In “To Kill a Mockingbird” chapter one, Scout uses the first person retrospective to create suspense. “When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.”. This quotation makes the reader consider the events leading up to the incident and how it actually happened. The use of the first person retrospective creates suspense as the narrator knows what the outcome of the book is going to be but the reader does not. Alternatively it could be a direct link between Jem and the Tom Robinson case and that Jem’s situation with Bob Ewell and Tom Robinson has left him with a permanent scar. Scout describes that Jem’s left arm “somewhat shorter than his right”. He shares this with Tom as his left arm also hangs higher due to an accident of a cotton jim. Lee could be implying that Jem has been affected beyond repair due to his father’s involvement in the Tom Robinson case. Although Lee suggests earlier in the book that Jem’s trauma is temporary and that he will grow up to be as compassionate and understanding as his father. Atticus symbolizes a guardian of justice and at the end of the novel Lee projects an image of Atticus protecting his children; “He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.” Lee creates suspense by using simple sentences. When walking home from the pageant Jem is talking to Scout about their situation. “I’ve got your dress here.” “I can’t get it on in the dark.” “Okay,” he said, “never mind.” “Jem, are you afraid?” Lee could of used these short sentences to show how worried Jem and Scout are and that neither of them can form a complex sentence. Alternatively it could highlight how in control Jem is of the situation and that his first thoug... ... middle of paper ... ...ueless to who it is. This creates suspense as the reader is waiting for the moment that Scout realizes that Boo has saved her. Also, earlier in the book Jem and Scout find ornate carvings and a pocket watch among other things inside a tree stump and it is later revealed that Boo was leaving these things for the children to find. Also when the fire occurs in Maycomb someone places a blanket over Scout’s shoulders. It is never revealed who did this but it is heavily implied that it was Boo. This could be referencing the general attitude towards mentally ill people in the Deep South of America in the 1930’s. In the 1930’s many mentally ill people were sent to mental hospitals as they were almost disowned by their parents and relatives. They usually lives their entire lives their and were buried on campus: as the majority of graveyards did not want to take their bodies.
To Kill a Mocking Bird is narrated retrospectively from the view of Scout, the daughter of Atticus Finch a lawyer of Maycomb, and younger sister of Jem. The informal vocabulary of the narration is still good enough to suggest it is spoken from the view of an adult Scout, (looking back at her childhood) but is casual enough to be understood by most readers.
Patrick Rothfuss, author of award winning novel, The Name of the Wind, once noted, “When we are children we seldom think of the future. This innocence leaves us free to enjoy ourselves as few adults can. The day we fret about the future is the day we leave our childhood behind.” Such is the case for Scout Finch, Harper Lee’s protagonist in To Kill a Mockingbird. In the exposition of the novel, Scout is an immature and nonchalant six-year old who believes her neighbor, Boo Radley, is a malevolent phantom. Jem’s reaction to the Tom Robinson trial helps Scout to understand many life concepts. Once Boo Radley reveals himself, she sees him as Boo: the human being, and not Boo: the malevolent phantom. Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird exhibits a coming of age theme by Boo Radley and Scout’s relationship and Scout’s and Jem’s experiences and life edifications had through the trial.
Lee uses the scene where Jem goes up to touch the Radley house to express her view on courage. “Besides Jem had his little sister to think of. When he said that, I knew he was afraid.” (14) This proves that Jem was scared, and Scout knew it. “ He walked to the corner of the lot, then back again, studying the simple terrain as if deciding how best to effect an entry, frowning and scratching his head. Then I sneered at him. Jem threw open the gate and sped to the side of the house, slapped it with his palm and ran back past us, not wanting to see if his foray was successful”
Lee uses Scout and Jem’s tumultuous childhood experiences to... has had many trials through her life, and on was in fact a trail of Tom Robinson, a black man accused in raping Mayella Ewell, one of the daughters of Bob Ewell, the town’s idler. Atticus, the children’s father, was defending Tom Robinson, and the case seemed to be in favor of him, all the way to the point of Jem stating, “He’s not leaning, Reverend, but don’t fret, we’ve won it..Don’t see how any jury could convict on what we heard-”(Lee 176). Jem is very confident in his father’s argument, and believes that the case will lean to Tom,
“I’d rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you’ll go after the birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mocking bird.” Atticus Finch recites these lines to his two children, Jem and Scout after he gives them air-rifles for Christmas. Scout is curious, as this is the first time that she has ever heard her father refer to anything as a sin, Scout asks Miss Maude what Atticus meant by this. Miss Maude tells Scout that mocking birds don’t rip up people’s garden’s or annoy them in any way, all they do is play beautiful music for us to listen to.
To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee sheds light upon the controversy of racism and justice in his classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. The notion of equality in accordance with the law and the pursuit of justice are hindered by racial discrimination. The essence of human nature is pondered. Are we inclined to be good or in the wrath of evil? The novel reflects on the contrasting nature of appearance versus reality.
In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus is an ideal father, who sets a great example for his kids. A picture of Atticus is important to Scout because Atticus teaches Scout many important life lessons about life. Firstly, as Atticus talks to Scout about Miss. Stephanie, he states “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-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (Lee,30). Scout realizes that one can never feel someone’s pain, happiness, or glory until she looks at their point of view of things; she learns to consider other people’s situation and feelings. She also understands that she will never know what goes in other people’s lives, and therefore she cannot judge anyone. Scout matures as she learns to apply Atticus’ wise advice to understand Mrs. Dubose and Boo Radley, who are individuals that are misunderstood by the community. Furthermore, as Miss Maudie talks to Scout, she states “Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets” (Lee, 46). Miss Maudie knows about Atticus’ personality quite well. Miss Maudie explains to Scout Atticus is a man with moral principles, he does what he believes is right even if others are not there to praise him. Through Atticus’ exemplary role, Scout understands the importance of integrity, and strong moral values. Finally, when Scout questions her father about the possible outcome of the trial, Atticus states “simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us to try to win” (Lee, 76). Atticus teaches Scout toleration, determination and moral courage. He already knows he is going to los...
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Twelve Angry men by Reginald Rose and The Scottsboro Trial are all about unfair trials containing discrimination towards different people and people being prejudice .The peoples action towards the defendants affected them for the rest of their life. Many of the people that came into the court brought in their own social problems and that influenced the verdict.
Jem, as any young boy has quite an imagination. During the summer after Scout starts school, Dill (Scout’s lover) comes for the summer. The topic of who lives across the street came up in one of their conversations. Boo was then mentioned and Dill asks what Boo looks like. “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, 16). Nobody has ever seen Boo in a very long time, way before Jem was alive, so this description comes from his imagination.
As Jem and Scout were put into an unknown situation and were very frightened, they were saved by the man that they feared because he was unknown. It is here. that the children are able to realise that all along it is he who is afraid of the world,. Lee is able to show that they all fear something. which can bring them together.
Atticus, the father of Jem and Scout, was right when he said, ¨you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them.¨ Scout realizes that Boo Radley is not who everyone rumors him out to be. Scout learns that you need to spend time with a person to find out who he truly is. She learns this after walking Boo Radley home after the disturbing experience the Finch kids had been in. Scout finally understood what life looked like from Boo Radley's perspective when she is standing with him on his front porch. Also, when Scout talks to Atticus at the end of the book he shows her how she has turned into a wonderful young lady. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee develops the theme that believing rumors will lead you to false assumptions unless you have walked in that person's shoes through imagery, characterization, and point of view.
Here, Jem is not allowing Scout to hurt something that does not hurt her. He believes that if something makes the world better, then why would you harm it. Again this is portraying his growing emotionally and mentally.
First of all, Scout allows the reader to focus more on the exterior of situations. Children tend to experience things differently from others. Events that take place in society may be of great importance to adults and mean nothing to children. Things of importance differ between children and adults. But sometimes, a child’s perspective may be the best way to look at things. In To Kill A Mockingbird, the whole town was talking about Tom Robinson’s trial, especially since he was African American and Atticus, a white man, was to be his lawyer. According to reviewer Edwin Bruell in Racism in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, “[To Kill A] Mockingbird, he tells us, is about the townspeople, not about Robinson” (Mancini 101)....
Scout starts to understand people’s needs, opinions, and their points of view. In the beginning, Scout does not really think much about other people’s feelings, unless it directly pertains to her. Jem and Dill decided to create a play based on the life of one of their neighbors, Boo Radley. According to neighborhood rumors, Boo got into a lot of trouble as a kid, stabbed his father with scissors, and never comes out of the house. The children create a whole drama and act it out each day. “As the summer progressed, so did our game. We polished and perfected it, added dialogue and plot until we had manufactured a small play among which we rang changes every day” (Lee 52). Scout turned Boo’s life into a joke, something for her entertainment. She did not think about how Boo would feel if he knew what they were doing. Near the end of the book, while Boo was at the Finch house, Scout led him onto the porc...
Harper Lee utilised Narrative Voice and Structure through the exploration of Scout’s perspectives and thoughts to portray the loss of innocence.