley, and Mayella Ewell are all outcasts. If one closely examines, Dill, Boo Radley, and Mayella Ewell, one can see that if they had not been lonely they wouldn’t have ended up the way they did. Unlike Jem and Scout, Dill lacks the security of family love. He is unwanted and unloved by his parents. Dill says, “They do get along better without me”. Here Dill is saying that his parents get along...
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...Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird "I do my best to love everybody... I'm hard put, sometimes-baby, it's never an insult to be called what someone thinks is a bad name. It shows how poor that person is, it doesn't hurt you" (Lee). It is hard to get along with everybody, especially in the southern 1930's where racial tensions ran high. Atticus Finch is a fifty year old lawyer and father of two kids who was born and raised in Maycomb County, Alabama. He believes in his heart that it is his duty to love everybody no matter what. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses Atticus Finch to show that even when society is pressuring otherwise, it is important to always do what feels right. Maycomb, Alabama is a small town. There was...
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...In Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Mayella Ewell, the supposed 19 year-old victim of Tom Robinson, lives a life of hard work under her drunkard father; moreover, she is a victim of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, a truly hopeless child sadly forgotten in the folds of society. Mayella Ewell is both a product of her environment and a social outcast. Mayella, the 19 years old daughter of Bob Ewell, acts as a maternal figure in the house after the demise of her mother. Likewise, she is a hard worker, as noted by Atticus. More notably, she is a victim of abuse. During Tom Robinson’s trial, it becomes evident that she is indeed a victim of some sort of physical violence, with deep bruises on the right side of her face....
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...What is Social Justice? Social Justice is the equality of people whether their race or their religion. In To Kill a Mocking Bird, Harper Lee uses the character Atticus Finch to show ideas of social justice. Atticus finch shows characteristics of equality, courageousness, and determination to overcome the obstacle he has come across. Atticus says “ You never really understand a man from his point of view until you climb into his skin and walk around in it”. Harper Lee uses Atticus’s character in many ways throughout the story. As soon as Atticus receives the case he knows he is beat. Scout asks Atticus if he will win the case and he says “ No, Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win”. Atticus is trying to explain to Scout that no matter what the circumstances are, whether the tables are turned your way or not, you need to the best in your ability to do whats right. He is doing the impossible because he has courage, he is doing whatever it takes to help Tom Robinson prove his innocence....
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