To Kill A Mockingbird Analysis

Lee implies that people learn lessons through life experiences that school can ever teach. Throughout this novel, Atticus taught his kids many lessons that was hard for them to hear at times, but it later on helped them in the story. Or it helped them grow up and mature. On page 40 of To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus was explaining to Scout that Miss.Caroline was new and didn’t know anyone, and she especially didn’t know the Cunningham’s story, Atticus states, “Atticus said… but if Walter and I had put ourselves in her shoes we’d have seen it was an honest mistake on her part” (40). This quote by Atticus is meant to explain to Scout that Miss. Caroline just made an honest human mistake. He tried to get Scout to realize that if he put herself in Miss.Caroline’s shoes then she might better understand the confusion. Obviously you can’t really be in her shoes, but he said it figuratively to show her why it was important to give her another chance, or at least try to be nice and listen. Atticus taught this to Scout at home later on that night. At her school after that she tried to just get by in her class. Lee also shows mainly throughout that the school system doesn’t help when it comes to teaching children life lessons. As shown in the earlier quote Atticus, had told Scout to jump in Walter’s shoes, and walk around in it. This other quote shows how Scout actually takes into consideration of Atticus’ words, and chooses to not bother Jem because she tried to imagine what it had

“Remember, it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird,” (Lee 119). In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, this is the quote that Atticus, one of the main characters, says to his kids. Atticus is a lawyer who takes on a tough case in his town, Maycomb. His kids are Scout, and Jem. Throughout the book, they grow and mature. They don’t mess around with their neighbor, Boo, as much as they used to. But, luckily because of him, they live to see the next day. In To Kill a Mockingbird, it shows that because of prejudice, innocent people can be harmed. This is shown through Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Jem.

To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, is about how Jem broke his arm severely and how Scout and Jem react to certain events that happen in their town. Every book has a title, and sometimes, the title has a symbolic meaning. To Kill a Mockingbird’s title could relate to two characters, that being Tom Robinson and Jem Finch. These characters have done nothing wrong, like a mockingbird, but get hurt badly, which is a sin if you kill or hurt a mockingbird.

Mockingbirds will only sing their hearts, not cause any damage or give their lives to pleasing others. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird great examples are shown of different types of mockingbirds. Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Arthur (Boo) Radley are great examples of representing a mockingbird.

Firstly, Tom Robinson is a mockingbird because he is an innocent man convicted of raping a white woman due to the colour of his skin which in turn leads to the loss of his innocence. Atticus was able to make a good defense for Tom by stating the fact that the right side of Mayella’s face had suffered severe damage meaning that a person who was left handed most likely attacked her. He goes on to prove that Bob Ewell is left handed while Tom’s left hand is disfigured, “having taken the oath with the only good arm he possesses- his right hand” (Lee 273). Although all the evidence proved Tom to be innocent he was still convicted of being guilty, thus stripping him of his innocence. Furthermore, Tom was convicted of being guilty just because he was black and taking the word of a black man over that of a white man was unimaginable. The jury had already found Tom guilty even before the start of the trial because of the

“Shoot all the Bluejays you want, if you can hit’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee pg. 90). The bird, mentioned nearly twice, seems to show little importance to the story. Nonetheless, it resembles the perception of some characters. The one time Scout had ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do anything was when referring to the mockingbird. He advised his children when hunting to never shoot a mockingbird. Miss Maudie followed with further detail by explaining that “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” (Lee pg.90).

Charles Lamb once said, “Lawyers, I suppose, were children once.” The author of To Kill

Tom Robinson enters To Kill a Mockingbird accused of raping Mayella Ewell but leaves To Kill a Mockingbird dead. Atticus Finch the defendant in Tom Robinson’s case and the father of Jem and Scout, did not fail Robinson, Robinson’s family or his own because he tried his best to prove that Tom was not guilty. For example , Miss Ewell explained that the attacker in her testimony, Tom Robinson had force himself on her, began to hold to her by the neck and hit her repeatedly after she asked him to bust up a chiffarobe for her. Heck Tate, the sheriff and witness of the trial had said Mayella only had bruises on both the neck and right side of her face, this now raised a red flag for Atticus. For Robinson to beat Miss Ewell repeatedly on the right side of her face he would have to use his left arm which got caught in a cotton gin years before. The disability that Tom Robinson had created great evidence for Atticus’s defense but didn’t work because of the unjust community they both live in. Maybe it would have worked if the trial was held in a courtroom that is built on justice for all, not just for the white.

Therefore, the mockingbird and Robinson's voice commonly are not paid attention to throughout the whole novel. "It couldn't be worse Jack. The only thing we've got is a black man's word against the Ewells. The jury couldn't possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson's word against the Ewells." (88) This quote from Atticus is noteworthy for it implies that regardless of what Tom Robinson claims in the court, the jury is expected to stand on the white man's side. Although the jury at court is supposed to make objective decisions, along the other villagers, he displays a definite bias against the black man. If there is any responsibility that falls upon Tom, it would be the responsibility for chopping wood and providing help for Mayella who is reflected as the loneliest person on earth in the eyes of Scout. However, the mockingbird figure is wrongly accused of things that he has never done or even imagined. Although there is a sufficient amount of proof that Robinson is innocent, it is ignored after all, and he is imprisoned. Emphasizing this, Atticus tells his son Jem: "In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins." (220) This

There has always been an argument if people are naturally good, or naturally evil? The answer lies somewhere in the middle. The characters in “A Time to Kill” by John Grisham and “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee show this by taking action into their own hands. In the book “A Time to Kill,” Carl Lee Hailey, the father of Tonya Hailey; sought vengeance on Billy Ray Cobb and Pete Willard for raping his daughter. Throughout the book, it shows the experiences Carl Lee has while being on trial against the state of Mississippi. He was ultimately successful in winning the case. In the book “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Arthur "Boo" Radley is a mysterious man who lives across the street from the Finch family. Jean "Scout" Finch, her brother Jem,

Harper Lee was an American author who in the year of 1960 published a novel titled, To Kill A Mockingbird. This novel became very successful and went on to become known as one of the greatest pieces of American literature. Harper Lee uses characters in the novel to create mockingbirds like it says in the title. Each character has something to make them a unique mockingbird that is memorable because of the things that they go through. Lee created three mockingbirds, Tom Robinson, Arthur “Boo” Radley, and Mayella Ewell. Throughout the novel we begin to see more and more what makes them a mockingbird within the novel. This title was significant too and was chosen for a reason to make the novel a good one that is as memorable as this one is.

“People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for”(232). In To Kill a Mockingbird, by using imagery and point of view, Lee suggests that it is wrong for people to be treated differently based on stereotypes, which leads to discrimination. In the book, we have a character named Boo Radley who is judged a fair amount of times without actually getting to know his background. Also we have a man named Tom Robinson who is wrongfully convicted of a crime he did not commit based on the color of his skin, which shows how the jury were discriminative against him. Every time someone makes assumptions on other people based on stereotypes, they will be treated a different way because they are looked at a different way.

During the time To Kill a Mockingbird was written there were many historical troubles and injustices. Just a few of them include the expectations and roles of women, the Great Depression, and racism. Women were expected to talk proper, act proper, and dress accordingly. If they weren't they were judge by other women in the society; as seen in To Kill a Mockingbird Scout's aunt tells her that she needs to wear dresses and talk differently. The Great Depression is known as the most economic downturn in industrialized history. We can see in Lee's book the many consequences and effects it has on the characters' lives especially Walter Cunningham. As most know during the time of the 18 and 19 hundreds there were major problems with racism. Although some believed that white and black people were being fair and that they were equal they defiantly weren't. Harper Lee was inspired by these things she saw around her and in her own life that she wrote the inspiring and heartfelt novel that we now have and cherish today.

Mimus polyglottos which is also known as the mockingbird, it’s a songbird that is known for its beauty and music. The mockingbird is seen as an innocent creature that does no harm. The novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee is set in the 1930’s and deals with racism and social normalities that were unjust. One of the prominent ideas in the novel is innocence weather it would be child like or when being prosecuted innocence is a driving force for the moral hardships in the book. The book also asks the question of why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird? The reasons being its innocent, did not crime, and makes the world better instead of harming anything.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” was not a mystery, or a tragedy, or even an adventure novel. This classic is merely a snapshot of time through the eyes of a young girl, Scout. She was raised by her father, Atticus, alongside her brother, Jem. In this coming of age novel, we learn about the small town Maycomb, Alabama, set in the 1930’s. Throughout the story, the reader gets a visual of daily life during that time and the common racism and sexism. Everyone who has taken history knows how much times change, but do people realize how much they have stayed the same?