More handpicked essays just for you.
Literary essays in to kill a mockingbird symbols in the novel
To kill a mockingbird symbolism harper lee
Literary essays in to kill a mockingbird symbols in the novel
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Throughout the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, every character has their own unique personality traits, one trait common to all characters is fear, especially that of the fear of the unknown. In the beginning, the children, known as Jem, Scout, and Dill are afraid of Boo Radley because he has not been out of his house in about fifteen years. In the climax, the entire Finch family is afraid of Atticus losing his case with Tom Robinson because they have no idea of what might happen to Atticus’s job. And towards the end, the children are afraid of Atticus’s safety because Bob Ewell has threatened to “Get Atticus if it took the rest of his life” (pg.358 para. 1). These events in this novel has lead to believe its central idea is fear of the unknown. …show more content…
Boo had found himself in the wrong crowd as a teenager which eventually resulted in breaking the law and attending court. Mr. Radley, who is Boo’s father, had made a compromise with the judge which was if the judge released Boo, he himself would see to it that he gave no further trouble. Ever since, Boo had never been seen or heard from again for just about fifteen years. The children are afraid of the Radleys because they keep to themselves and most people in Maycomb are friendly and sociable, they also believe the Radley pecans are poisonous. They are mostly afraid of Boo because he never comes out of the Radley house, Mr. Radley takes a stroll to the town store every day at eleven thirty and comes home promptly at noon, Mrs. Radley occasionally walks across the street to enjoy coffee with their neighbors, but Boo never comes out. This ties into the fear of the unknown because the children have no idea what Boo is like but have only heard stories and rumours about how awful he
Some people hide from change thinking that it will never find them, but change is happening all around, whether it is the seasons or how people think and act things change. Sometimes though, as quickly as the world changes, there are people and things that may not change with everything else. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, there are people who refuse to acknowledge the world changing around them and try to reverse the changes that have already occurred. Two of these people afraid of changes are Bob Ewell and Walter Cunningham. Two people who become accepting of change are Miss Maudie and Aunt Alexandra. Fear of change is one of the root problems in society.
Within the beginning of the book, Boo Radley had a bad perception within the town of Maycomb due to abrupt rumors. For example, one of these rumors displayed in the first chapter creates a very violent image
Throughout the novel Harper Lee explores the racism, prejudice, and the innocence that occurs throughout the book. She shows these topics through her strong use of symbolism throughout the story.
Boo Radley is the next door neighbor of the Finch’s. He is an outsider of the community, because he does not leave the house. He got in some trouble as a teenager, so his father locked him up inside the house. After his father died, his brother moved in with him. While Boo was locked up inside is house, the people of Maycomb County made up stories about him. The legend of Boo Radley was well-known to the people of Maycomb. Jem describes Boo, “Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained—if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time.” (Lee ). Boo is an innocent character because all he does stay inside his own house, and does not bother anybody. Yet the entire town believes that he could be a murderer. Harper Lee is showing that if you do not fit into southern society, they will make you into an outsider and a bad legend. Another example of Boo Radley being an innocent character is when he gives a blanket to Scout. Miss Maudie Atkinson, one of the Finch’s neighbors, had a house fire. Atticus (Scout and Jem’s father) woke up the kids and made them go outside, in case the fire spread to their house. While Scout was not looking someone gave her a blanket, “‘Someday, maybe, Scout can thank him for covering her up.’ ‘Thank who?’ I asked. ‘Boo Radley. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn’t know it when he put the blanket around you.’”(Lee ). Boo Radley is an innocent character because he helped warm up Scout in the cold, yet Scout was still scared that Boo had been near here. Harper Lee is showing us that Boo could do a nice thing, and yet Scout would still be scared because of his reputation. Finally, another
They have many misconceptions of people, places, and concerts in Maycomb county. However as they are young and don't really have opinions themselves. They abide by those presented them. At the start of the novel Scout and Jem see Mr. Arthur Radley or "Boo", as a dangerous, crazy, and rather isolated man. Although never being in his presence or in association with him they always make assumptions about him. They constantly pestered his household and played games that mocked him, "..time to play Boo's big scene...steal the scissors...Jem would fake plunge into Dill's thigh..."(LEE40).They also had the misconception that Boo was kept inside forcefully by his family. Boo was also blamed for unresolved events. As time goes by they mature and start to develop more of an understanding of Boo, "..I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in his house all this time...he wants to stay inside"(LEE227). Jem develops an understanding as to why Boo Radley stays inside. It's not because his family forces him to stay inside. He realizes that when living in a town like Maycomb, there is an incredible amount of judgement and labeling that occurs. It becomes evident to him that Boo has no place and isn't welcomed into the society. Especially with having a stereotype "glued" to his identity. Scout then has an
Fear and courage are very important in this story. They change almost every important event that occurs. Fear and courage both go together, because without fear, there is no fear to overcome and be courageous. They are the most important qualities and feelings in the novel, along with empathy. Without courage, key events that happened would have been altered. For example, if Jem and Scout never went in the yard of the Radley family, Boo would not have saved them from the deadly attack of Bob Ewell. The major point is that fear and couirage played a large role in the novel of To Kill A Mockingbird.
Another very crucial point to the overall story is the mutual fascination between the children and Boo Radley (Arthur Radley). Boo constantly leaves objects (a watch, two soap dolls, a knife…etc) in the hollow of a tree on his property. Just as Boo does this, the children are constantly devising plans to look in the windows of the Radley house, to sneak into the back yard…etc. This was largely important to the story because it built upon the viewer’s opinion of the children, leading us to believe them having large capacity for imagination from their stories on Boo eating only squirrels and any cats he can get his hands on, and having them believe the stories as well! And all of these instances, the children’s stories, the fact that Boo never comes out of his house in sight of others, the stories of others concerning the Radley’s, the gifts in the tree hollow, lead us to believe Boo to be some sort of...
Fear in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Fear is an important force in the novel because it is the cause of most people's actions. The main theme in the book is a result of fear. such as the Tom Robinson case and Boo Radley. Ignorance breeds fear which in turn breeds prejudice. Fear is infectious, and each character.
One of the widely recognized controversies in American history is the 1930s, which housed the Great Depression and the post-civil war, the ruling of Plessy versus Ferguson and the Jim Crow Laws, and segregation. While textbooks detail the factual aspect of the time there is only one other literature that can exhibit the emotion experienced in the era. To Kill a Mockingbird is the acclaimed novel that displays the experiences of the South, through inequality and segregation, social class differences and the right to fairness. The novel’s experiences are narrated through a grown Scout, who appears as a little girl in the novel, offering her innocent views on the happenings in Maycomb County. The most observed aspect of the novel is race and racism; with Tom Robinson’s trial being the prime focus of the novel, the issue of race is bound to be discussed throughout the novel is race, racism and segregation; with Tom Robinson’s trial being the focus of the novel, the issue of race is heavily represented throughout the novel. With Mockingbird being a common book among English Language Arts and Literatures classrooms, the topic of race is bound to surface amid a young, twenty-first century group of student of students with the inevitability of this discussion, the question remains on how to approach the conversation as an educator. As an educator, one should seek to establish the context of the times, prepare the students for the conversation and examine the other characters and situations similarly to race. Educators must also be introspective before examining their students’ feelings, so that they are not surprised by their emotions and can also express their feelings to their students. The discussion should target a goal, one of examin...
Symbolism. Why is it important in a novel? Why do authors incorporate symbols into their writing? Symbolism aids the reader in understanding what the author wants to portray. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird, she writes about the racism in a small town in Alabama named Maycomb set in the 1930’s and about two children growing up and learning that their town is not as perfect as they thought. The theme topic appearance versus reality helps to get a better understanding of the symbols used in the novel and that you should not judge something by their appearance, you should judge by the reality of what it is. “As Atticus once advised me to do, I tried to climb into Jem’s skin and walk around in it.” (Scout page 77) In her novel, there are many symbols throughout the narrative that relate to the theme topic appearance versus reality. Harper Lee writes symbols into her novel, such as the snowman, Mrs. Dubose’s Camellia flower and Dolphus Raymond’s Coca-Cola bottle to help reinforce the theme topic of appearance versus reality throughout the novel.
Alfred Hitchcock developed his signature style from his earlier works The Lodger and Blackmail. These films were the framework for his signature films later on. His themes of “an innocent man who is accused of a crime” and “the guilty woman” were first seen in these two films and are repeated throughout Hitchcock’s cinematic history
Without courageous people, human society would not progress. This is evident in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, whereby a few heroic individuals inspire transformations in a racist community. One of the characters who shows bravery is Tom Robinson. Even though he knows he will most likely lose, he goes on trial and fights for justice and truth. Another person who displays inner strength is Boo Radley. He is able to break out of his comfort zone and stand up for what is right, despite his fear. The most daring character in the novel is Atticus Finch. Although most of the town is against him, he continues onward and faces hatred with dignity and respect. Each of these extraordinary individuals represent Harper Lee’s belief that real courage is doing the right thing, even if it requires standing up against the majority.
In chapter 23, after the Tom Robinson trial, Jem asks Atticus why the people of Maycomb never serve on a jury. Atticus tells him, “Serving on a jury forces a man to make up his mind and declare himself about something. Men don’t like to do that. Sometimes it’s unpleasant.” (Lee, 297) This supports the idea that fear drives people’s actions. The jury in the Tom Robinson trial was afraid to say they thought he was innocent because they knew that much of the town would strongly disagree with that verdict. Everyone knew the truth deep down, but many were ignorant and chose to believe that Tom Robinson was guilty, just because he was black. The jury was afraid of being hurt by the rest of the people in Maycomb. Another example of fear in To Kill a Mockingbird is when Jem describes Boo Radley to Scout. He tells her that Boo is, “about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained-- if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time.” (Lee, 16) This quote demonstrates that Jem and the kids fear Boo. When describing him, they turn him into a monster, just because they’ve never seen him, and so
Harper Lee, in To Kill a Mockingbird, presents the theme that to have a will to overcome fear by facing the fear itself. In the story fear is playing a huge role in the story as it affects every single character in the story .Even showing how these characters overcome these fears through them changing Fear is constantly occurring in the story with the children were face up to Boo Radley, when Atticus was fighting for a black man, and when Boo Radley was protecting Scout and Jem. In chapter 4 pg 33 Scout says “"Tin-foil was sticking out of a knot-hole just above my eye level, winking at me in the afternoon sun.
To Kill A Mocking Bird-courage Within the novel "to kill a mocking bird" the character Atticus finch defines courage as, "Courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. " Atticus takes the first step by being courageous to take the Tom Robinson case, defying the towns liking of prejudice, even his own sister thinks that he is disgracing the family by taking the case he explains with concern " The only thing we've got is a black man's word against the Ewells'. The evidence boils down to you-did-I-didn't. The jury couldn't possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson's word against the Ewells'.