The Mockingbirds of To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
analytical Essay
1256 words
“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (p.90) Miss. Maudie, one of the main protagonists in To Kill a Mockingbird, warns the young girl Scout that mockingbirds should not to be killed or hunted down because they represent those who are kind and innocent. So, on a broader spectrum, the term “to kill a mockingbird” symbolizes cruel and improper behavior towards people with good hearts and intentions. In the town of Maycomb, unethical behaviors, such as prejudice and gossip, are most commonly used against the “mockingbirds”. Three of those “mockingbirds” that are featured in this novel are Arthur “Boo” Radley, Tom Robinson, and Atticus Finch. Due to the depiction of the mockingbird symbol in the novel, the reader understands the consequences that immoral attitudes have towards those who are innocent and kindhearted. The first “mockingbird” that is featured in the novel is a man named Atticus Finch. Not only is Atticus Finch the sole representative of Maycomb in the legislature, but also he is a brilliant lawyer. In addition, he has a good reputation in both Maycomb’s black and white communities because of his exceptional character. However, his reputation is soon shattered when he is faced with a case in court that affects him personally: he must defend an African American man in court in Maycomb’s segregated society. If Atticus chooses to try defending the man, he will lose his good status in town, since his racist American neighbors will soon disrespect him for treating the African Americans as equal to the Americans, which is highly unacceptable in the United States during the 1930s. However, Atticus still accepted the case believing that if he does not, he w... ... middle of paper ... ...was real nice.” (p.281) Thus, Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Arthur “Boo” Radley are all victims of rumour, humiliation, and prejudice. Firstly, Atticus is humiliated by his family and his neighbourhood because he has stood up to an African American man, and then, is nicknamed “nigger-lover” for his decision. By strong evidence, Tom Robinson is proven innocent of rapping a young white woman, but is still convicted, and then shot to death because he is black. Finally, Arthur Radley is greatly misunderstood because of his mysterious background and is forced to isolate from society to escape the awful and untruthful rumours about him in Maycomb. Through the storytelling of Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Arthur “Boo” Radley, the reader understands how the mockingbird symbol is used to represent those who are innocent, and have good intentions at heart.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the term "to kill a mockingbird" symbolizes cruel and improper behavior towards people with good hearts and intentions.
- Analyzes how atticus finch's reputation is shattered when he is faced with a case in court that affects him personally.
- Analyzes how the "mockingbird" tom robinson is a hard-working, well-respected man who rapes mayella ewell. the second evidence proves that he is not guilty.
- Analyzes how arthur "boo" radley is discriminated and misunderstood by society. he is accused for crimes and actions that he has not committed.
- Analyzes how atticus finch, tom robinson, and arthur "boo" radley are all victims of rumour, humiliation and prejudice.
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- Teaching To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Leeanalytical essayCaldwell, Malcolm. “The Courthouse Ring: Atticus Finch and the Limits of Southern Liberalism.” Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird: New Essays. Meyer, Michael J. Lanham, Md: Scarecrow Press, 2010. 57-65. Print.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how harper lee's to kill a mockingbird is an influential novel that should be taught to young high school students.
- Analyzes how gladwell uses folsom, a former alabama governor, to compare finch to. both were white males supporting the black population before the civil rights movement.
- Analyzes how caldwell argues that finch is similar to folsom, since he was not enraged by the unanimous decision of robinson being guilty. teaching this aspect to students can be beneficial when learning about the limits of white liberalism in the south.
- Analyzes how angela shaw-thornburg rereads the novel in 2010 after the election of president barrack obama. she argues that it is hard for her primarily minority students to read because it was written in the view of a white author.
- Argues that reading the novel is "reading whiteness" because it plays on certain social issues found in the white social structure which wins over the minds of the judicial branch.
- Analyzes how a feeling of gratitude is directed towards harper lee because she had someone kill bob ewell, the father of mayella, to resolve the issue of "the bad guy getting away."
- Explains rebecca best's definition of the term "the other" in to kill a mockingbird.
- Argues that to kill a mockingbird should be taught in high school in many different ways.
- Cites best, rebecca h., and shaw-thornburg, angela. "panopticism and the use of "the other" in to kill a mockingbird."
1491 wordsRead More - To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Leeanalytical essayMany view America as a land of opportunity, one that preaches freedom and has specific laws to ensure the equality of this pursuit of freedom. Despite the intention of promoting freedom and equality, many American laws transcend these values and mirror the true sentiments of our nation’s constituents. These laws cannot serve to uphold equality if that intention does not come to fruition in their practice and application to societal issues. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Tom Robinson, a black man in a mostly white community, faces accusations and a subsequent trial for the rape of Mayella Ewell, a white girl of the town. As the Southern setting of the novel implies, the racial aspect of this trial consumes the town of Maycomb, Alabama leading to escalating tensions and violence among those with opposing views. The racial components of this case evident outside and inside of the courtroom such as a communal bias, stereotypical arrest, layers language and predisposition of the jury force the reader to ponder the integrity of the Maycomb justice system and the ethnic stigmas that accompany it. However, these biases and racist hindrances of true justice are not unique to the 1930’s South. Tom Robinson’s treatment by the Maycomb justice system reflects a double standard and racial inequality prevalent in the entire American Justice system.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the racial aspects of the trial in harper lee's to kill a mockingbird force the reader to ponder the integrity of maycomb justice system and the ethnic stigmas that accompany it.
- Analyzes how maycomb's racist attitude plays a vital role in the trial itself as well as his ultimate conviction.
- Analyzes how the racial stigma associated with tom's premature arrest signifies a larger american trend that defaces equality in the name of the american justice system.
- Analyzes how the language used by the prosecution against tom robinson to appeal to maycomb's racist tendencies shows how lawyers can manipulate the truth of the court by an accusatory choice of words.
- Analyzes how the racial preconceptions held by the jury during tom robinson's case mirror a glaring fault in an american institution that aims to ensure equal treatment through objective judgments.
- Opines that the american justice system preaches equality and due process of law, but the hindrances to the fairness of the tom robinson case bring to light the more prevalent issues within the system.
- Explains taslitz, andrew e. rape and the culture of the courtroom.
- Describes walker, samuel, cassia spohn, and miriam delone's the color of justice: race, ethnicity and crime in america.
1325 wordsRead More - To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Leeanalytical essayLife Lessons Throughout their lives, individuals learn many valuable lessons that help them to grow and mature as human beings. This is evident numerous times throughout Harper Lee’s fictional novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Individuals in this novel learn these amazing lessons through Atticus Finch’s extraordinary teachings of morals. Atticus goes on to further teach valuable lessons of courage.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how atticus finch is portrayed as an extraordinary character who teaches valuable life lessons about morals, courage, and sacrifice.
- Concludes that atticus finch is an extraordinary individual who teaches his children valuable life lessons about morals.
- Analyzes how atticus finch continues to teach valuable life lessons of courage, which cause his children to view courage in a much greater way.
- Opines that real courage is not a gun in one's hand, but when one sees it through no matter what. she died beholden to nothing and nobody.
- Analyzes how atticus finch continues to teach courage, which causes his children to view courage in a much greater way.
- Analyzes how atticus teaches valuable life lessons of sacrifice in to kill a mockingbird. he sacrifices his safety and his children's safety to save mayella ewell from being beaten by her father.
- Analyzes how the novel portrays atticus finch as an extraordinary individual who teaches valuable life lessons about morals, courage and sacrifice.
1072 wordsRead More - Racial Prejudice In The Justice System In To Kill A Mockingbirdanalytical essayTo Kill a Mockingbird is the story of young Scout and her brother Jem. They live in the small, southern town of Maycomb, Alabama during the time of the Great Depression. Their fairly uneventful lives are changed greatly one day when they learn their father, Atticus Finch, an attorney, will be defending Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is a black man who has been unjustly accused of raping a white women. Although it is clear to almost everyone that he is not guilty, Tom is convicted by the all white jury. At that time a Negro 's word had no chance against a white man’s, no matter how repulsive and unrespected that white man was. Despite the many changes that have been made to both society and the Justice System since the 1930s, racial bias is not a thing of the
In this essay, the author
- Opines that most of america's black, hispanic and other minority populations don't trust the criminal justice system. inequality between races is present in many aspects of life, even in the justice system.
- Explains that african-american and hispanic youth learn early on that they are not given the same opportunities and privileges as whites.
- Explains that racial profiling occurs almost everywhere and the courtroom is no exception.
- Analyzes how police violence, especially towards african-americans, is a frequent occurrence in cities such as ferguson, new york city, cleveland, etc.
- Explains how racial profiling went wrong in sanford, florida, on february 26, 2012. zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, pursued trayvon martin on foot, against the operator's orders.
- Explains that while blacks and whites use marijuana at roughly the same rates, they are much more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession.
- Explains that inconsistencies in the treatment of african-americans and whites are also present in court of law.
- Illustrates how race-based exclusion from juries in many communities is extreme. in two counties in florida, black defendants convicted of a felony dropped from 81 percent to 71 percent, and white convictions raised from
- Analyzes how racial prejudice in the court system is not a thing of the past despite the many changes that have been made to society and the justice system since the 1930s.
- Argues that other factors are responsible for the discrepancies of the justice system.
- Analyzes how racial bias can be isolated to a certain degree, especially in the justice system, and is more clearly seen in other facets of life.
- Opines that the justice system is flawed because it is made up of the public.
2001 wordsRead More - Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbirdanalytical essayAtticus Finch, a moral perfection, accepts the case of Tom Robinson despite strong opposition from his neighbors; thus, Jem and Scout are put in danger. Tom Robinson’s case deals with controversial material to begin with, which is only made more contentious because of Tom’s skin color. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the 1930’s, during the Great Depression. Although slavery was abolished more than 50 years before the era in which this novel takes place, in the southern county that the Finch family lives, Jim Crow oppression is still exercised on the black citizens of the area. Bob Ewell, the town’s trashy free loader, has accused Robinson of assault and rape of his daughter, Mayella. Atticus reasons with Scout, regarding why he chose to accept Tom’s case; “‘…every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one’s mine, I guess,”’ (Lee 101). Atticus views this situation as a matter of pride. Somebody in the town must stand up to do the right thing, which is to represent Mr. Robinson, a “clean-living” man. He clarifies that he could not face his community any longer, nor c...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes harper lee's to kill a mockingbird, where atticus finch represents tom robinson in court, putting his children in potential danger and earning respect from numerous people around him.
- Analyzes how atticus finch, a moral perfection, accepts the case of tom robinson despite strong opposition from his neighbors; thus, jem and scout are put in danger.
- Analyzes how bob ewell attacks atticus's children instead of directly facing mr. finch, despite his decision to defend tom robinson.
- Analyzes how atticus finch is admired and respected by the open-minded inhabitants of his town, as well as members of the black community.
- Analyzes how jem and scout learn lessons essential in life because of atticus's choice to stand up for what is morally correct.
- Analyzes how atticus, with the children's best interest in mind, orders them to return home immediately. scout tells the reader that jem has learned from his father, the skill of assessing right from wrong.
- Analyzes how atticus finch, in to kill a mockingbird, makes an impact when he accepts tom robinson's case. he puts his children in danger, earns respect, and trains them to be mature and act responsibly.
1451 wordsRead More - To Kill a Mockingbird Essays - Atticus Finchanalytical essayCompassionate, 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 as well.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how harper lee's to kill a mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior, innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, and the struggle between blacks and whites.
- Explains that atticus enjoys being a father to jem and scout. they knew immediately that there would be controversy, humiliation, and great difficulty keeping tom alive for the trial.
- Analyzes how atticus taught his children to accept the differences between one human being and another.
- Analyzes how atticus proved to the jury that tom robinson was innocent, regardless of his color.
- Analyzes how atticus proved to his children, the townspeople, and himself that all men are created equal and should be given the same respect as everyone else.
1095 wordsRead More - Mockingbird Symbolismanalytical essay“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (90). Although the title of the novel has little literal connection to the actual storyline, it holds a huge amount of symbolic weight in this tale of innocents wounded by the evil surrounding them. The ‘mockingbird’ represents various characters in the novel that are harmed one way or another, particularly by the judgmental, prejudiced ways of the Maycomb townsfolk. Throughout the course of the book, the innocence they once had is destroyed, figuratively ‘killing’ the mockingbirds.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the title of the novel has little literal connection to the actual storyline, but it holds a huge amount of symbolic weight in this tale of innocents wounded by the evil surrounding them.
- Analyzes how despite the overwhelming evidence indicating his innocence, a combination of prejudices and pressure from their community led them to the unfair and sadly unsurprising guilty verdict.
- Analyzes how harper lee uses the mockingbird as a key motif to explore the threat that ignorance, prejudice, and hatred pose to the innocent.
- Analyzes how jem and scout are innocent and oblivious to humanity's potential for prejudice. atticus taking on the tom robinson case marks the beginning of a rough awakening for the pair.
877 wordsRead More - To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Leeopinionated essayTo Kill a Mockingbird, is a story about a trial in a small Alabama town, where a black man is accused of raping a white woman. In this essay I will share with you the setting, some of the characters, some incidents from the plot, the theme, and the point of view. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in Maycomb County, Alabama, in the early 1930's. The setting plays an enormous role in this story. Many of the events that take place in this book may not have taken place if the setting were different.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that to kill a mockingbird is set in maycomb county, alabama, in the early 1930s. the setting plays an enormous role in this story.
- Opines that the events that take place in this book may not have taken place if thesetting were different.
- Explains that scout is intelligent, articulate, and temperamental. atticus finch is the single father of scout and jem.
- Analyzes how finch did not volunteer to defend robinson, a highlycontroversial matter in the thirties, but was assigned to it by the judge because he felt his best to seek justice.
- Opines that the theme of the book is racial prejudice against.
- Explains that the book is full of racialprejudice. a man was found guilty not because the jurors necessarilybelieved he was guilty, but because believing theopposite would weaken the justice system.
467 wordsRead More - To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Leeanalytical essayTo Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, portrays an influential period of the protagonist, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch’s life. Narrated from the perspective of Scout as an adult, she writes about her experiences between the ages of six and nine and how she reaches maturity through various, momentous situations and experiences. Several of Scout’s learning experiences occurred due to the small town life she lived in Maycomb, Alabama. The atmosphere of racial relations exposes genuine injustice and prejudice, of which she does not understand; however, because of the ambiance of Maycomb County, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch grows in her understanding of her world and develops her own perspective through her gain of knowledge. She greatly respects, trusts and appreciates her father, Atticus Finch, because of his solicitous, empathetic methods and advice. Atticus Finch, as well as Jeremy Atticus “Jem” Finch, teach Scout a myriad of memorable lessons. Throughout the novel, Atticus’ occupation as an attorney, which shapes his beliefs and actions, and his involvement with the Robinson v. Ewell case are sources of awareness and an experience of expanding maturity for Scout. In addition, Scout is shaped by Arthur “Boo” Radley, Calpurnia, and Miss Maudie Atkinson. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee traces Jean Louise “Scout” Finch and her passage from innocence to knowledge.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how harper lee's to kill a mockingbird portrays an influential period of the protagonist, jean louise "scout" finch.
- Analyzes how jean louise "scout" finch's journey from innocence to maturity is largely due to the atmosphere and culture of maycomb, alabama.
- Analyzes how each circumstance contributes to jean louise "scout" finch's development of maturity, especially those caused by her location in maycomb, alabama.
- Analyzes how atticus' occupation as an attorney portrays and shapes his principles and actions, which in turn affect the atmosphere and type of example that jem and scout receive.
- Analyzes jean louise "scout" finch's innocence during the robinson v. ewell trial.
- Analyzes how jean louis "scout" finch learns moral lessons from her father's wisdom. atticus' lesson on mockingbirds molds scout from the ignorance of a child to the awareness of an adult.
- Analyzes how the mockingbird symbolizes joy and innocence, while dorothy altman emphasizes that both radley and robinson are unjustly persecuted as innocent victims.
- Analyzes how jean louise "scout" finch is influenced by the women in her life, such as calpurnia and miss maudie atkinson.
- Analyzes how jean louise "scout" finch embarks unknowingly on her journey from the innocence of her childhood to the reality of the adult world between the ages of six and nine.
- Analyzes how the characters in jean louise "scout" finch's novel, "to kill a mockingbird", and atticus' father influence their development.
2732 wordsRead More - The Mockingbirds of To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Leeanalytical essay“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.” Those were the words spoken by Miss Maudie Atkinson. She tries to tell Jem about why mockingbirds should not be killed. Although there are many characters in the novel, the mockingbirds that were the most obvious in the story were Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Mrs. Dubose. Even though there are many other characters to choose from, the most obvious mockingbirds are Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Mrs. Dubose.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how miss maudie atkinson tries to tell jem about why mockingbirds should not be killed.
- Analyzes how boo radley was (theoretically) killed by society because he is not religious. he is a nice, sweet, caring person, and helps the kids jem, scout and dill frequently throughout the novel.
- Analyzes how mrs. dubose is a mockingbird because of her morphine addiction in her younger years. atticus thinks she is brave for battling her addiction.
- Analyzes how the last mockingbird in the novel, tom robinson, is a black man accused of raping and beating an all-racist-town woman.
- Explains that the main mockingbirds were boo radley, mrs. dubose, and tom robinson. they are all misunderstood and corrupted by the talk of society.
555 wordsRead More