Of the two books submitted for the students’ reading in the first semester of English at the potter school, students will find it difficult to decide which book earns the appellation of “better.” Perhaps the dilemma lies in the absence of an objective standard by which to measure To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, against The Chosen, by Chiam Potok. To the Christian, God’s Word provides the objective standard to which all of life is conformed. Thematic elements, as well as overall message, and character portrayal when measured by Biblical absolutes make a book great, or a failure. By quantifying the books’ presentation of message, meaning of message, and presentation of characters against a Biblical standard, making the choice of which book to read given these two is made easier.
Writing style varies greatly among authors. Marks universal among the great writers of fiction, however, include realism when portraying the human position, a presentation of the human position in readable terms, and the ability to capture the mind of the reader and show truths garbed in a fictional
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Solomon in Ecclesiastes 12:12 writes “Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.” Limited resources force humans to make judgments on which books to read, and their priorities. Assuming the choice came to the two books mentioned above, To Kill a Mockingbird is more
Many students believe that Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a commentary on social issues in 1930’s America. However, over time new themes for discussion have grown from the novel. The courage and leadership of characters in To Kill a Mockingbird have become common subjects discussed by today’s students. In this way, Lee’s novel has evolved to meet the changing ideology of humanity. At the time of the novel, standing up against common customs and beliefs was unacceptable, a violation of societal rules. Several characters in To Kill a Mockingbird express outrage at the collective belief system of their community and show resilience in the face of persecution, much as many current leaders face when espousing unconventional views or actions.
The stylistic choices an author makes when writing has a huge impact on the mood and atmosphere of the piece created. Take, for example, Cormac Mcarthy’s The Road, and Gregory Robert’s Shantaram. The two incredible novels are in many ways similar, however also very different due to a different writing styles.
To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel written by Harper lee in 1960. The novel tells the story of Atticus Finch, a white lawyer, and Tom Robinson, a black servant, accused of raping a white female. Finch defends Robinson in court arguing lack of evidence as his main point. However, the judge and jury still believe the woman’s testimony and orders Robinson to be killed. The novel has been praised for its outstanding literature since its publication. However, it remains a banned book by the American Library Association for its use of racial slurs and profanity. Due to it being banned, many high schools have reconsidered the notion of teaching it to their students. Two prominent authors wrote articles pertaining to this piece of literature: Angela Shaw-Thornburg wrote an article on her re-reading of the novel and her opinions on it; while Malcom Gladwell wrote an article comparing Atticus Finch to a state governor liberalist, James Folsom, and the restraints of liberalism in the south. In addition, Rebecca Best contributes her thought on how the novel should be taught by introducing the idea of “the other.” Regardless of the modern day political arguments surrounding this piece of literature, this novel contains a large insight into the time period of the 1960s which is an influential topic that should be taught to young high school students.
To Kill a Mockingbird is regarded as a classic also due to the timeless moral values it holds dear. The words of others should not dictate personal values, using educated thought is crucial before acting and finally, statements should not always be acknowledged as truth until you are able to authenticate them for yourself.
In literature, schools often teach students the morals of a book rather than actual knowledge that they should acquire in the classroom such as literary devices or sentence structure. In Francine Prose’s, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read,” she discusses how teaching students to only focus on the moral of a book instead of the many different literary elements it contains, effects their passion for reading. “A friend’s daughter’s English teacher informed a group of parents that the only reason to study Huckleberry Finn was to decide whether it was a racist text.” (94) This acknowledges that schools do not focus on important aspects of the books. The main point that Prose forms in her essay is that students are no longer required to read a piece of literature in depth, they only have to read to identify and learn the moral, when
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 for classic literature that everyone should take the time to read and appreciate for their execution of style and the importance of their content.
To kill a mockingbird generates a unique sense of reading. Harper Lee’s style of writing brings a different and an unideal way of reading, the context in which to kill a mocking is written with the two narrators (Jean Louise and Scout) brings fourth many perceptions of the book. This unusual style of reading can become complex, struggling to telling which narrator at that point in the book is telling the story as each have different emotions, inputs and influences. As Scout is a very bright and intelligent person for her age is was tough at times to understand who the telling the story at that time, scout or the older version of scout Jean Louise for her language was far beyond her age.
Now with over 15 million copies in print translated into forty languages, “To Kill a Mockingbird” is highly regarded as a masterpiece of American literature. It stands strong beside bestsellers such as “The Joy Luck Club,” “The Catcher in the Rye,” and “Huckleberry Finn.” But what, one may ask, are the similarities between these chartbusters?
Books that have literary merit tend to engage the reader with a conversation to the author in deep analysis with the use of juxtaposition, varying syntax, and a hidden deeper meaning within the literature. In Charlotte Bronte’s novel, Jane Eyre, it established its own literary merit by the books complexity, use of motifs, and the situations the readers can identify to. Rick Riordan’s novel, Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief, is a complex novel that teenagers can relate to, but it does not have the qualities of merit that Jane Eyre does. Jane Eyre stands the test of time because of its complexity, but it is not likely for Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief to gain merit
Many students believe that Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird displays social issues in early America. In this time standing against common customs was unacceptable, a violation of society. People believe that today courage has overcome adversity that was displayed in early America. Courage is the common subject of To Kill a Mockingbird, which allows Lee’s novel to defy the changing times of humanity. These morals are bound to the “impartiality” and “fairness” taught to people as children, but become unavoidably invisible though selfish actions. The characters in To Kill a Mockingbird express audacity along with resilience in the face of cowardice.
...different writing style. For example, Charles Dickens used long sentences and detailed descriptions to capture the moment. Unlike Hemingway, Dickens used a lot of adjective to describe things like setting, characters, e.t.c.
Literature is an outlet for imagination without restrictions, a platform for expression, and a form of art that outlives its author. Most importantly, it can be a way to help one truly discover themselves. As audiences are exposed to more literature throughout their lives, they not only learn about their true potential, but are also made aware of their flaws and faults in character. Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird and Alexander Hamilton in Hamilton are both remarkable characters, but from various events that reveal their shortcomings, the audience receives the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.
In order to analyze each section thoroughly, I have divided my paper into many sections. My sections will include the summary of the book by Harper Lee followed by a theme analysis. Next, the same elements will make up the following sections except involving A Raisin in the Sun. Finally, I will conclude with a paragraph of comparison of the impacts of the themes in both works. However, I will first need to summarize the books and the themes throughout, and it is to this that I now turn.
To Kill a Mockingbird “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view. Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it” (Lee 30). Atticus Finch teaches his children to look at life and people in a different way, and he also practices what he preaches to his children. By focusing on the coexistence of good and evil, the importance of moral education, and the existence of social inequality, one could argue to prove these points and how they form the themes of Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird. Throughout the novel, readers see the good and the evil come out of most people.
Ladies and Gentlemen, P&C members and Teachers, I would like to utilise this time I have, to present my conscience and my thoughts for whether the book “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee is appropriate or not for students to study in year 12. I am here to speak on the behalf of the students about why the book should not be banned and the vital role it plays in our lives. Atticus Finch, father of the narrator, Scout Finch says “When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness’ sake. But don’t make a production of it.” (pg. 97) He said that when a child asks you something, answer him. You do not get any answers by banning the book. To get the answer, you have to explore the book.