What makes a book a classic novel? Timelessness, endless lessons, and changing meanings through eras are just a few of the elements that make a classic novel. One of the loved by the public classic novels is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird is a book about a young girl growing up in Maycomb, Alabama during The Great Depression. Through the eyes of Jean Louise Finch we see through the eyes of a young child losing her innocence. The theme that is relatable in To Kill a Mockingbird still to day is only one aspect of what makes it a classic novel.
One theme that can be formed from To Kill a Mockingbird is innocence is lost in more than one. Jean Louise, more commonly known as Scout, is raised by her father. Her mother
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When reads a classic novel they may find a lesson. Do not wander at night alone, do not talk to strangers, do not go behind your parents backs, etc. These are point blank lessons, easily spotted and understood. On reading To Kill a Mockingbird for the first time one may take away lesson of, “Always do what you believe is right”. This lesson can be formed in the twentieth chapter which reads, “ I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty” (Lee 275). This is Atticus’s last plea that the jury not find Tom Robinson, a negro man on trial for rape of a white woman, guilty. Atticus took this case because he knew that this was the horse he should back. He knew this man was being wrongly accused. He took the case knowing the insults it would bring on him and his family from the prejudice people of their town. On reading To Kill a Mockingbird for a second time a more hidden lesson may be found. One may see in chapter fifteen that there is a lesson of catering conversations to what others want to hear/talk about not what you want. Lee writes, “Atticus had said it was the polite thing to talk to people about what they were interested in, not about what you were interested in” ( Lee 205). Scout is hearing this lesson that she does not quite understand. Why should she not talk about what she
The novel addresses the themes of race relations, justice, the loss of innocence, and small town life. Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are viewed as mockingbird characters because they are subjected to suffering yet they are harmless and innocent.
The life lessons and values taught in To Kill a Mockingbird is important as it teaches us many things. Through the protagonist, we are able to find the true meanings and actions of courage, how fairness and equality can create a better society, and to get to know someone before making a judgement. By learning from this novel, we can strengthen our values and morals to improve ourselves as
In this story Atticus defends Tom Robinson with compassion. Atticus is a very respected upper class white. He comes from an old family and works for the state legislature. He was asked to just be the lawyer not to actually defend. When Atticus states, "I'm simply defending a Negro his name's Tom Robinson. (Lee 75) I think that the quote secures the position that Atticus clearly wants to defend him. He wants everyone in the courtroom to know the truth. "That boy may go to the chair, but not till the truth's been told….."(Lee 46) When Atticus says this I begin to see that his courage is amazing. In this time racism is high and Atticus stands up for what is right no matter if his life is endangered. Even though there was evidence proving that Tom Robinson was innocent the lop-sided jury found Tom guilty. Atticus insured Tom that he would make an appeal.
Atticus helps scout with interacting and showing her how to socialize with others while getting to know them. Atticus tries to teach scout that not everyone is going to like her but, as Atticus states, "no matter what anybody says to you, don't let them get your goat", (Chapter 9 page 101). He explains how scout should not let what people say influence her to think otherwise about something. At the same time, Atticus explains how she neither can judge anyone either, as Atticus formally says, "you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view" [...] (chapter 3 page 39). Atticus wants scout to know and understand that it is wrong to judge or assume something about somebody if you don't know the accurate reason as to why they do what they do. Being the kind, respectful man Atticus is, he also wants to teach scout the right from wrong,
Atticus views that it is his duty to do his best in the Tom Robinson trial and feels no
What makes a book a true classic? Is it in its age, the distinction of its author, the number of copies it sells? I believe it is in none of these things. A true classic is a book that can make you feel, emoting with all of its characters, even the ones you don’t expect to empathize with. Its characters cannot be without faults-they must be as human as the book’s readers, or they will be forgotten as just another character in an endless line of too-perfect protagonists. Any great novel seeks to explore human nature-our morality, our trust in each other, the delicate inner workings of our societies. A classic does more than explore the ways of our world, it exposes them, down to the nitty-gritty bare bones. These books force us to look at the world around us and truly see everything that is happening around us, not just the pretty oute...
Atticus teaches a great lesson of "self" to his children when he decided to take the Robinson case. Atticus has proven to be an honorable man because he could have easily been a coward and refused to defend a "nigger". Atticus replies to Scout's question of why he took the case by saying that he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't take it. He was determined to defend this innocent black man, Tom Robinson. He did a great thing and wasn't influenced by the other whites in the community.
The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box”(Lee 220). This is how Atticus described the trial to his son Jem because he could not comprehend how unjust the trial was unfolding on a daily basis. The proceedings were not equitable towards Tom Robinson because everyone should have realized at the trial that he had not done anything wrong. In the end, Atticus lost the trial. Not because the jury and judge thought Tom Robinson had committed the crime, but simply because he was black and they were racist.
Scout first learns to show compassion and tolerance by refusing to go to school because she hates Miss Caroline. Atticus tells her that, 'First of all, if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along 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'; (30). When Atticus told her this, she began to accept Miss Caroline as well as other people's differences and opinions.
One of the principal aims of To Kill a Mockingbird is to subject the narrator to a series of learning experiences and then observe how much she profits from her experiences. There is rarely a chapter that does not teach Scout something new or does not build toward a new learning experience. So, one rewarding approach to the novel is through an examination of these experiences. In the largest view, Scout learns about (1) justice and injustice through the Tom Robinson trial; (2) prejustice and its effects on the processes of the law and society; (3) courage as manifested in ways others act; and (4) respect for individuality of the human being. On a smaller scale, Scout learns numerous things about numerous people; she becomes aware of the difficulty of being a lady, particularly when under dressed; and she learns when to fight and not to fight.
As the story progresses, Scout slowly becomes introduced into the world of hatred, unfairness, and racism that the 1930’s exposed. Nevertheless, since Scout still had both her innocence and naivete, due to her premature age, she completely expressed total disapproval towards the treatment of blacks during the time of her childhood. The author portrays this disapproval through Dill and Jem, Scout’s friend, and Scout’s brother, respectively, as shown here by Dill, “‘I don’t care one speck. It ain’t right to do ‘em that way. Hasn’t anybody got any business talkin’ like that—it just makes me sick.’';
At the end of the book, Scout learns to look at life through others perspective before judging them and believing the rumors. Scout succeeds to understand Boo Radley's perspective and fulfills atticus’s advice that ¨you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them.¨ Despite all of the rumors, Scout learns to assume another person's perspective before jumping to
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.
Atticus uses ethos to challenge the jury’s pre-existing minds about race. Atticus declares, “I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty.” Atticus attempts to make one last plea to the jury to find Tom Robinson innocent of the crime. Atticus is trying to tell the jury that this case is no longer just about freeing his client, but to stand up for truth and humanity. Atticus is emotionally attached to the case
What is a classic? One definition given by the dictionary is: having lasting significance or worth; enduring. When examined closely we can discover what makes the novel unique and memorable. There are many important messages in Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, which make it memorable to the reader. The main message in this novel is about racism, how people around you, not just parents have a strong influence on you when you are growing up, and how rumors and misjudging can make a person look bad. Judging other people without knowledge of the facts is also a common occurrence.