To Kill a Mockingbird
There are defining moments in a society when one individual can shape
events for generations to come. For one to change ones surroundings,
and make the situation better for others is a great task. In To Kill a
Mockingbird by Harper Lee and in today's society men try and make
dents in their unjust surroundings, not only in politics but in their
homes and personal lives. Men such as Atticus Finch and Jackie
Robinson made actions that changed their communities and homes in
suddle but memorably ways.
Atticus changed the racist society of Maycomb by defending Tom
Robinson in his trial. By acting as Tom's defense Atticus, an
influential member of his community, is standing up for an oppressed
group in his society. In the quote ." . . If I didn't take this case
(Scout) then I wouldn't be able to hold my head up, I wouldn't be
about to tell anyone what to do, not even you and Jem." the reader can
understand that Tom's case is significant to Atticus. He knows that it
will shape his community, that a serious change will be a result from
the trial, and if he did not accept the trial no one else in Maycomb
would help Tom and the rest of the African-Americans in the community.
Atticus also changed his community by standing up against the majority
and defending a man he knows is innocent. In the quote " Link, that
boy might go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told .
. . and you know what the truth is" Atticus is facing a mob of his
peers (Lee 148). The reader can conclude the he is willing to risk his
own safety and reputation to bring justice to the trial, no matter who
is in the way. Atticus shows great compassion towards the blacks and
makes sacrifices by defending Tom, which is another way he helps
change his community. His compassion is displayed in the quote "
(Courage is) when you know you licked before you begin but you begin
anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win but
sometimes you do" (116). Atticus was going to see his case all the way
through, if the result was positive or negative, under any
circumstance.
Atticus' choices at home, in the way he raised his children also
change his society. He teaches Jem and Scout valuable lessons that
help the next generation to break the cycle of discrimination. For
example with the quote " You never really understand a person until
you consider things from his point of view .
Atticus is a fair and honest man. Atticus is one of the only men in
When Atticus discovered what Jem had done, he was furious and punished him by making him go read to Mrs. Dubose everyday. He knew, though, in his heart that she had it coming. Atticus had told Scout that "when summer comes you'll have to keep your head about far worse things it's not fair for you and Jem, but
Mood helps in creating an atmosphere in a literary work by means of setting, theme, diction and tone. Throughout the book To kill a mockingbird the author wanted the mood to be sorrowful or vexed or just fret about how the people are acting because seeing how things were being treated or how people acted would be enough to make you feel angry or sad or worried for the people who were in the book. You always wanted to know what was going to come next or how something would end. Vex was a very prominent mood in this story and is definitely the most relevant.
In the opening chapters of “To Kill A Mockingbird,” Harper Lee introduces several subtle instances of racism. However, when Jem and Scout are welcomed into Cal’s Church in chapter 12, the reader really gets to travel behind the false disguise of Maycomb County’s white society to see the harsh realities of the injustices suffered by the blacks. The black community is completely separate from the whites -- in fact, Cal lives in a totally different part of town!
Nelle Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird has been considered one of the classic works of American literature. To Kill A Mockingbird is the work ever published by Nelle Harper Lee, and it brought her great fame. However, Nelle Harper Lee has published several other articles in popular magazines. Nelle Harper Lee is not an individual who desires to be in the light and little is known about her personal life. At the time it is believed she is possible working on her memoirs. The fictional work of To Kill A Mockingbird plots many elements close to real events in America’s struggle over civil rights.
Scout learned a number of things in the book, but most of them all refer back to a statement that Atticus and Calpurnia said, which goes, “It’s a sin to kill a mockingbird because all they do is sing their hearts our for us.” (Lee, pg. 90). Scout learned that about people, too. She learned that some people don’t do anything to you, so it would be a sin to do something mean in return. Over the course of the story Scout becomes more mature and learns the most important facts of life. She was living through a very difficult time and most of that helped her get through.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee seems like a complete replica of the lives of people living in a small Southern U.S. town. The themes expressed in this novel are as relevant today as when this novel was written, and also the most significant literary devices used by Lee. The novel brings forward many important themes, such as the importance of education, recognition of inner courage, and the misfortunes of prejudice. This novel was written in the 1930s. This was the period of the “Great Depression” when it was very common to see people without jobs, homes and food. In those days, the rivalry between the whites and the blacks deepened even more due to the competition for the few available jobs. A very famous court case at that time was the Scottsboro trials. These trials were based on the accusation against nine black men for raping two white women. These trials began on March 25, 1931. The Scottsboro trials were very similar to Tom Robinson’s trial. The similarities include the time factor and also the fact that in both cases, white women accused black men.
Mr. Tate was right.’ Atticus disengaged himself and looked at me. ‘What do you mean?’ ‘Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?’” (Lee 370)
The book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee contain a very engaging family who are the Cunninghams. The Cunninghams are very poor; they are people who live in the woods. They are a family who depend highly on crops. Walter Cunningham, the 'father' of the family has to work hard on the cultivation of crops because crops is the only form of wages for them. The Cunninghams have no money. Their only way to survive is through paying others with their crops. The Cunninghams are not main characters in the book, but they are characters who 'brought out' other characters' personality. Harper Lee displays that there is a lot of prejudice going on in Maycomb by putting the Cunninghams in the book. "The Cunninghams [were] country folks, farmers"(21) who are very honest people in Maycomb, they "never took anything they [could not] pay back"(23), but they are unfairly mistreated by part of the society in Maycomb.
Some might say that Atticus is putting him and his family in danger.Someone in the mob said,”You know what we want...Get aside from the door” (202). That proves that the mob meant businses and that they were will to “get rid” of Atticus if needed. But,lucky Scout jumped in and saved his life before his life needed saving. Even if Atticus did not have Scout to save him, he would have reasoned with the mob and brought them back to their senses.
When he is confronted by awkward issues Atticus never tries to hide or cover up the truth. He tells Uncle Jack at Finches landing that when a child asks you something, “answer him, for goodness sake.” After Atticus is confronted by the mob outside the county jail, he doesn’t try to pretend that they weren’t there to hurt him. He admits that Mr Cunningham might have “hurt me a little.” When Scout asks Atticus if they are poor, the usual response would be to say no, so as not to scare Scout.
Atticus is a good man, a just man. He upholds his morals, and judges by his conscience. He is shaken but not moved by the town of Maycomb in their gossip and hypocritical ways. When offered Tom's case, Atticus knows he will take it on. He won't just stand there with no proper defense for Tom, but he will let the truth be known, and prove that Tom is innocent. "...that boy might go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told."
...ral and resilient nature of Atticus. It took one person to make a difference and challenging situations typically reveals the true nature of what’s within the heart of a man. Will it be decency and honesty or hatred and wickedness?
Scout Finch is not the stereotypical girl from the 1930’s. Agents the wishes of everyone around her, she grows up in overalls instead of dresses. Scout plays in the dirt and sand, instead of in the kitchen. In the novel To Kill a Mocking Bird, by Harper Lee, Scout is the wild spirited narrator, growing up in the small town of Maycomb. As she gets older, she learns mostly from her father Atticus how to interact with people. Scout learns to show dignity and respect to everyone, under any circumstances.
...Scout, I couldn?t go to church and worship God if I didn?t try to help that man.?? Atticus would help a man if it is the right thing to do, he does not consider what people think of him, he will only be bothered if does not help, then he is going against his moral beliefs. Atticus shows his beliefs, truthfulness, and justice.