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Symbolism of the mockingbird
Symbolism of the mockingbird
Essays on Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird
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Summary of To Kill a Mockingbird Mayella testifies next, a reasonably clean nineteen-year- old girl who is obviously terrified. She says that she called Tom Robinson inside the fence that evening and offered him a nickel to break up a dresser for her, and that once he got inside the house he grabbed her and took advantage of her. In Atticus' cross-examination, Mayella reveals that she has seven siblings to care for, a drunken father, and no friends. Then Atticus examines her testimony and asks why she didn't put up a better fight, why her screams didn't bring the other children running, and--most importantly--how Tom Robinson managed the crime with a useless left hand, torn apart by a cotton gin when he was a boy. Atticus begs her to admit that there was no rape, that her father beat her. She shouts at him and calls the courtroom cowards if they don't convict Tom Robinson, and then bursts into tears refusing to answer any more questions. In the recess that follows, Mr. Underwood notices the children up in the balcony, but Jem tells Scout that the newspaper editor won't tell Atticus-- although he might include it in the social section of the newspaper. The prosecution rests, and Atticus calls only one witness--Tom Robinson. Tom testifies that he always passed the Ewell house on the way to work, and that Mayella often asked him to do chores for her. On the evening in question, she asked him to come inside the house and fix a door. When he got inside, however, there was nothing wrong with the door, and he noticed that the other children were gone. Mayella told him that she had saved her money and sent them all to buy ice cream, and then she asked him to lift a box down from a dresser. When he climbed up on a chair, she grabbed his legs, scaring him so much that he jumped down. Then she hugged him around the waist, and asked him to kiss her. As she struggled, her father appeared at the window, calling Mayella a whore and threatening to kill her, and then Tom fled. Link Deas, Tom's white employer, stands up and tells everyone that in eight years of work, he has never had any trouble from Tom. Judge Taylorexpels him furiously from the courtroom for interrupting; then Mr. Gilmer gets up and cross-examines Tom. The prosecutor points out that the defendant was once arrested for disorderly conduct, and gets Tom to admit that he has the strength, even with one ha... ... middle of paper ... ...n her costume) has no idea what is happening. Boo Radley's entrance takes place in the thick of the scuffle, and Scout does not realize that her reclusive neighbor has saved them until she has reached home; even then she assumes him to be "some countryman." When she finally realizes who has saved her, the childhood phantom has become a human being: "His lips parted into a timid smile, and out neighbor's image blurred with my sudden tears. 'Hey, Boo,' I said." After Boo's unveiling, all that remains of the story is Heck Tate's decision to say that Bob Ewell fell on his knife, sparing Boo the horror of publicity. The title of the book and its central theme are invoked, as Scout says that exposing Boo to the public eye would "sort of like shootin' a mockingbird." Then she takes him home, and Atticus' admonition to step into someone else's shoes is also invoked, as Scout suddenly sees the world through Boo's eyes. The novel ends here, and the reader is offered no details of Scout's future, except that Boo is never seen again. We have a sense, however, that the story has embraced her entire childhood, and Scout thinks that they have not much more to learn, "except possibly algebra."
Tom Robinson is a kind black man whom Atticus is defending against the charge that he raped Mayella Ewell. Atticus knows that he will lose because Tom is black, but he also knows that Tom is innocent and that he has to defend him. Tom Robinson is portrayed as a hard-working father and husband in the novel and he was only attempting to help Mayella since no one else would, but she made advances that he refused and her father saw them. On the witness stand, he testifies that he helped her because, "'Mr. Ewell didn't seem to help her none, and neither did the chillun.'" (256). Even though Tom helps Mayella out of kindness and pity, Mayella is trapped and must accuse him of raping her to save her own life. Shortly after being wrongfully convicted
Tom Robinson is not strong enough to cause those severe injuries with one hand. Mayella is the oldest sibling in the Ewell family, she sacrifices her teen life to take care of her younger siblings as well as help around the farm more due to the death of her mother. Mr Ewell failed to put himself into Mayella’s shoes to understand her, she is so lonely due to not having someone to talk to. Tom Robinson is the only person that she could talk to and Mr Ewell got rid of him. The trial ended with Bob Ewell’s last shred of pride gone.
Mayella (white), goes to court against Tom Robinson (African American), where Mayella is accusing Tom Robinson of rape. When Atticus asks Mayella questions, Atticus mishears Mayella. An example of Mayella’s lack of power is when Atticus closes his argument by describing Mayella’s injuries during the court case. “Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left.”
As the story progresses, Boo becomes more of a symbol of kindness and bravery than that of the "town freak" which he is made out to be. Boo leaves presents for the children in the hollow trunk of an old tree, as well as covers Scout with a blanket during Miss Maudie's fire. However, it is not until he saves Jem and Scout's life from the hands of the deranged Mr. Ewell, that Boo shows his true heroic character. Even though Boo is a physically weaker man, he shows no fear when it comes to protecting Jem and Scout's life.
Reassuring that Tom Robinson’s case is dealt seriously, Atticus exchanges his identity as the noble man he is for the reputation of a villain that the town flames and calls names such as “nigger lover”. Sacrificing Atticus’s identity does not give him much room to speak during the case, in fact, without his title as an intelligent, helpful, and wealthy citizen, the people of Maycomb could potentially harm Atticus, which forces him to take a slightly more cautious approach with the people of Maycomb. Concerned with the matter of how her father finds that his actions are right when the majority of the town finds it is wrong. Atticus then responds strongly to Scout, saying that he could not live with himself or tell her and Jem to do the right thing if he did not take the case seriously himself. Atticus’s identity sacrificed for the intention of saving his kids from “Maycomb's usual disease” which is racism.
Every day Tom completed most of Mayella’s chores to help her, not to earn a little extra money. As the trial continues, it is further visible that Tom Robinson is innocent, in my opinion. Every day when Tom walked by Mayella’s home, he helped her since he felt sorry for her. During Atticus’s speech at the courthouse, “And so a quiet, respectable, humble Negro who had the unmitigated temperament to ‘feel sorry’ for a white woman.”
She turns from a tomboy who does not understand basic feelings and emotion, into a feminine lady, who learns compassion for the people surrounding her. In the beginning of the book, Scout was not able to understand why Boo Radley was locked up in the house. Was it because he was scared? Or because he was delusional? Or because he has no friends? She had no clue. As she grows to become more feminine, she starts to show more empathy. When Scout and Jem are attacked by the vicious Mr.Ewell, Boo steps in. Later, the two meet for the first time, and Scout starts to emphasize with him.“ I led him to the chair farthest from Atticus and Mr.Tate. It was in deep shadow. Boo would feel more comfortable in the dark”(364). Boo Radley has not seen the sun in over a decade, which has made him frightened in the sun. Without any social conversations for over a decade, he is revealed to be very shy among the men . Scout, able to understand his feelings, kindly leads him to the chair in the shadows, where Boo was able to settle in more easily. She did not have to do it, but with learning how to change, she was able to empathize with
Having grown up in the home of a lawyer, Jem understands the ways of the courtroom and recognizes Atticus’ behavior in court. When Tom Robinson is put on trial for being accused of raping Mayella Ewell, Atticus is appointed his attorney. As questioning continues, Atticus blatantly proves it was impossible for Tom to even commit the crime. Jem says to Reverend Sykes, "...don't fret, we've won it....Don't see how any jury could convict on what we heard" (Lee 279). Jem’s response to Reverend Sykes comment
Tom Robinson is also making a mistake when the prosecutor, Mr. Gilmer, cross-examines him. While Mr. Gilmer cross-examined him, Tom misspoke “Yes suh. I felt right sorry for her, she seemed to try more’n the rest of ‘em-”(197) after Mr. Gilmer commented on Tom’s generousness. In the eyes of the jury, Tom Robinson had a terrible alibi. However the balance of powers between the defense and the prosecution had already shifted when Mayella struggled from an emotional outbreak from Atticus’ questions where she insists ,
By Jem recognizing the injustice of his town, Maycomb, his character is able to develop maturity. Jem is a growing young boy who is struggling with the harsh words against his father because of the trial. His father, Atticus is a wise man who sees around the conflicts of the town and as for Jems little sister, Scout she is also a child who is under the influence of those around her. Consequently Jem was stunned by the trail and the cruel way whites treated blacks, Jem states, “ Atticus” Jem said bleakly. He turned around. “ What, son?” “ How could they do it? How could they?” There petite house allows Scout to over hear many of Atticus and Jem’s Conversation, she questions herself on weather Jem is interested in the case or not. Although at this point Jem is emotionally involved to the trial. The case consists of a black man named Tom Robinson who was accused of being sexual active with a young white woman called by the name Mayella . Mayella Ewell comes from a very poor family that treats others with rude manners and no respect. Her father
verdict of the trial, Jem and Scout see the hate in jurors for blacks, for it is obvious that Tom Robinson is innocent. Another new and disturbing element that Jem and Scout discover is child abuse. Having never been hit by Atticus, the children know nothing of physical, mental, emotional, or sexual abuse. However, Mayella Ewell knows too well of these abuses and is a victim of them from her own father. Bob Ewell shows he has no consideration for her by his actions or words, and this is clearly displayed during the trial when he is being asked on the stand, "Are you the father of Mayella Ewell?" (172) His crude reply is, "Well, if I ain’t I can’t do nothing about it now"(172). This shows he has no class or respect, while on the other hand, Jem and Scout are used to seeing the example of their tactful father. Also, during the trial it becomes lucid that Bob Ewell beat Mayella up and not Tom Robinson.
Boo Radley is thought to be a malevolent, soulless, deceitful person, but he proves to be a caring, good-natured person. In Chapter 1, Jem offers his perception of Boo Radley to Scout and Dill: " ‘Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained—if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time’ " (16). Jem perceives Boo Radley as being a “monster” instead of being a man. Jem comes to this conclusion despite having never even seen Boo Radley in person. Jem’s understanding of Boo Radley is based on the rumors that he has heard about him. In Chapter 8, after the fire at Miss Maudie’s house, Scout notices that she was wrapped in a blanket that she did not have with she left the house. Scout asks Atticus who was the person that put the blanket around her. Atticus tells Scout, "Boo Radley. You were so busy watching the fire you didn't know it when he...
...l along Boo just wanted to have someone to call a friend because of suffering from lonesome. Even though he may have been involved in the fires and other acts he did in Maycomb he was not like what anyone said a bout being a nocturnal monster or a heartless person. Boo was a normal human being living in his own world for the longest time till he broke out of his shell when Scout and him met on Halloween night. The Change that happens in the Radley house is dramatic Boo goes for being the towns "night phantom" to being a Hero in the end. Lastly how did Scout have the courage to walk up to the Radley's porch was because Scout believed Boo to be a big hero for what he had done. Another reason Scout had walked with Boo home was to go see Jem who was there from when Boo carried him from the fight that night back home. Scout saw Boo as a positive at the end of the story.
"The only thing we've got is a black man's word against the Ewells'. The evidence boils down to you-did-I-didn't. The jury couldn't possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson's word against the Ewells,'" Atticus solemnly explains this to his brother. First of all, Atticus demonstrates courage when he undertakes the task of defending Tom Robinson, a black man wrongly accused of rape. Atticus knows he won't win the case and like Mrs. Dubose in her battle against morphine, he is "licked" before he begins. Nevertheless, Atticus knows that Tom is innocent and that he must fight for him, since no one else will. Atticus's strong sense of morality and justice motivates him to defend Tom with vigor and determination, giving it all he's got with one mission in mind. He wants the people of Maycomb town, whether they believe it or not, to hear the truth about Tom, "That boy might go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told"
Two hundred and twenty two years ago, a democracy was born and its citizen has been guaranteed “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Is this pledge fully adopted? The high almighty, arbitrary, rich, wealthy people surely have an advantage over the meager, poor lower class. The rich has money, and money can be a powerful source to silence evil deeds in which a pauper cannot do, but must suffer the consequences. In Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, she portrays the weak, the vulnerable, and the innocent as mockingbirds. Setting the novel in Maycomb County, Alabama in the 1930s plays a crucial role in illustrating the mockingbirds of the society. The prejudiced South carried people like Arthur “Boo” Radley, Tom Robinson, and Mayella Ewell who have never had any intentions of harm, and only brought joy, but suffered greatly because of their position in a rigid, prejudiced society.