To Kill a Mockingbird Everyone is living in the real world, it is just when someone starts becoming aware of their surroundings that gives them pain the most. The desire to escape is shown throughout the classic book, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Taking place during the Great Depression in the South at a town called Maycomb County, characters in the book go through life and they find it hard to face some of the events that happen around them. Some people become uneasy once they have to face reality or the truth. Dill, Tom Robinson, and Scout have their own way of dealing with pain and the desire to escape reality. The pain that these three characters face is too much to endure which pushes them over the edge, one way or another. The …show more content…
As Aunt Alexandra has been living with the family she has started judging Scout's clothes, "I could not, possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could so nothing in a dress, she said I wasn't supposed to be doing things that required pants" (Lee 108). As Scout grows, up she faces the force of adulthood, which involves her becoming more lady like. Once Scout realizes that she has to give up part of her past, she feel reluctant to do so. Aunt Alexandra tries to push Scout into the family legacy, but instead Scout feels the need to hide from the reality of moving on which means growing up. Scout wants to be herself and not forced to be a "Finch". She doesn't want to be molded into something or someone that she's not. Scout escapes the pressures of being a "lady" by hanging out with her brother and Father, where she was more at "home" and not surrounded by "hypocrites"- fragrant ladies. Scout's need and desires to be herself are not acceptable within her community and it pains her to convert to becoming a "Finch", a stereotypical Southern …show more content…
When faced with difficult situations or decisions to make, each character has their own mechanism to cope. Dill is mortified by the disrespect shown by Mr. Gilmer towards Tom Robinson within the trial and could not understand the incivility taken place. While Tom Robinson was still working on the case, Scout was trying to deal with her transition of growing up. Finding ways to deal with personal situations and realities are faced each day. In conclusion, Dill, Tom Robinson, and Scout escape their problems to help ease their
The Southern women were told and obligated, by some code of southern conduct, to mature into fair-smelling, perfect "ladies." By "ladies" they meant women who were well mannered, good at embroidery, and wore frilly, lacy dresses. One example of this southern tradition occurs when Aunt Alexandra comes to the Finch residence to help Atticus raise his children during the trial. When first arriving she says to Scout, "We decided that it would be best for you to have some feminine influence. It won't be many years, Jean Louise, before you become interested in clothes and boys." This comment implies that the only subjects girls are expected to understand are boys and clothes. Aunt Alexandra makes no mention of Jean Louise's intelligence, education, or personality. Her diction suggests that the only thing Jean Louise is capable of pursuing is her attire and a man. Scout discovers what a "southern lady" is as she notices how Aunt Alexandra "chose protective garments that drew up her bosom to giddy heights, pinched in her waist, flared out her rear, and managed to suggest that Aunt Alexandra's was once an hour-glass figure." Scout was considered to be very improper, wearing overalls and pants, but Aunt Alexandra would still try and introduce her to other ladies. I assume that she did this to try and influence Scout. She hoped Scout would form lady-like habits by watching others. Another example takes place after the trial, when Jem is appalled at the decision the court makes in response to Tom Robinson's case.
Scout Finch, the main character of the book, is a nine-year-old girl who is the narrator of the story. Scout’s Aunt Alexandra stereotypes Scout in the book many times. She says that Scout was born un-ladylike and that she could never be a lady because of the way she dresses. This point is proven when Scout says, "I suggested that one could be a ray of sunshine in pants just as well, but Aunty said […] that I was born good but had grown progressively worse every year" (Lee 81). Also, Scout’s br...
Even though many social forces impact Scout in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, gender impacts Scout the greatest. It affects her in how other people treat her. Unexpectedly, Aunt Alexandra shows up at the Finch household, and Scout asks why she had just shown up. Aunt Alexandra replies, “We decided that it would be good for you to have some feminine influence. It won’t be many years, Jean Louise, before you become interested in clothes and boys” (127). After Alexandra says this, Scout becomes puzzled because she does not think she needs a “feminine influence”. But, as she becomes older she is expected to act more lady like. Since she is a girl, she is expected to act prim and proper. Her being raised around men is acting against these stereotypes. Certainly, it is obvious that boys are more daring than girls. So while Jem and Dill want to get a sneak peak inside of Boo Radley’s house, Scout gets a little apprehensive. Jem shouts out, “Scout I’m telling you for the last time shut your trap or go home. I declare to the lord you’re getting more like a girl every day,” (51-52). After Jem said this, she decides she has no option but to join them. She does...
Scout is a young girl growing up in the south, she is intelligent, thoughtful, and good natured. Her identity is somewhat uncommon during the time she lives in. She is characterized as a tomboy, who doesn’t always act “lady like” or proper by southern standards. Scout most likely became the type of person she is by the care of her father, Atticus. He shapes her mind, while trying to protect her from a dangerous world and preserving her childhood.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, this theme of deluding oneself rather than admitting a painful truth is shown through the town of Maycomb itself, Mayella Ewell’s internal and external struggles in dealing with her feelings for Tom Robinson, and how Jem refuses to believe that the world he grew up in turns out to not be what he had imagined.
Few have very strict and narrow definitions of what it means to be a lady, however; those who do appear extremely attached to the ideals and strive to maintain their image.There are many examples of this, although the most notable and influential to Scout has been Aunt Alexandra. Aunt Alexandra completely adheres to and advertises the highly ideal standard of a woman in the 1930’s. In the 1930’s the ‘ideal’ woman or the standard for it was extremely close minded as demonstrated by Aunt Alexandra’s very presence, Scout views her in a strict manner and says, “ Aunt Alexandra fitted into the world of Maycomb like a hand into a glove, but never into the world of Jem and me”(Lee 150). In the early stages of their living together, Scout resist the idea of giving up her masculine activities for a life like her Aunts. While Scout aims to reject her Aunt’s ideals Aunt Alexandra is the type of woman who understands that a woman’s image is always fragile because it is always in the hands of a man. Another woman in the novel that Scout resists for most of her early years is Calpurnia. Following Scout going to Calpurnia’s church, Scout begins to respect Calpurnia’s ways. Scout states “That Calpurnia had led a modest double life never dawned on me. The idea that she had a separate existence outside our household was a novel one”
Scout and Jem still are unable to accept her and are detached from her strong traditional southern views. As a result Atticus receives many criticism the way he brought up his children and is forced to act. 'Our Father was actually fidgeting. "No, I just want to explain to you that--your Aunt Alexandra asked me...son you know you 're a Finch, don 't you?" (177) However Jem and Scout notices this and become resentful towards the changed Atticus. As Atticus struggles with the Tom Robinson case, Aunt Alexandra plays the role of their mother since they only have Atticus “I know what he was trying to do, but Atticus was only a man. It takes a woman to do that kind of work." (170) however she also knows that instilling manners and acting as the motherly figure was the role of a woman, during that time period. Throughout the book, Atticus has struggled with the job of filling both the father and the mother. No matter how hard he tries, the roll of the mother can never be filled by Atticus. His character does not have the same personality traits that a mother would. All Scout needs is a loving mother, but when Aunt Alexandra comes, she does not nearly fill that role. She is even harsher and the spot still remains vacant. "...you 've got to do something about her," Aunty was saying. "You 've let things go on too long Atticus, too long” (36).This quote shows how Aunt Alexandra is demanding and looks as if she is trying to be the stricter side, which I dont think Scout needs "Atticus, it 's all right to be soft-hearted, you 're an easy man, but you have a daughter to think of." (136-137)I think Alexandra is totally wrong here. Scout does not like to listen to a demanding person telling her what to do. Instead of listening, she will simply do the opposite. A less harsh and caring mother would give Scout something more to mature. Alexandra is really into
Scout, the protagonist, is a young girl coming of age in a society trying to shove her into a dress and the role of a gilded daughter. For example, when Scout recalls a conversation with her Aunt Alexandra, a figurehead for society and one of the major female figures in her life, she begins to shine her own light on how to brighten her father’s life in a way that is true to herself. On page 108, Scout comes to terms with the fact that she is defying stereotypes, “I could not possibly be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants. Aunt Alexandra’s vision of my deportment involved playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace she gave me when I was born; furthermore, I should be a ray of sunshine in my father’s lonely life. I suggested that one could be a ray of sunshine in pants just as well, but Aunty said that one had to behave like a sunbeam, that I was born good but had grown progressively worse every year. She hurt my feelings and set my teeth permanently on edge,
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.
As a growing young girl, Scout was learning and experiencing things just like any other child would though growing up. She got older and was able to understand things a lot better as well as being able to apply lessons she had learned in her everyday life. She began to act slightly more grown up in situations such as Aunt Alexandria's dinner party. Scout forgot how much she despised her Aunt and how much she disliked dresses and joined the group of women in their conversations. Despite how she didn't want to "act more like a lady", she played along with her Aunt's "campaign to teach me (Scout) to be a lady" made an exception to please her Aunt and to create some peace between them. Upon hearing the news of Tom's death she concludes "if Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could I." This shows how Scout was beginning to act more ladylike for her Aunt.
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
The illusion of innocence is deeply instilled in the outlook of children. Reality soon takes its grip as kids begin to grow and mature, and they lose their pure qualities that they have once possessed. Their father Atticus shelters Jem and Scout from the town’s disease, teaching them the act of sympathy and how to distinguish the good aspects over glaring at the imperfections of people. The loss of innocence portrayed in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is exposed as the lives of Jem, Scout, and Dill go through their racist and prejudice society, learning how the worlds dreamlike qualities is nothing more than just a childhood fable. The children’s judgment of people and society quickly sheds as Lee displays the harsh realities to Jem, Dill,
Maycomb) do not all have the same ideals as them, or as Atticus - for
A key theme in the scene is that nothing good last forever. Which is greatly presented in the book To Kill a Mockingbird. This theme comes from the reasoning that When the gifts first started in they were hesitant to take them but slowly warmed up to the idea of receiving gifts from an anonymous source (Boo radley). Slowly it became of routine and they always checked the knothole too see what their secret admirer had left them. However, one day instead of finding a gift they find Mr. Radley filling the hole with cement. When asked why he said that the tree was dying and the hole needed to be patched but this claim was clearly false although the real reason as to why this was done is vague it was most likely that Mr. radley didn't want Boo leaving
The theme that People often fear what they do not understand can be seen developing throughout the story in Scout's eyes. The theme can be shown developing throughout the story from the beginning, middle, and end with different things such as character quotes and actions. An example of this is when Scout didn't know about who Boo Radley actually was and what he looked like, she made crazy ideas about him and over time she began to understand him more and more. Racism in the story is another example of the theme because racists don't take the time to understand other people namely African-Americans because they are scared so they resort to anger and hatred towards other races that they do not understand. Scout also does