One of the most pivotal and revolutionary literary works in the American classroom has stemmed from the 20th century and continues to influence the youth in modern times—Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Though the infamous novel exemplifies within it themes of race relations and justice, the overall elements that depict Southern society during this era are core factors in labeling this novel as “controversial.” Controversial enough that in his article, “If To Kill a Mockingbird’ makes you squirm, good!” Leonard Pitts utilizes the three Aristotle proofs to criticize the act of using discomfort as a ploy to disregard racism; he executes this by his use of indignant satire and several references to crucial events in the past and occurring history that were fueled by prejudice, bigotry, and ethnocentrism. In Pitts’ article, the use of satire and connotations serves as a supplement to promote his point of view. His repeated use of the word “uncomfortable” demonstrates the ignorance he feels is strongly prevalent in schools that merely use this term to shield the larger issues of prejudice, discrimination, stereotyping, oppression, and racism. For example, when summarizing the current issue of football players refusing to stand for the national anthem as a means to express their sentiments against racism, Pitts' points out, “These readers argued that protest should not make anyone-- here’s that word again-- uncomfortable” (Pitts). Though this current issue of objection to the
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
“Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you,” stated Bethany Hamilton, an American professional surfer, who survived a shark attack, when she was only 13 years of age. This quote relates to the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, on account that plenty of people in the book had fear, but did not let it stop them from doing what they needed to do. A few of these courageous people were Mrs. Dubose, Atticus, and Boo Radley.
“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.
As Stephen King once said, “The trust of the innocent is the liar’s most useful tool.” In the book "To Kill a Mockingbird", by Harper Lee, Jean Louise Finch, a young girl who also goes by Scout, experiences many things such as racism, friends, and family. Her father, Atticus Finch, is a lawyer who is sacrificing his reputation to defend a black man, Tom Robinson. Scout and her friends take it upon themselves to uncover the mystery of Boo Radley. In this book the mockingbirds represent innocence. Many characters take on the role of the “mockingbird". Exploring Lee’s title, to kill a mockingbird is to kill innocence.
“It's right hard to say," she said. "Suppose you and Scout talked colored-folks' talk at home it'd be out of place, wouldn't it? Now what if I talked white-folks' talk at church, and with my neighbors? They'd think I was puttin' on airs to beat Moses, "But Cal, you know better," I said. “It's not necessary to tell all you know. It's not ladylike—in the second place, folks don't like to have somebody around knowing more than they do. It aggravates 'em. You're not gonna change
As the famous American author, Nerburn, says,“It is much easier to become a father than to be one”(http://www.wiseoldsayings.com/fathers-quotes). Nerburn writes about how hard it is to be an eligible father .He proposes the question, “Do people think their father is the person who is able to provide them a lot of guidance or help? In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Jem and Scout live with their father, Atticus, who is a lawyer, and regard him as an excellent example. However, Scout and Jem don’t value Atticus as a father with full diligence because he is elder than most of other students’ father and he is not able to do any sports. Due to the accident with the mad dog, atticus’s educations and the case of Tom Robinson, Jem and Scout come to understand, respect, and finally admire their father.
"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" (pg. 119.) Miss Maudie spoke the previous quote with deep thought going into each and every word. She wasn't just trying to teach Scout a lesson, but she wanted there to be a powerful meaning behind it. Miss Maudie's main purpose was to stress that you shouldn't kill something that is doing no harm. Everyday "mockingbirds" are killed, broke down, and mistreated by society.
It just takes three kids and their traits to make a difference in a community. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, racism, classism, and sexism are all showcased, through the eyes of children. The children, Dill, Scout, and Jem, try to understand and change the segregated ways of the town of Macomb. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Dill, Scout, and Jem create chaos, causing changes in Macomb County, by not judging people only from their background, speaking out for what is right, and are continually being persistent.
Many people get accused for the wrong crimes that they have never committed. For many years people have been accused for the wrong crimes. Some examples include: skin color, religion, sexual orientation, gender roles, etc. Someone being accused of a crime that they didn’t commit was during the Scottsboro Boys and Tom Robinson, from “To Kill a Mockingbird”. That people should not be treated differently based on their races, racism, and unreliable sources.
As children, we often copy our parent's values and beliefs. In the novel ”To Kill a mockingbird” by Harper Lee the author demonstrates that parents pass down their ideals and values to their children through their actions . This leads to their children inheriting their character traits. In the novel, Atticus and Bob Ewell demonstrate their kind and abusive parenting style through their actions that influence the values and beliefs of their children.
“‘Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird’” (Lee 119). The meaning of the quote is mockingbirds don't do anything but, sing for us to enjoy. Mockingbirds only want to bring happiness in the world like some characters in To Kill A Mockingbird. Harper Lee stated this quote in the book to get us thinking about how Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley are mockingbirds. Tom Robinson just wanted to help Mayella Ewell but, got accused of raping her when she kissed Tom. Boo Radley was the town’s mystery neighbor. He was known to be crazy, but really he was a caring man. Atticus Finch only does what he needs to do but, he doesn’t mean to harm anyone. He wanted to give Tom a chance at
Harper Lee shows us how broken or “fallen” the adult world really is in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The adults in the novel are responsible for their children and how they grow up, so they have to change to make a better future for them. Unfortunately, most of the adults in Lee’s novel continue on with their discriminatory and unruly behaviour and proceed to teach their children the same unjust and immoral ways of life they were taught. Lee feels that if adults continue to be closed-minded to new, better ways of life, to keep demonstrating racism and unfairness, and to keep teaching their children to have certain views for certain people such as women or “negroes”, then nothing is going to change and the new generation will be just as broken as the adults.
In “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee Atticus is a moral man because he shows courage by always doing the right thing when nobody is watching and he is always trying to set a good example for his kids and the town and to be kind to all living things. For Example when Atticus tells his children that they can shoot all the blue jays they want, but never To Kill a Mockingbird he does not elaborate which drove Scout to ask Ms.Maudie. She explains that, “Mockingbirds do not do one thing, but make music for us to enjoy, they do not eat up peoples gardens, do not nest in the corn cribs, they do not do one thing, but sing their hearts out, that is why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird.”(93). Miss Maudie explains to Scout that mockingbirds are innocent.
The Influence of Setting on Themes and Events in To Kill A Mockingbird Vs. A Time to Kill
Mockingbirds are innocent and free from corruption,but how would you think that some characters are Mockingbirds? To Kill a Mockingbird is about a lawyer, Atticus Finch, simply defending an African American, Tom Robinson from a rape charge. Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley are innocent and free from the disease of Maycomb County. That disease is racism and hate. Atticus is a man made from morals, Tom is a scared African-American, and Boo just wants to get away from the chaos outside his home. Yet so many want to hurt them, someone threatened Atticus, Tom is being charged with something he did not do, and Boo has dangerous rumors of him stabbing his father with scissors. With all this pain to these Mockingbirds, Isn’t it a sin to