In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper lee, there is a form of Southern dialect. It varies by certain characters and their families, according to their economic class and lack of education. They talk in a certain way depending on where they have grown up, or where they live at the moment. Mirroring the dialect of those who would actually speak that way in the past, and reality. By being born and raised in Southern Alabama the townspeople in Maycomb County have a strong dialect, consisting of many “yonder” or “ain’ts”. Making it easier to cognize the plot of the story, therefore the reader has a better understanding of the characters and where they grew up. Also drawing the reader into a conclusion of whether they are from Alabama or not. Coming across the characters background at the same time. For example, Aunt Alexandra speaks in a white, formal, class of speech: “Why thank you son” (Lee 207). This differs from Jem’s form of speech, which is inadequate. “Shoot yonder’s been readin’ ever since she was born, and she ain’t even started school yet. You look right puny for goin’ on seven’ (Lee 8). Clearly comprehending the individual’s class and lifestyle to the reader. …show more content…
Within 1930s many African American people were inept, because they weren’t permitted to acquire any schooling or education. Impacting Tom Robinson’s speech and his ability to apprehend formal English, especially when spoken during the trial. “Under what circumstances?” asks Atticus Finch, receiving a riposte of, “Please suh?” (Lee 256). Having Mr. Finch restate his question, he could well fathom the context, causing an effective difference in grasping the persona of Mr. Robinson, highlighting the poor education that the characters
Figurative language is in most well written novels. It helps develop the overall theme the author is trying to portray. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, I noticed Harper Lee distinctively used two types of figurative language. The first is symbolism, Lee used this twice during the novel with the mockingbird representing beauty innocence and Boo Radley representing the good in people. The second is motifs, Lee used this to emphasize the small town life in Maycomb, Alabama and helps give a better understanding of the people in the town.
The South has always been known for its farming economy, confederate tendencies, family pride, and delicate females in ruffled dresses. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the South's familiar traditions become ostensible as a theme throughout the plot. This novel takes place in Alabama in the 1930s and tells a story about a lawyer who defends a wrongly accused black man while trying to raise his two children, Scout and Jem, as they go through life's most active learning stage. Southern ways enhance the plot of the story and give a realistic and historic perspective to the book. This portrayal of Southern culture appears in various forms of racism, hatred, meek women, and family.
Almost everyday one decides to sacrifices an aspect of their life, but is limited to only so many on their behalf of their morals. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch and Jem Finch sacrifice their identities, perspectives, well being, and time for their beliefs. The book takes place during the great depression where racism is a normal day to day behavior. Atticus is a lawyer who is assigned to take on a case defending Tom Robinson who is an african american man accused of rape. While knowing that the usual act of a lawyer being appointed to defend an african american, during the great depression, is to not try to defend the defendant at all, Atticus believes that he should give the same amount of effort to defend Tom Robinson as he would to a
Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, Harper Lee's, To Kill a Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior, to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, and the struggle between blacks and whites. Atticus Finch, a lawyer and single parent in a small southern town in the 1930's, is appointed by the local judge to defend Tom Robinson, a black man, who is accused of raping a white woman. Friends and neighbors object when Atticus puts up a strong and spirited defense on behalf of the accused black man. Atticus renounces violence but stands up for what he believes in. He decides to defend Tom Robinson because if he did not, he would not only lose the respect of his children and the townspeople, but himself
There 's a point in everyone 's life when people are forced to wear a mask to hide their true selves. People want to fit into what they think is normal. Most of the time, the individual behind the mask is very different from what they are being perceived as. They can be evil and wicked, or they can be smart, loving, and caring. Characters in the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird written by Harper Lee live through the Great Depression and Segregation. They all have qualities that make them unique in their own ways. In the town of Maycomb, Alabama, citizens are put under stereotypes all throughout the novel. Characters get assigned labels that aren 't entirely correct. Dolphus Raymond, Mayella Ewell, and Boo Radley are all products of what it looks
It is widely known that regional accents exist all over the United States, and that the cultural history of the area has a large influence on how modern inhabitants speak. This is addressed and tracked in the documentary Do You Speak American, and provides an excellent sampling of the regional accents throughout the United States and their origin. The differences, all based on the historical inhabitants of an area, pertain to any number of differences, primarily pronunciations of words. This creates a clear picture for all the different possible accents or mannerisms that could be developed by the characters of Sweat, provided the story took place in a different location and possibly time. If the story had changed location to the Northeast, near Boston, the lifestyle and culture, as well as the language, of the characters would be vastly different. As described by Professor Vajda, the Northeast dialect, influenced primarily by English Puritans, possesses a twang, a “flat sounding nasal lengthening of vowels.” This leads to the famous r-less pronunciations of words, like cah (car) and Hahvahd (Harvard). If this language influence was present in Sweat, the individuals would speak without the distinctive lack of an -ing at the end of words, along with a number of traits. African Americans were much more
Change is something everyone goes through in life, whether it is for the better, or for the worse. Change can be a result of one’s personal behavior, and other times it is from one’s surroundings. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960), starts off with a young girl named Scout who is not your average lady. She wears breeches, and swears despite her young age. As Scout ages, her personality progresses and she starts to look through different perspectives, opening her eyes past Maycomb.This is only possible with the help of her family and her neighbors. She learns how to empathize with others, all the while dealing with struggles of her own. Scout’s young childhood atmosphere and role model’s make her depict on who she truly is, eventually
In the 1930’s, many African American men were wrongly accused of rape and murder. The issue of racism is brought up in the book “To Kill a Mockingbird” when Scout overhears her teacher saying that it’s a great thing that this is happening to Tom Robinson because the black men are getting too comfortable thinking that they’re mighty. Racism didn’t only affect Tom Robinson, but it also affected those who supported him. The lives of Scout and her family are changed when Scout's father, who is a lawyer, steps in and defends Tom Robinson. Atticus’ lawsuit affects Scout and his children in several ways.
“To Kill a Mocking Bird” is a novel which was written by Harper Lee. In my essay I will discuss how Harper Lee explores the theme of prejudice by looking at the writing techniques and how they affect people.
To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in a rural southern town in the 1930s, when racism was commonly accepted. Blacks were
Lee presents Atticus Finch as understanding of Tom Robinson, caring with the children, and calm throughout the Tom Robinson trial. Lee illustrates Atticus Finch as a very understanding character, especially during the Tom Robinson trial. During the revolting times of the 1930s, it was outlandish for a white man to stand up for a Negro man. For example, when the towns’ people are
There is no doubt that Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a famous novel known for its themes, most of them containing wise life lessons, racial inequality being an obvious and important one. Firstly, racism illustrates the lack of justice and people’s views on prejudice in Tom Robinson’s case. Secondly, the novel touches base on diction notably the racial slurs used. Finally, with racism being a theme of the novel, it affects the characters’ personalities. Harper Lee uses life lessons, diction and characters throughout the novel because it develops the main theme of racism in To Kill a Mockingbird.
First, Tom, formally known as Thomas Robinson was a black man who worked for a man named Link Deas. Tom was 25 years old, had three children and a wife named Helen. When he was 11 years old Tom’s left arm was caught in a cotton gin and he lost feeling in his left arm. Tom was accused of rape by a white woman named Mayella. Everyone hated him because it didn’t look good for a black man to be accused of raping a white woman. During his trial he had a white lawyer named Atticus, who did his best to prove that Tom was innocent and Mayella and her dad Bob Ewell were lying. Atticus says,”Did you resist her advances?, Mr.Finch, I tried to ‘thout bein ugly to her. I didn’t wanta push her or nothin.” stated Tom(Lee 195). Tom did not want to kiss her but he didn’t
Mrs. Hurston uses Southern Black dialect through out the book. This is appropriate because all of the dialog is between Blacks who grew up in the deep South. Some authors that write in a dialect totally confuse their readers. However, Mrs. Hurston’s writing does not confuse us at all. One particular example of this is on page 102. Tea Cake starts off saying, "‘Hello, Mis’ Janie, Ah hope Ah woke you up.’ ‘Yo sho did, Tea Cake. Come in and rest yo’ hat. Whut you doin’ out so soon dis mornin’?’" Janie replied. This dialog is easily to understand. The reader really gets the feeling of the speech because reading it is just like listening to it. Mrs. Neale also knows where to stop writing in dialect. All of the narration and description in the book are in plain English: she does not confuse us by putting narration in dialect, only the speech of characters is in dialect. This part of Zora Neale Hurston’s art adds to the story without confusing the reader.
The author eases the reader into the life of the town with warmth and good humor. The reader builds what the children call a Negro ?snowman;? rolls crazily down the street in a somersaulting old tire; sits in a consolidated classroom in a hilarious scene where the backcountry kids unhinge a teacher from an alien ?north? county of Alabama. The children?s phrases, the slang of Southern poor white and Negro, and the language of the more educated people have a regional charm.