Written by Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird was published in 1960. The novel was set in Maycomb, Alabama in the early 1930s, where many of the themes become valuable. Harper Lee was raised in Monroeville, Alabama, which was probably her main source of inspiration for writing To Kill a Mockingbird. She most likely based the book off of the experiences and stories she had heard while living and growing up in Alabama.
Racism plays an exclusive theme in To Kill a Mockingbird. Based on the time period when the book was written, the location where the book was set, and the content in the book. Despite all of the racism in the book there is one major point of racism that sets the tone of the book. Tom Robinson was a free African American, during
…show more content…
This theme is important as the children are starting to grow up and learn about life. “Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Chapter 10) and “you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them” (Chapter 31) are the lesson taught to Jem and Scout throughout the book. Atticus’ first lesson that he teaches his children is it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird. He tells his children this after they receive an air rifle from him. Atticus said it was alright to shoot as many bluejays as they wanted to because bluejays would cause a disturbance. It was a sin to kill a mockingbird because a mockingbird did not disturb anything, they created music, and they were peaceful. At first Scout and Jem just thinks pertains to birds, but by the end of the book this has changed. Close to the end of the book, Scout interprets the lesson it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird to humans. She came to this conclusion when Boo Radley helps defend Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell on their way home and Scout finds it best to keep his peace instead of letting people know of his actions. She learns that its best sometimes to let nature and people stay in harmony if its in peace and nothing is in
This is the reason why Harper Lee chose to write her novel through the eyes of a six year old. The trials inspired her to write To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee modeled To Kill a Mockingbird after the Scottsboro Trials of 1931. Victoria Price and Ruby Bates, like the Scottsboro Boys, were hoboing on a freight train between Chattanooga and Memphis. The train was stopped in Paint Rock, Alabama, and the Scottsboro Boys were immediately arrested for riding the train illegally.
The theme of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mocking Bird is the existence of racism and prejudice in the 1930 – 40's. Harper Lee succeeds in presenting the topic in a manner that is not overly simplistic and thus achieves the task of allowing the reader to fully appreciate the complex nature of unjust discrimination. Harper Lee's inclusion of characters such as Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, Dolphus Raymond and many others, aid the reader to grasp the concept of racism and its central role in the town of Maycomb.
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.
In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee utilizes the significant symbol of a mockingbird to convey the coming of age theme of knowing someone’s background before forming opinions. When Scout and Jem get airsoft guns for Christmas, Atticus knows they will go “after birds,” so he allows them to “shoot all the bluejays” as long as they do not “kill a mockingbird” because it is “a sin” (Lee 119). Through close analysis, the advice Atticus presents has a much deeper meaning to it than originally perceived. The “mockingbird” is a symbol for all of the innocent people that are portrayed unjustly and the “bluejays” represent the malevolent individuals. Also, Lee’s decision to use the word “sin” suggests that killing a mockingbird is absolutely iniquitous,
Atticus Finch and Tom Robinson are both appropriate examples of how the theme of prejudice is seen in To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus Finch is rumored to be a tedious, old man who is biased towards the black race, because he chooses to fight for a black man's rights. Tom Robinson, Atticus' defendant, is not given the benefit of the doubt only because of the pigment of his skin. The novel altogether is an extraordinary paradigm of prejudice and the problems it creates.
To Kill A Mockingbird clearly portrays three very important themes. Prejudice is very prevalent in this novel including social and racial prejudice. Another theme shown is heroism, including an unlikely character. Education is a core theme in the book as Atticus clearly implies to his children. In To Kill A Mockingbird Harper Lee powerfully portrays themes like prejudice, heroism and education in some ways the reader doesn’t expect.
In “To Kill a Mockingbird” there are many examples of racism. During the 1960s when the book was published, racism was acceptable and Black people were constantly dominated and ridiculed by Caucasian people. This novel written by Harper Lee is based on racism against Black people and the refusal of people to treat everyone equally.
As Jem and Scout are shooting, Atticus says: “I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you’ll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want. but remember its a sin to kill a mockingbird” (90). With this said, mockingbirds are put in a new category of respect and can even be seen as sacred since it is a sin to kill them. This moral law that Atticus presents gives protection to the beautiful creatures.
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, racism has a negative outcome on most characters. Tom Robinson the man that was accused of raping a white woman, Helen Robinson Tom Robinson wife, and Jem atticus son were all affected negatively by racism.
In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, racism is a major theme. Atticus Finch, the narrator’s father, defends a negro, Tom Robinson, in the court of law against a white man, Bob Ewell. Robinson had reportedly raped a young white girl, Mayella Ewell. But according to Robinson he had gone to help Mayella, as he often did, with work around the house. As he starts helping Mayella, she tries to get Tom to kiss her and will not let him out of the house. Bob Ewell sees this and chases Tom out of the house and accuses him of raping his daughter. Atticus goes against almost everyone in Maycomb County’s opinion in defending Tom Robinson. Throughout the course of the novel, racism effects many characters such as Tom and Helen Robinson, Scout and Jem Finch, and Mayella and Bob Ewell. All these characters had there lives
Discrimination played a big role in the 1930s and throughout the development of the novel, and still is not completely diminished in the 21st century. Sexism, classicism, and racism all typified the many relationships in To Kill A Mockingbird, from Aunt Alexandra wanting Scout to become a lady, to Tom Robinson's unfair court trial. Prejudices are formed because of the level of ignorance people have when they believe everything they hear from their peers without bothering to be fertilized with education, leading to a division within communities, physically and mentally.
In the beginning of the story, Scout and Jem don’t really see injustices and thinks the world is fair and always a happy place. They have the normal false perception of childhood innocence that shape their These symbols make you look deeper into the text and give you an overall clearer understanding of the text. The most obvious symbolism is the title, To Kill a Mockingbird. He says it’s a literal sin to kill a mockingbird when Scout and Jem get air rifles. He says “shoot all the bluejays you want, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”(119).
These three children are sadly caught up in the crazy world they are living in. “Atticus said to Jem one day, ‘I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you’ll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit'em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee page 103). This is the quote that really stands out since many of the sub stories throughout the book revolve around this thought making it easy to relate to. In the story so many “Mockingbirds” are killed so in essence to say killing a mockingbird is to say killing another’s innocence. These three children have to witness all of these “mockingbirds” dying that their own “mockingbird” is killed in a
In part one of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus proves that he has a civilized heart by informing Scout and Jem about the sin of killing mockingbirds, showing his views about equality and the Ewells, and defending Tom Robinson even when the odds of winning are slim. Firstly, when Scout begins taking interest in guns, Atticus proclaims one rule for her to follow when he says, “‘Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.’” (10). Mockingbirds are known for singing loud and beautiful songs. Atticus believes that one should not mindlessly shoot at something that works hard to please others. Also, the mockingbirds do not harm other birds, thus Atticus concludes that they should
Growing up is hard, but when you add in nosey neighbors, scary houses, a stuck up aunt, and taunting children, it becomes more difficult. To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel written by Harper Lee that was published in 1960. The story takes place in Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s. Scout Finch is a six year old narrator. She lives with her father, her brother, and Calpurnia, their black cook. Scout spends her summers playing with her brother, Jem, and her friend, Dill Harrison. Atticus Finch, Scout’s father, is a lawyer and he is defending Tom Robinson, a black man who is accused of raping Mayella Ewell. The story is an account of the next three years of Scout’s life in Maycomb. Throughout the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, it takes a couple years for Scout Finch to grow and mature into an understanding, empathetic, polite, young lady.