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To kill a mockingbird character essay scout
Essay on scout from to kill a mockingbird chapter 1- 10
Scout to kill a mockingbird character analysis
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Life was hard for people of color in the South during the Jim Crow laws. More than l4,000 blacks were lynched in the South throughout this time, and racism was at its peak. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is set in the Jim Crow South during the 1930s. The novel tells the story of Scout Finch and her family in Maycomb, Alabama. Scout is the daughter of Atticus Finch, a white man chosen to defend a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. In this coming-of-age story, a young girl becomes aware of the prejudice in the world around her and she changes over the course of the novel. She begins as innocent and naive them becomes confused, and finally understand the racism in the end.
In the first part of the novel, Scout is
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At this point in the novel, Scout and Dill are standing by a tree outside of the courthouse due to Dill’s sudden outburst of tears. While they were out there they met Mr. Raymond. He was a white man married to a black woman who had mixed children and pretended to be a drunk when in fact he wasn’t. He began to explain his reasoning for this and Scout says, “‘I had a feeling that I shouldn’t be here listening to this sinful man who had mixed children and didn’t care who knew it, but he was fascinating’” (Lee 201). This quote proves that Scout is confused and curious about racism because, although Scout calls him a sinful man she was intrigued by his ways and she wanted to know more about him. Mr. Raymond seemed to be such a nice man so Scout was confused about why everyone spoke so badly about him. Later in the text when Calpurnia was walking the children home from the courthouse for supper, Scout reflects on the case and what she had witnessed. She thinks to herself, “I was exhilarated so many things had happened so fast and I felt like it would take years to sort them out” (Lee 207). This quote proves that Scout is confused and curious about racism because, as she reflected back on everything that happened at the trial, she realized that she didn’t fully understand what was going on because she’s so young. Even though she doesn’t fully grasp the idea, she wants to know more. She also realizes …show more content…
Underwood wrote about Tom Robinson's death in the Maycomb Tribune, when she finally understood everything that happened with Tom Robinson. The story says, “How could this be so, I wondered, as I read Mr. Underwood's editorial. Senseless killing, Tom Robinson had been tried openly and convicted by 12 good men and true... Then Mr. Underwood's meeting became clear Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case.” (Lee 241). This quote proves that Scout has gained knowledge because she states how suddenly things become clear to her. She finally understands why what happened with Tom Robinson's trial was wrong. Later in the text when Scott was asking Jem a question about Miss Gates and she mentioned something she noticed. Scout says, “‘Jem, it's not right to persecute anybody, is it?... Jem how can you hate Hitler so bad an’ then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home’" (Lee 247). This quote also proves that Scout has gained knowledge because she realizes that Miss Gates was being a hypocrite because of her prejudice against black
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.
Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is based during the era of racism and prejudice. This era is commonly referred to as The Great Depression and is during the mid-late 30’s. The novel is set in a small town and county called Maycomb, Alabama. The novel follows the story of the Finch’s and their struggle before, during, and after a rape trial that is set against an African American by a white woman and her father.
Being very young in the beginning of the book, her views of racism have been guided by the people she's around. Before the trial, Scout’s life was relatively sheltered. She knows that blacks are segregated, but their lives do not touch Scout except for Calpurnia. Scout really isn't exposed to the harsh realities of racism until the trial. Here, Scout encounters the taunting of kids and adults. She endures remarks about her father being a "nigger lover" and then finally the travesty of injustice that happens to Tom. Here father provides her with many answer to all the questions she has on the subject, and helps her understand that black people are just regular people, and they need to be treated as regular people.
Before the trial starts, Scout had to endure her classmates refer to Atticus as ‘nigger lover’ because of his defense of Tom. Scout and Jem also hear comments and gossip being made about their father in Maycomb, and they see the support Tom gains from the black community when they visit his church with Calpurna. The kids see the anger and evil of the society when they help Atticus from the lynch mob at the jail before the trial. Scout and Jem attend the trial in person, and they witness the evidence given and they agree that Atticus has made a substantial case for
In the courtroom that night it is revealed that the alleged crimes of Tom Robinson, a decent Negro man, most likely did not happen. As Atticus says in his closing argument, "The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place. It has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination, but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant. The defendant is not guilty, but somebody in this courtroom is” (Lee 271). Showing the clear innocence of Tom Robinson due to lack of evidence, Scout thinks that the white jury will do the right thing only to find out that they still, unfairly, accuse him of being guilty. Scout and her brother, Jem, get very upset when they hear the verdict, however, it allows them both to learn the lesson that the county is unfair towards anyone who is not white. The county demonstrates this evil racism due to the social divisions in Maycomb between the whites and the blacks and because the whites see the blacks as unworthy of rights and freedoms. It was not just the trial itself that displayed evil in the world, but the comments and arguments surrounding the case did
Yet he took the case with no hesitation. Atticus knows the difference between what is fair and what is true justice. He is well aware that whites and blacks have many differences with one another, but is also educated enough to know that there truly is no diversity in equity, and tries to teach everyone including his children this. ”You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view- until you climb into his skin and walk around it.(30)” Atticus is encouraging Scout to respect everyone and consider their true potential without considering false accusations in this quote. He applies what he teaches to his children to the people attending the Tom Robinson trial. Atticus is just one man, but with an unprecedented amount of sense of pride, intelligence, and justice. He reflects the image of the town’s people by showing them what they’ve allowed themselves to become based on their beliefs. He genuinely expresses their deepest consternation. In this quote he tells the audience what they are afraid to hear, but need to hear, “She was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man. Not an old uncle, but a strong young Negro man. No code mattered to her before she broke it, but it came crashing down on her afterwards.(272)” After stating his point and releasing the profound truth Atticus causes for Mayella and Bob Ewell to lose their composure. Nevertheless people of most of the white people of Maycomb continue to refuse to believe that a white woman kissed a black man. But they undoubtedly believe that a black man with a useless left hand beat and raped an “innocent” white woman. Atticus could have predicted the outcome from before he even took the case and refused to defend Tom Robinson. But he
First, the trial of Tom Robinson is an eye-opening experience for Jem and Scout; there they discover hatred, child abuse, and lying. Seeing pure hate is new and strange for Jem and Scout. They know that prejudice does exist, but listening to and watching Bob Ewell during the trial is astounding to them because Bob Ewell abhors all blacks, especially Tom Robinson. Bob’s daughter, Mayella, makes an advance on Tom, which is absolutely unspeakable and shameful at that time. In addition, Bob Ewell’s hate grows (especially for Atticus) because after the trial his reputation and respect is ruined, even though he does not have a high degree of integrity to begin with. Also, through the
To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in a rural southern town in the 1930s, when racism was commonly accepted. Blacks were
Scout was the narrator of the book "To Kill a Mockingbird" (by Harper Lee). At first she didn't know a lot about Maycomb (the town they live in), the people in the town and life. Through the book she had lots of new experiences and learned a lot. This knowledge caused significant changes in her characteristics and perspective. As the novel progressed, she has grown up. She has become a better person.
Scout pick up terms such as the “n-word” from her peers but never from Atticus, her father. In fact, Scout is reprimanded by Atticus for using racial slurs when he states, “Don 't say nigger, Scout. That 's common” (99). This critique of the common usage of racial slurs towards blacks is investigated by the fact Scout learns the words from the students at her school, who subsequently must have heard it from their parents. Following the previous scene, Scout learns about how Atticus chose to be Tom 's lawyer since he is the only person in Maycomb who is willing to defend a black man. Later she, Jem, and Dill attend the trial. During the trial, instead of sitting in the white section, Scout, Jem, and Dill sit in
Scout narrates, “It was Jem’s turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. ’It ain’t right,’he muttered, all the way to the corner of the square” (Lee 242). This proves that Jem knows that racism is not right, he has grown up to see how some people really are. The trial of Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman, made Jem realize
To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in Maycomb, Alabama when segregation was popular in the southern states. This is a time period where women were supposed to be proper and the men were supposed to be complete gentlemen; while the black folk were supposed to stay separated from the rest of society. When the Blacks were accused of anything by Whites they would immediately would be pressed with charges. With To Kill a Mockingbird, the theme of the importance of moral education, the motif of small town life (everybody knowing each others business), and how a different time period or geographical location would affect the events within the novel; these few things have an important significance throughout Harper Lee's book.
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)....
Dill’s mind was focusing on Mr.Gilmer’s treatment of Tom Robinson and the injustice in the case rather than feeling bad for Mayella Ewell like most white kids which proves his knowledge and understanding of the situation. Scout demonstrates her maturity at school when she is profoundly confused on Miss Gates’ comments on Hitler. Miss Gates believes that “over here we [do not] believe in persecuting anyone” contrasting the outcome of the Tom Robinson case (329). Scout does not understand why the people of Maycomb fail to understand that there is no difference between Hitler and them. In fact, she starts to understand that the people in Maycomb county are filled with prejudice and discrimination towards one race just like Hitler against the Jews.
A small city nestled in the state of Alabama, Maycomb has got its faults, just like any other place in the world, but one of its main faults or (pg.88) “Maycomb's usual disease,” as Atticus calls it in the book is prejudice. Jem and Scout learn a lot about prejudice when a black man named Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white woman named Mayella Ewell and their father, Atticus, is called on to be his lawyer. They realize the hate that people have buried deep within their heart when they see a black man accused of doing something only because of his color. On pg.241, Scout starts understanding this and thinks, “Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.” As the case continues, up until the death of Tom Robinson, Jem and Scout learn more and more about prejudice and how the hate that people have towards others causes them to take wrong actions. They also see how unfair it is that a white man can get treated better and think of himself better than a black man only because he was born white. This prejudice and the trial cause Jem and Scout to get in argum...