Literary Analysis for To Kill a Mockingbird “There’s something in our world that makes men lose their heads- they couldn’t be fair if they tried. In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s word, the white always wins. They’re ugly, but these are the facts of life.” ************ Along with the main theme of the story, racism, there are multiple other themes that are represented in the story. These include: the coexistence of good and evil, and importance of mortal education. The use of the “mockingbird” symbolizes innocence in the main characters, Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and Scout because of the social issues within the society in the 1930’s.
Racism was one of the biggest topics in To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee and also one of the biggest issues in the United States during the 1930’s. In the novel Atticus Finch is a distinguished and successful lawyer in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama. Maycomb during this time was home to many racist citizens, and also home to many struggling families. Even though Maycomb’s community is filled with racist people, Atticus agrees to defend a black man named Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell, but claimed he did not. Once Robinson’s trial begins he is put in jail and then soon after a mob gathers at the local jailhouse to lynch him. Atticus, having exceptional morals stood out from the rest of the residents in Maycomb. He defended Tom not only as his job but as a
In the book to Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, set in 1930s Alabama; was a racist town in the Deep South called Maycomb who did not care for the African American race. But, Atticus a secondary main character believes everyone is born equal, leaving him to try innovative ideas to save Tom Robinson an African American man who is being prosecuted in the court of law on a false claim made on him. Throughout, evidence will be shown that life is difficult and unfair for the Blacks; showing us that there is an apparent theme of uncertainty and injustice at this time period. At the beginning of the story not much-involving race occurs it's more about this mysterious Boo Radley who no one really accepts. Later on, around chapter 9 is when things
Characterize Miss Maudie Atkinson (characterization = personality traits, actions, thoughts/feelings, other people’s points of view). How typical is she of Maycomb’s women? What do the children think of her?
Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is set in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s. Racism is ever present toward blacks and the trial of Tom Robinson, an African American, clearly displays this. Tom Robinson was accused of raping a white woman. The huge detail in this is that it was a white woman. Racial issues are really brought about because of that detail. People during this time would easily take a white man’s word over that of a black man, so nobody would ever trust Tom Robinson, especially since he was a black man being accused of a crime against a white woman. Tom Robinson really can’t do anything to help his case. The only person that can help him is Atticus. While Atticus does not believe that he will win the case, he knows that it is right to do everything he can to help Tom. He knows right from wrong and he will do everything in his power to help people see that, and to help Tom survive this case. Tom Robinson could also be described as a Mockingbird in this story. If proven innocent, he would be
“Human beings are poor examiners, subject to superstition, bias, prejudice, and a profound tendency to see what they want to see rather than what is really there” ~ Scott Peck. Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird abounds with the injustice produced by social, gender, and racial prejudice. The setting of the book takes place in the 1930s, where racism is a big deal in society. In the novel Harper Lee uses a mockingbird as an analogy to the characters. The Mockingbird is a symbol for Three Characters in the book, Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley. The people of Maycomb only know Boo Radley and Tom Robinson by what others say about them. These Characters are then characterized by other people 's viewpoints. In the novel there are many themes that are adjacent to our lives, the one that is found in To Kill A Mockingbird is Human Conflict comes from the inability for one to understand another. “ You never understand a person until you consider things from his point of view- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (39)
As Lemony Snicket wrote in The Blank Book, “People don’t always get what they deserve in this world.” 1930s America was fraught with racism, especially in the southern states. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, a Negro man by the name of Tom Robinson was put on trial. Although he was not guilty, the jury convicted him because of the colour of his skin. During the trial, others showed injustice towards Tom and people that were on his side. As Tom’s lawyer, Atticus Finch was not admired by many of the white citizens of Maycomb, the town in which the novel takes place. Although Atticus and Jean Louise Finch (Scout) were white, they were still treated unjustly as a result of helping and supporting Tom Robinson. Scout, Atticus’
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird events and conflicts take place causing changes in characters. Some of the characters that are changed include Mrs. Dubose, Jem, Scout, and even Mr. Arthur Radley. Each of these events has a background to help change the characters. Mrs. Dubose is helped to change her charter in the novel by Jem reading to her, Aunt Alexandra comes to live with Atticus, Jem, and Scout changing Scout’s character, and Arthur Radley’s character is changed by the event of Jem and Scout being attacked by Bob Ewell.
The tiny, sleepy, worn-out, dingy, slow-moving town of Maycomb, Alabama is where the novel takes place. The novel takes place in the early 1930s, during the Great Depression.
Based on the first six chapter of the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, we can see that it moves at a rapid pace. It starts off as the beginning of summer and by the end of the sixth chapter an entire year has passed by. Throughout this year, we see Scout 's, Dill 's, and Jem 's adventures during the summers and Scout going to school for the first time. We also receive some additional background information on the mysterious Arthur "Boo" Radley.
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it" (Lee 30). Atticus Finch says these words to his daughter, Scout, after he elucidates to her why it is important to not be quick to judge a book by its cover . In Harper Lee's To Kill A Mocking Bird, the main conflicts are centered around prejudice. In the tiny town of Maycomb, everybody is set on tradition and there is no room for oddity. Atticus Finch breaks down the walls that everybody else builds up about first and lasting impressions, slowly but surely. Atticus Finch is a discreet example of practicing equality because he espouses the outcasts of Maycomb.
Atticus Finch belongs to a very, very small minority. He is one of the very few human beings who does not hate Hitler. Of course, he does not like the universally hated historical figure, but merely dislikes him. This is a major theme of Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird. One can never, without exception, hate a man. Harper Lee promotes the idea that hatred is never acceptable by creating situations with literary devices like characters, settings, and plots that demand empathy.
In To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, discrimination is present in the town of Maycomb. As a lawyer, Atticus Finch defends Tom Robinson, an African American man falsely accused of raping a white woman. He risks his job, reputation, and life defending Tom, portraying his refusal to accept the evil mindset of society. Atticus’ stance against the mistreatment of others reveals his sustaining morality throughout the novel.
To kill a mockingbird book is a story you should never read. It takes a long time to get to the middle, the climax of the story. It also has unnecessary characters that should have been in the story only at the beginning or not in the book at all. Lastly, it tells the unnecessary characters story than telling us more about what happened to Tom Robinson, Atticus Finch, Jem, and Scout relationship and also about how blacks and whites are not treated equally.
To Kill a Mockingbird happens in Alabama, the primary character, a young lady named Jean Louise "Scout" Finch. Her dad, Atticus Finch, is a legal counselor with high good models. Scout, her sibling Jem, and their companion Dill are fascinated by the neighborhood gossipy tidbits around a man named Boo Radley, who lives in their neighborhood yet never goes out. Legend has it that he once wounded his dad in the leg with a couple of scissors, and he is made out to be a sort of beast.
Racism is a very serious issue that affects many peoples lives. Racism is the belief in the superiority of one race over another, which often results in discrimination and prejudice towards people based on their race or ethnicity. In Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird” racism is found in the town of Maycomb, Alabama which greatly affects the characters. Racism clearly influences the characters in the novel through the time of Tom Robinson's trial. The characters that were most affected and will be further analyzed will be Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson and Jean Louise Finch (Scout), then some conclusions will be made.
To Kill a Mockingbird is a 1962 film directed by Robert Mulligan, and is based on the novel by Harper Lee of the same name. The film stars Gregory Peck (Atticus Finch), Mary Badham (Scout Finch), Phillip Alford (Jem), John Megna (Dill), Robert Duvall (Boo Radley), and Brock Peters (Tom Robinson). To start the film a woman is narrating her childhood in Macomb, Alabama that was "a tired old town even in 1932." She (Scout) recalls that she was six years old that summer. Scout and her brother Jem are fascinated by the neighbors a few door down, particularly Boo Radley, which they share with Dill, a boy visiting town for the summer. The primary plot line for Scout, Jem, and Dill revolves around Boo Radley.