In the thrilling fiction novel To Kill a Mockingbird, author Harper Lee uses memorable characters to explore Civil Rights and racism in the segregated southern United States of the 1930s. In the context of the example, Atticus had recently shot a dog because it seemed threatening to the neighborhood. The metonymy in this example is the word “shot” referring to a gun, which in turn refers to a gunman. The metonymy compliments Atticus’s skill in gunmanship due to the fact that it refers to him as being the “shot”, almost as if he were part of the weapon. The use of metonymy in the example is to create a further insightful glimpse at Atticus. By saying “the deadest shot” it implies that Atticus was an excellent marksman and had deadly accuracy.
To kill a mockingbird can mean many things. It’s the title of a book that has been bought 40 million times. But, it also has a definition. To kill a mockingbird means to destroy innocence. The theme of my literary analysis is mockingbirds. Mockingbirds in TKAM are innocent things tainted by the skewed society of Maycomb. Some of these mockingbirds are Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and the children. To Kill a Mockingbird is a book set in a small Alabama town in the 1930’s. The main character and narrator is Jean Louise Finch, but is almost always called by her nickname, Scout. Scout, her brother, and her summer friend Dill get into all kinds of mischief while living in the racist society of a 1930’s Alabama town. Scout’s dad, Atticus, is a prominent lawyer in Maycomb and is appointed to a controversial case, and is defending a black man. Scout and her brother, Jem go through many troubles and learn many lessons from the days leading up to, and during the trial. The trail makes their family some friends and a lot of enemies. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a story of courage and despair. Throughout TKAM, mockingbirds are used as an example of something innocent being tainted by the skewed society of TKAM. Some great examples of these are Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and the children.
“To Kill a Mocking Bird” is not only a great book but also a book that portrays a clear and concise message. This book is about the murder, immense persecution, and hatred towards an innocent man, Tom Robinson. This book Written by Harper lee is about a rape case against an African American man during the years of 1932 to 1935 in Maycomb, Alabama. These years were filled with racism, hatred, and segregation. A rape charge against a black man, Tom Robinson, with the victim being a white woman, Mayella Ewell, was ultimately a death sentence during these times no matter the actual truth to the incident or if it even occurred in the first place. This story portrays the truth of racism and the extreme level of tyranny directed towards African Americans. Lee lays out in detail the entirety of Tom Robinson’s case from the
Atticus is the only one in Maycomb that has the skills to shoot Tim Johnson. When the dog is near his neighborhood, the sheriff “Handed the rifle to Atticus” (Lee 126). The fact that the sheriff of Maycomb, a figure expected to save the town, hands Atticus the gun to get the job done establishes how Atticus is the only one with enough courage. Furthermore, this represents how he is also the only one with enough courage that can represent Tom Robinson. However, Atticus “shook his head vehemently” (Lee 127) trying to deny that he’s the only one with the courage to save the town. This establishes his fear of change and of missing the shot. He is fearful of changing his lifestyle back into his younger days when he was known as ‘Dead shot’. This
To begin with, it is needless to say that To Kill A Mockingbird has transcended time and has broken cultural barriers through its universal themes, drawing attention to problems that are still prevalent in today’s society. The book takes place in Maycomb County at a time, where given the historical and political circumstances, racism towards blacks was deemed normal; it was common for whites to believe themselves as superior to them due to the color of their skin. Racial tension is made apparent throughout the town, and hints are constantly being dropped to make this clear in the novel. This can be demonstrated by Mr. Radley and his hostile attitude towards blacks. Miss Stephanie clearly quotes him saying, “Shot in the air. Scared him pale though. Says if anybody sees a white nigger around, that’s the one,” ( Ch 6 ), in reference to him believing that a negro had trespassed his property without any factual evidence, with that already being an indication of racism prejudice, whilst making
In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee addresses many racial issues of the 1930’s, from unnecessary force, overkill, and not enough circumstantial evidence; which all still continue to occur in modern day society. In “To Kill a Mockingbird”, Harper Lee demonstrates racial inequality with the use of unnecessary force and overkill of the 1930’s. In the book, Atticus states, “Seventeen bullet holes in him” (Lee 315). The fact that Tom Robinson was shot 17 times was unnecessary and overkill. There were many other measures that could have taken place before shooting Robinson, he had only one arm and was an African American. There was no need to fire 17 bullets into a crippled man, but this event points to show that it occurred due to
Begin Match to source 8 in source list: http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/farewell_atticusIn Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus FinchEnd Match used to be the deadest Begin Match to source 3 in source list: Submitted to Damascus Community School on 2006-02-19shot in maycomb.End Match It says, Begin Match to source 3 in source list: Submitted to Damascus Community School on 2006-02-19“Forgot to tell you the other day that besides playing the Jew’s Harp, Atticus Finch was the deadest shot in Maycomb County in his time...End Match Ol’ One Begin Match to source 3 in source list: Submitted to Damascus Community School on 2006-02-19-Shot…”(End Match 129) In another case, Boo Radley is the most mysterious guy on the block and in Maycomb County. The song “Alien” by Begin Match to source 5 in source list: Submitted to Shalhevet High School on 2016-04-20Britney SpearsEnd Match says, “ Begin Match to source 5 in source list: Submitted to Shalhevet High School on 2016-04-20Was lonely then like an alien, I tried but I never figured it out, Why I always felt like a stranger in a crowd…”End Match Boo Radley Begin Match to source 5 in source list: Submitted to Shalhevet High School on 2016-04-20hasEnd Match stayed in his house all his
Throughout history, different people have many struggles with their identity and trying to figure out who they are. When I was younger, I struggled with my identity and who I was to my family and my friends. I did not know how to be myself without being called names or being looked at funny. At the house I would act one way towards my parents and my siblings, and at school I would act differently towards my friends to fit in. This time period of my life is well conveyed throughout different characters in many books. Harper Lee demonstrates the struggle of identity greatly in the book To Kill a Mockingbird. Throughout the novel, the author develops two characters, Calpurnia and Dolphus Raymond, that struggle with their identity to
Along with Atticus helping Heck kill the dog, the fact that Atticus asks for a specific type of gun, a shotgun, that can fire a number of pellets, shows that he wanted shoot more than just one bullet. In chapter 10, Atticus says, “If I had my ‘druthers I’d take a shotgun” (Lee 128). This symbolizes how shooting just one rabid dog is not going to stop the spread of disease along with how shooting one racist person is not going to stop the spread of racism. Though Atticus did shoot down Tim Johnson and though he did take the trail with Tom Robinson, these events along are not going to completely stop the spread of these diseases. Harper Lee shows that Tim Johnson’s rabies are a symbol for racism because neither of these ‘diseases’ can be defeated or brought down by one
In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee gives us the character Atticus Finch to give us an example of what courage is through symbolism, pathos, and irony. In this analysis I will talk about about how Atticus’s actions and words all seem to try to teach us something, and that something is courage. We can see the biggest example of Atticus’s courage when he has to talk about Tom Robinson’s case or when he talked to the kids about what Mrs. Dubose was trying to do before her death. Atticus’s courage is the type that allows him to do what he thinks is right even if people don’t agree with him or if it seems hopeless to try. Atticus is also seen trying to pass down his courage and wisdom to his kids throughout the story.
To begin, Lee uses diction to expose the theme of how prejudices are wrong. For example, Atticus said, “And so a quiet, respectable, humble Negro who had the unmitigated temerity to ‘feel sorry’ for a white woman has put his word against two white peoples.”(273) This quote shows the authors extensive use of diction. The author uses Negro which shows that Atticus has respect for blacks and doesn’t have those prejudices that blacks are lesser than him due to their skin. Moreover, Atticus says that Tom has “unmitigated termitary” meaning that Tom was bold enough to act out and help others, which goes against the normal prejudices so he needed to get rid of. The racists acted out against him because he wasn’t the black man which lies, kills and rapes but instead caring and responsible so the whites acted out negatively. The author also speaks through Atticus again by having him say that all Negros aren’t criminals but that that’s “a lie as black as Tom Robinson’s skin.”(273) The author is using a play on words to make it visual of how bad those racist lies are. Atticus knows that because of those lies a man could die and is
Outside the town limits, across the old sawmill tracks, lies a building with old paint crumbling off the sides and a cemetery lying right beside it. The brick-hard clay covered the land underneath both the churchyard and the cemetery. There lied crumbling tombstones and some new ones as well. Each one having an assortment of shattered coca-cola bottles, colorful glass, and dozens upon dozens of burnt out candles surrounding them. This was a happy place. The sweet aroma of Negro blossomed in the air, curating a scent of peppermint, snuff, and sweet lilac. It felt welcoming and homely. During the mid-1920s, in the darling town of Maycomb, Alabama, not all people had such a humbleness to them. Many people were not treated with the same respect and kindness as others, as shown in the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. Throughout the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, shows concerns about social class and how it affects everyone around them. Being different during the mid-1930s was excruciating, even though they were factors that can’t be controlled, and Lee wanted to make a point about that.
1. Miss Maudie destroys nut grass and a mad dog that Atticus kills in this novel that Harper Lee created. Miss Maudie loves everything about her garden but hates nut grass. The blade of nut grass can be easily spread all over her garden and even all over the Maycomb. It is small but it can ruin her garden so she must destroy at once without hesitation. Atticus kills mad dog named Tim Johnson because it is a diseased animal that can be infectious but also the possibility of violence. The common thing between both nut grass and the mad dog is that it can be spread easily, a threat to one’s living and that expertise, or experienced person can get rid of this threat. In this scenario, Miss Maudie is capable of destroying the nut grass and “the best shooter of Maycomb” Atticus has the ability to shoot the mad dog. This is a strong symbolism in my opinion. Nut grass is symbolic of her belief that racism in Maycomb can’t be eradicated by pulling from the top but from its origin to stop. The book also states that Maycomb disease is the racism, the disease can be spread easily like the nut grass. The mad dog has a human name, Tim Johnson. The author is trying to plot a death of one’s living. It isn’t a coincidence that the dog is black and has a similar name with Tom Robinson that has been killed. The symbolism here is that it is a misconception of a black society. The mad dog is the black society and the shooter is the white society. Black society, people always get a
First, Harper Lee uses metaphors to create a theme of good and evil. When Jem and Scout get rifles Atticus says one of the most recognized quotes in the book. On page 119 Atticus says ,“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit’em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird”. The mockingbirds in this quote and throughout the book represent innocence and innocent people, so to kill a mockingbird would be like killing innocence. Examples of mockingbirds are Jem, Tom Robinson, and Boo. The blue jays represent people who embrace the darker traits within them. Examples of Bluejays are the jury of the trial, and Bob Ewell.
“Nigger”, “Colored-folks”, “Dinge”, racial slurs used in the South in the 1900s-1960s. The disgusting souls who discriminated, judged, hated, and segregated blacks. “White men rule”. Women, their voices, barely able to say as much as a sentence. The blacks, their voices, unable to say as much as even a word, and the children, innocent and curious, saw nothing and said nothing. Harper Lee represented the horrendous acts and judgments of racism in To Kill a Mockingbird. Maycomb, Alabama, 1930s, a small town with a big story. Tom Robinson, discriminated and unequal, was seen as “just another nigger” in Maycomb. “Nigger”, “Chocolate”, “Colored”, racial slurs that began long ago, and are still used to this day. The White
The book is written by a girl, her name is Scout Finch, she has a brother whose name is Jem, her father also lives with them and his name is Atticus. Scouts mum has died when she was really young, so she doesn’t remember her much, but Jem (her brother) remembers some moments with his mum and he tells Scout about these moments every once in a while. Every summer holiday Dill would come from his home town to come and enjoy the holiday with them exploring the Town of Maycomb (Maycomb is the town where most of the story is set and where Scout lives) like the town haunted house that lies between her home and her school. When school first started and Scout starts Grade 1 she asked a question and asked to read. But when her teacher realizes that she