...As the article above states, the Tom Robinson and Mayella Ewell Trial has concluded in sentencing the black, guilty man to death. He was dispatched to the county jail, just to later attempt to escape. The guilty man was shot dead while escaping. I, being a qualified editorial writer, think that it was incredibly ignorant and egocentric act. He was proven guilty, and sentenced to time in jail. I, and many others, believe that he should have paid the price for his expensive and abusive crime. The fact that he was denying his extremely inappropriate actions towards Mayella, which were later proven accurate actions, just shows the immaturity level of the grown man who should know better. When committing a crime, there is always a probability of...
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...First, Tom Robinson and the jury are embodied by symbols. Tom Robinson is falsely accused of raping Mayella Ewell. He is a man of respectable moral and has been “a faithful member of First Purchase since he was a boy” (Lee 160). Besides, it is apparent that he only helps Mayella doing her chores whenever she wants. It is undeniable that he is innocent considering all the evidence shown. He is a mockingbird, an innocent man. However, the jury judges him by his skin colour instead of logically looking at the situation. Consequently, they assume him as a rapist and give him a death sentence. In addition, the people of Maycomb put his family into shame and misery even before the trial. Reverend Sykes states that his wife is “finding it hard to get work these days” (Lee 164) because of what people think Tom has done. The jury and the people of Maycomb who judge others by their skin colour and the following prejudice are exemplified as blue jays. A mockingbird and blue jay represent certain characters. Accordingly, it allows readers to precisely recognize both good and evil sides and hence it helps noticing both sides’ existence. Second, their disparity is well represented by symbols to demonstrate the coexistence. As they fight each other during the trial, the contrast becomes more evident. Despite of Tom Robinson’ death after the trial, the concept of his...
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...SUMMARY of the extract from the novel "To Kill the Mockingbird" by Harper Lee In the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" the scene is laid in a small American town in Alabama. The given extract depicts a trial of Tom Robinson, a coloured man, who is in the criminal dock on a capital charge of assaulting a white girl. His defending counsel Atticus Finch is an experienced lawyer and a progressive-minded man known for his humane views. His taking up the case was an act of courage in the American world of prejudice. The story is told by Jean Louise, Atticus's daughter, who watched the progress of the trial and being a lawyer's daughter did not fail to feel the atmosphere in the court-room and see the futility of her father's efforts to win the case. It is Atticus's speech to the jury that takes up the best part of the text. Moved by his sympathy for the black man and his desire to stand for his rights Atticus spoke most convincingly and with a great emotional force. He pointed it out to the jury that the case was simple enough. Having thoroughly considered every piece of the evidence submitted Atticus exposed the false testimony of the witnesses and proved that the defendant was innocent while the guilt lay with the white girl, the chief witness for the state. It was she who had tempted the Negro thus breaking the code of the society she lived in. Next she would throw the blame on Tom Robinson thus putting his life at stake. Atticus condemned Tom Robinson's accusers for their hypocrisy...
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...To kill a mockingbird Chapter: 9 summary Summary Students at school start saying that Atticus "defends niggers." When Scout asks why, Atticus says he's defending a black man named Tom Robinson. Atticus says he won't win the case, but has to take it in order to keep his integrity. He cautions Scout that people, even their friends, might say dirty things to her, and tells her to keep her head up and avoid fighting. Scout does. It's the first time she's ever walked away from a fight Every Christmas, Uncle Jack comes down to Maycomb from Boston and all the Finch's gather at Finch's landing to spend the holidays with Scout's dreaded Aunt Alexandra and her awful grandson Francis. At Finch's landing, Francis calls Atticus a "nigger-lover." Scout punches him, and Francis claims she hit him for no reason and also cursed at him. Uncle Jack spanks her Back in Maycomb, Scout tells Uncle Jack why she hit Francis, but makes him promise not to say anything because Atticus said she shouldn't fight anyone over the Tom Robinson case. Later that night, Scout overhears Jack telling Atticus he doesn't understand children. Atticus says you have to be honest with them. Then Atticus says the trial will be bad, since "reasonable people go mad when anything involving" a black person comes up. He says the trial will be particularly tough on Jem and Scout. Analysis and themes Scout and Jem begin to see the prejudice that is as much a part of Maycomb as the kindness they've long known. Atticus...
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...To Kill A Mockingbird: Overview Vanessa Vigneau English 400 March 20, 2015 Cultural and Literary Significance To Kill A Mockingbird was written during the most critical time periods of racial discrimination, the 1930s. During this time racial prejudice was already an issue, especially in the southern states, but during the Great Depression it escalated even more and the imagery in To Kill A Mockingbird allows the reader to fully understand the impact prejudice had on children and adults. To further explore the cultural significance it is important to also realize that the story time period closely related to the time period in which it was published, 1960. During this time, many were trying to fight Jim Crow laws of segregation and were in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement. (2007) This story would seem obvious to some as a coming of age story involving the main character and narrator, Scout, but it was much more involved than a little girl growing up and learning to see things from another’s point of view. This story involves the cultural significance of how people lived in the south in the 1930s and how children and adults were affected by the on-going, ugly, violent prejudice. In the story Scout and Jem are taught by their father lessons about courage and tolerance as it is becoming clear to Atticus, he can no longer shield his children from what is happening in their town. He teaches them to stand in someone else’s shoes and consider the world from that perspective...
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...in the goodness of the people in her community. As the novel progresses, this faith is tested by the hatred and prejudice that emerge during Tom Robinson’s trial. Scout eventually develops a more grown-up perspective that enables her to appreciate human goodness without ignoring human evil. Atticus Finch - Scout and Jem’s father, a lawyer in Maycomb descended from an old local family. A widower with a dry sense of humor, Atticus has instilled in his children his strong sense of morality and justice. He is one of the few residents of Maycomb committed to racial equality. When he agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black man charged with raping a white woman, he exposes himself and his family to the anger of the white community. With his strongly held convictions, wisdom, and empathy, Atticus functions as the novel’s moral backbone. Jeremy Atticus “Jem” Finch - Scout’s brother and constant playmate at the beginning of the story. Jem is something of a typical American boy, refusing to back down from dares and fantasizing about playing football. Four years older than Scout, he gradually separates himself from her games, but he remains her close companion and protector throughout the novel. Jem moves into adolescence during the story, and his ideals are shaken badly by the evil and injustice that he perceives during the trial of Tom Robinson. Arthur “Boo” Radley - A recluse who never sets foot outside his house, Boo dominates the imaginations of Jem, Scout, and Dill. He is a powerful...
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...THE GLENCOE LITERATURE LIBRARY Study Guide for To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee i Meet Harper Lee at the same university. In 1949, however, she withdrew and moved to New York City with the goal of becoming a writer. While working at other jobs, Lee submitted stories and essays to publishers. All were rejected. An agent, however, took an interest in one of her short stories and suggested she expand it into a novel. By 1957 she had finished a draft of To Kill a Mockingbird. A publisher to whom she sent the novel saw its potential but thought it needed reworking. With her editor, Lee spent two and a half more years revising the manuscript. By 1960 the novel was published. In a 1961 interview with Newsweek magazine, Lee commented: Writing is the hardest thing in the world, . . . but writing is the only thing that has made me completely happy. To Kill a Mockingbird was an immediate and widespread success. Within a year, the novel sold half a million copies and received the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Within two years, it was turned into a highly acclaimed film. Readers admire the novel’s sensitive and probing treatment of race relations. But, equally, they enjoy its vivid account of childhood in a small rural town. Summing up the novel’s enduring impact in a 1974 review, R. A. Dave called To Kill a Mockingbird . . . a movingly human drama of the jostling worlds—of children and adults, of innocence and experience, of kindness and cruelty, of love and hatred, of humor...
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...progresses. The characters Atticus Finch and Jeremy Finch demonstrated their courage in the novel which resulted in the explanation of the message about real courage. Atticus Finch proved to be a noticeably courageous character in the novel. One apparently reason was because he accepted the appointment to the case of Tom Robinson, a black man. It took courage for Atticus to do the right thing, despite knowing that he...
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...1 Brief summary of the book This book tells the story of two children, brother and sister (Jem and Scout) and what they encounter in their childhood. They live in Alabama, together with their father, who is a lawyer. And every summer Dill Harris comes around. The three are inseparable and one summer, they were wondering what happened with the Radley’s place and who lived there. They decide to try to communicate with the Radley’s, namely Boo Radley (Bogeyman) but Mr Nathan (his brother) put a stop to it and they never spoke again. When winter came there was a fire across the street from their house. All neighbours were outside, even Jem and Scout in their pyjama’s. Scout as freezing and without noticing she was given a blanket by Boo Radley, that was the first time in month they had their encounter with the Radley’s. After this event, everything changes. Jem and Scout are growing up, Dill run away from home and Atticus had his big trial, Tom Robinsons. He was...
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...grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square. Somehow it was hotter then: a black dog suffered on a summers day; bony mules hitched to Hoover carts flicked flies in the sweltering shade of the live oaks on the square. Men's stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o'clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum." Page 5 Analysis The descriptive detail paints a vivid picture of the town of Maycomb, which provides some insight on Scout's feelings about Maycomb. In addition, the narrator provides the setting for the story and sets the mood for a quiet and somewhat dull town, which sets the stage for the conflict of Tom's trial. Chapter 2 Quotation "'Your father does not know how to teach. You can have a seat now.' I mumbled that I was sorry and retired meditating upon my crime." Page 17 Analysis Scout's first grade teacher makes her feel bad about being able to read, when she should feel proud that she can read and write at such a young age. Scout even apologizes and referred to her ability as a crime. This exchange demonstrates how many people in Maycomb are very small minded in their views. Chapter 3 Quotation "'First of all,' he said, 'If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-' 'Sir?' '-until...
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...Scottsboro trials. The first influence on Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, was the Jim Crow laws. The Jim Crow laws were cruel laws set up to put...
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...does not show off his talent since he was born with it and did not work diligently to achieve such good talents. Atticus also tells his children that Mrs. Debose “is the bravest person he knows” (Lee pg or chapter?). This is once again a humble statement that Atticus states because he, himself shows courage. Atticus believes that being humble is a true characteristic of being a gentleman. Atticus is also as brave as a man needs to be, if not more. First of all, he accepts and defends a black man, which is frowned upon, in a very racial prejudice town. Along with that, he sits outside of his defendant’s jail cell because he knows that a mob is going to appear at the prison and kill Tom Robinson. Even though defending a black man is practically not allowed in Maycomb, Atticus still performs as Tom Robinson’s lawyer fearlessly. Atticus believes that having courage is a true characteristic of being a...
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...K Mrs. G ENG2D1 6 January 2015 To Kill a Mockingbird: A Excellent Adaptation To Kill a Mockingbird, according to many people is one of the finest books written in modern American Literature, which spreads the honorable message of racial injustice in the 1930’s in an informative and creative way. By showing a family known as “the Finches” experience and face the trials of living in a small Alabaman Town called Maycomb. The book itself was written by Harper Lee, a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist. When the novel was turned to a movie, there were many challenges that the director had to face while turning this classic novel into life. The director Robert Mulligan had to make sure the movie itself is an excellent adaptation of the book within the restrictions of creating a movie such as time limit, audience restrictions, money, and making sure to not replicate the entire book. This is why a book is better in an aspect as there are not as many restrictions to when creating a book compared to a movie. The film and the novel itself has many similarities and differences, however it is upon whether or not the film is a successful adaptation and portrays the theme of racial injustice. This film is a reasonable adaptation as it demonstrates the message of the film using the same context as the book and brings the characters to life in a creative way. There is great screenplay and dialogue amongst the characters which allows the audience to understand the movie thoroughly. However...
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... In this little town everyone knows each other and everyone knows what happens. The main characters are the Finch family with Atticus, Scout, and Jem in their small house in the middle of Maycomb. Scout is a young girl who grew up with a lot of boys and acts that way in the way she deals with conflict. Jem is the older brother who isn’t really isn’t in the picture a lot but is in a crucial incident of the story with Scout. Atticus is a very well known coveted lawyer; everyone in town knows him and looks up to him as a person and a professional. That was short lived when Atticus did something he knew was right but society said it was wrong very wrong. The name is Tom Robinson and he was a black man being accused of raping and beating a white woman. When Atticus did the right thing to stand trial for Tom, he didn’t realize what he was going to put his family and life through. Jem and Scout were put through a lot of comments and slander in school and were picked on. Atticus put his reputation on the line...
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...arguments )Some of the many characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird” that show metaphorical blindness are Bob Ewell, Miss Stephanie Crawford, and Miss Caroline Fisher. Paragraph Two: Argument 1 (Topic sentence)Bob Ewell is one of the characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird” who shows metaphorical blindness throughout the story and is evident in his many different actions.(Body/proof sentences) Bob Ewell is blind to things around him because he always considers his point of view and not others. He was blinded by rage after the Tom Robinson trial because, according to Atticus, Atticus “destroyed his last bit of credibility at the trial, if he had any to begin with”(Lee 219) when he made it pretty clear he was lying. Because of his rage he was very blinded and did many things to his credibility worse like when he “stopped Atticus on the post office corner, spat in his face, and told him he’d get him if it took the rest of his life”(Lee 217), when he “chunked at” Helen,Tom Robinson’s wife, to get back at her and when he tried to kill Scout and Jem. By doing all of this, Bob Ewell lost even more credibility and ended up dying due to it. He also injured Jem’s arm trying to kill him.(Concluding sentence) All in all, Bob Ewell is very ignorant in many of his actions which caused many of the characters much pain and ultimately caused his own demise. Paragraph Three: Argument 2 (Topic Sentence)Miss Caroline Fisher shows lots of metaphorical blindness throughout the story. She is a new teacher...
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