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Childhood experience in to kill a mockingbird
Childhood experience in to kill a mockingbird
Coming of age introduction
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When one is young, one is oblivious to the harsh realities of life. The imperfect human nature, suffering, and trauma can influence a child’s view of the world and the people in it. In her novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee tells a story about the coming of age of Scout, a young girl living in the post Civil War South, in a context of racism, violence and aggression. As Scout faces these new experiences, she relies upon her African-American nanny, Calpurnia, her reclusive neighbor, Arthur Radley, and her father, Atticus Finch to help her through it all. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses the characterization of Scout to illustrate that when a naive child is exposed to traumatic, adult situations, they may develop a deeper and a more mature understanding of the people who influence them in their life. Scout initially lacks an understanding of her nanny Calpurnia; but after enduring a difficult experience, Scout learns who Calpurnia is and how she has helped her by being both a mother figure and a role model . Early in the novel, Calpurnia witnesses Scout criticizing the way her peer ate his lunch, and Calpurnia attempts to correct Scout’s poor behavior. Scout defends herself leading to a heated argument. After the fight, Scout vows that, “when [Calpurnia] wasn 't With the violence and racism of her community as a backdrop, Scout is forced to develop an understanding of the roles played by the influential people in her life: Calpurnia, Arthur Radley, and Atticus. Although these traumatic, adult experiences were difficult for young Scout to endure, she gains a deeper and more mature understanding of those important to her that will serve her for the rest of her life. Even though the most difficult challenges, one can perservre and
In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout Finch tries to please her father, but living with no mother it’s hard to know how to act. It’s natural to follow Jem, her brother, when that is her only friend through out the years. Imagine hearing gossip about your father from friends, neighbors, and even your own cousin. Scout had to push through all of the gossip and believe in her father. Throughout the novel Scout shows how social she can be. To Kill a Mockingbird is a great novel that keeps you reading. Scout has a positive effect on events such as at the jail, she was the reason that the mob left. She also always curious so she is more mature than most kids her age. Through the journey of the trial she shows how hot-tempered, tomboyish, and mature she can be.
The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is set in Alabama in the 1930s, and concerns itself primarily with the interrelated themes of prejudice and empathy. These themes are explored as the story follows Scout Finch as she learns lessons in empathy, ultimately rejecting prejudice. While all characters in Lee’s novel learn from their experiences, not all are able to grow in the same manner as Scout. The idea of a positive role model, typified by the character of Atticus Finch, and the ramifications of its absence, is a concept that Lee places much emphasis on. The isolated setting is also pivotal in the development of characters. Lee uses the contrast between characters that learn lessons in empathy and compassion, and characters that cling to the ideals of a small town, to explore factors that nurture or diminish prejudice.
Childhood is a continuous time of learning, and of seeing mistakes and using them to change your perspectives. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates how two children learn from people and their actions to respect everyone no matter what they might look like on the outside. To Kill A Mockingbird tells a story about two young kids named Scout and her older brother Jem Finch growing up in their small, racist town of Maycomb, Alabama. As the years go by they learn how their town and a lot of the people in it aren’t as perfect as they may have seemed before. When Jem and Scout’s father Atticus defends a black man in court, the town’s imperfections begin to show. A sour, little man named Bob Ewell even tries to kill Jem and Scout all because of the help Atticus gave to the black man named Tom Robinson. Throughout the novel, Harper Lee illustrates the central theme that it is wrong to judge someone by their appearance on the outside, or belittle someone because they are different.
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.
However, Scout acknowledges her mistakes and uses them as learning experiences that helps her grow and mature. An example that shows this very well in the novel, “I remember the distant disastrous occasion when I rushed to young Walter Cunningham's defense. Now, I was glad I done it. “Soon’s school starts I’m gonna ask Walter Cunningham to dinner,” I planned have forgotten my private resolve to beat him up.” (Lee, Ch.23). This significant taught her a big lesson. That you shouldn’t judge others based on their differences. In the beginning of the book, Scout picks on Walter Cunningham, a classmate, for getting her in trouble with Miss. Caroline. She doesn’t stop to think about her words or Cunningham’s perspective of the situation. In short, she was being insensitive. Walter is from a poor family of farmers their eating habits aren’t like Scout’s. So naturally, Scout, being a child, picks on him for that. Now, later in the novel, Scout understands her mistake and tries invite him for dinner again as a way of apologizing. This quote shows that her innocence views is the bridge that lead her realize her
...ht she knew with a new perception. Scout learns that though there is evil in the world that does not mean that there is no good. Scout’s development resulted in a person who is able to clearly perceive the world without looking through rose-coloured glasses. Scout began her journey utterly innocent of the world surrounding her, an innocence that only children could retain. She then advances to an understanding that there was more out there then what she understood existed. And now, she attains the acuity, astuteness and keenness she needed to mature. In the end, Scout did indeed mature, and has come to realize the true realities that surround her, and has begun to comprehend the meaning of true human nature. Anne Frank once said, “Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right path, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.”
Calpurnia had thought Scout some lessons in life to, Scout once had invited one of her classmate she got in a fight with to eat at her house. Scout had insult the boy because of the way he ate and Calpurnia told her “Theres some folks who don’t eat like us, but you aint called to contradiet ‘em at the table when they don’t. That boy’s yo’ comp’ny and if he wants to eat up the table cloth you let him, you hear” (24). Calpurnia was trying to tell Scout not to judge the boy because they all had different lives. Scout also had Aunt Alexandra to teach her about life because she was also like a mother to Scout. Aunt Alexandra acts a little more like a high rich standard she talks about how to act and pick her friends.
Harper Lee’s only book, To Kill a Mockingbird, is the stereotypical tale of childhood and innocence, yet it successfully incorporates mature themes, like the racism in the South at the time, to create a masterpiece of a work that has enraptured people’s minds and hearts for generations. According to esteemed novelist Wally Lamb, “It was the first time in my life that a book had sort of captured me. That was exciting; I didn’t realize that literature could do that” (111). Scout’s witty narration and brash actions make her the kind of heroine you can’t help but root for, and the events that take place in Maycomb County are small-scale versions of the dilemmas that face our world today. Mockingbird is a fantastically written novel that belongs on the shelves of classic literature that everyone should take the time to read and appreciate for its execution of style and the importance of its content.
As one grows up, they gain new knowledge and new sight on things. This causes their vision, or understanding of the way the world works, to change. Harper Lee shows the change in vision through the eyes of a young girl, Scout, in her world-famous book, To Kill a Mockingbird. By using a child’s point of view, Lee is able to embed prejudice’s roots, effects, and solutions into the changing visions. By the end of the book, Scout learns not to underestimate one based on age from Atticus,that not everything is fair through Ms. Gates and the trial, and the difference between stories of Ms. Dubose and Boo Radley and reality.
¨What's comin will come, and weĺl meet it when it does.¨-Unknown As the story goes on this quote represents what happens in the story and the characters in the plot of something unexpected. Within the story of ¨To Kill a Mockingbird¨ there were lots of sense that our characters literary, elements to explain coming of age, which brings me to the point that I will inform you about Boo Radlleyś coming of age with the literary elements in this essay.
Individual’s without life experience possess a greater urge to reveal the harsh realities of life and understand the rights and wrongs of prejudice. Harper Lee demonstrates this in To Kill a Mockingbird through Scout and her journey of self discovery and understanding her life. The environment that someone grows up and develops in highly influences the way they will think, act and their own opinions. Lee utilises the character of ‘Scout’ as a guide into her own self discovery. She leads us through her examination of society's opinions and her journey to finding her own. The symbolism of the name ‘Scout’ demonstrates her personality as adventurous and willing to discover new ideas, similar to what a scout does. Further, Lee demonstrates Scouts journey to finding her opinions by introducing her to Walter Cunningham. As he is from a poorer family than Scout, he does things differently which is strange and confronting to her. The colloquial language presented in “Theres some folks that don't eat like us… but you ain’t called on to contradict em” demonstrates Calpurnia's life lesson given to Scout offering her advice to not repudiate Walter. Scout is quick to judge anything different from her own way of life. Calpurnia insists that Walter, as someone who is different, deserves respect and in extension teaching Scout that not everyone is the same. Lee continues developing Scouts personality
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper, society’s darker aspects are drawn out on the form of racism and violence forced on two small children in Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s who are going through great change in their lives and their country. As the story develops, Scout, the main character, has perceptions that change as time passes. Calpurnia, the family’s black maid, seen as mean and unfair in the beginning, and is seen in the end as someone with considerable skill and intellect. Atticus, her father is introduced as someone who seems old and simple and is later seen as very skillful and wise.
...of her father. She takes greater pride in calling herself his daughter, even though she cannot tell anyone about what happened. This event plays a great role in how Scout views talents and people’s attitude towards their own skills.
Jem feels that Scout is acting immaturely by dressing like a boy (being “rough and tumble”) and he reprimands her for doing so, but Scout cannot help this, as she has never had a female, motherly influence in her life. Being young and impressionable, Scout takes Jem’s criticisms hard, begins to cry and then runs to their maid, Calpurnia, for comfort. While this indicates Scout’s immaturity, it also defines the beginning of her maturation “journey” in that she actually cares about what other people think and how they see
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.