To Kill A Mockingbird Literary Analysis

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird demonstrates organic unity through the use of literary tools to create, maintain, and amplify the central theme. Lee constructs and develops the theme of social inequality by employing dialogue, irony, and an extended metaphor. Through dialogue, the townspeople show contempt for blacks, viewing them and anyone who treats them as equals as inferior. This is evident in the analysis of the conversations of Bob Ewell, Mrs. Dubose, and Francis Hancock where they refer to black people as uncivilized savages. Not only does Bob Ewell, contribute to the theme through his dialogue, but his full name of Robert E. Lee Ewell provokes irony that clarifies the racist undertones of the novel. Moreover, irony functions

Many critics will argue whether or not Harper Lee was successful in connecting two very different storylines in To Kill A Mockingbird. The novel is split into two separate parts, both touching on separate topics. Harper Lee carefully created the different storylines so they were able to connect in numerous subtle ways. Despite the many differences in the two parts of To Kill A Mockingbird, Lee does an appropriate job in joining them together. Harper Lee was successful in connecting the two different storylines by touching on the power of trust in both, incorporating a main issue of inequality into both stories, and overlapping the two storylines at the end of the book.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel that takes readers and shows them the struggles of racism, loss of innocence, human-behavior and many more all through the eyes of Scout Finch, A young Alabama girl. To Kill a Mockingbird shows the evil and dark side that all humans have, but also illustrates the good in the characters of Maycomb. This Novel reflects the educational, economic, and racial problems in the time it was set.

Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird once stated that the one thing that does not abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience (Lee 140). To Kill a Mockingbird, set in 1955, is about an old country town called Maycomb. Atticus Finch, a widower with two children, leads a fairly simple life as a lawyer in Alabama. With the help of the family nanny, Calpurnia, Atticus teaches his children many valuable life lessons. Throughout the book, there are many ways that Atticus instills conscience in his children. For example, when the children are playing and poking fun at a man that lives across the street named Boo Radley, Atticus illustrates that they should be more careful and courteous to other people. Another time, he educated his children about courage through an elderly, cranky, lady named Mrs. Dubose. Lastly, Atticus instilled conscience in his children by being an excellent example to them. By living and acting the same way that he taught his children to act, Atticus bestowed upon his children the lessons of humbleness and faithfulness.

The 1960s-Southern Gothic “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee and the 2011 Movie “The Help” directed by Tate Taylor both take very strong stances on African American rights and the civil rights movement that took place in the 1930s and 1960s. The two different texts reveal these themes and ideas through many different text conventions. Three major themes explored in both The Help and Mockingbird is segregation between African Americans and white people, Gender issues with Scout being expected to become a lady and Abuse which was a common practice in the time both texts were set. The following essay will explore and compare the text conventions that show these themes in detail.

One of Harper Lee’s best selling novels is “To kill a mockingbird”. It is set during the early 20th century in the fictional town of Maycomb. This book shows a lot of themes and many characters represent the title. In the novel Atticus tells Scout and Jem that “It is a sin to kill a mockingbird”. Miss Maudie goes on to explain that the mockingbird is harmless and that it’ only purpose is to sing and for people’s enjoyment. There are three characters in this novel that strongly symbolize the innocent harmless bird. These following characters throughout this novel show the loss of their innocence or they are people who have been injured/destroyed by their innocence.The characters are Tom Robinson,Scout and Boo Radley.

“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.

When author Harper Lee originally created To Kill a Mockingbird she never thought it would have the success it did. “I didn’t expect the book to sell in the first place”. It was actually an immediate success and was a bestseller, and sell almost one million copies a year. To kill a mockingbird is set in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930’s where race was a real problem and being black wasn't equal. Race affects this story dramasticly, a lot of turning points and problems that should have never been there were created from race.

It can be argued that the customs and environment around a person can influence their thoughts and opinions. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee exposes the reader to characters who have prejudices against others because of their skin color or wealth. The novel is about a young girl growing up during the Great Depression in Alabama, being exposed to prejudices and racism in her community as she grows up. The protagonist, Scout, meets young, poor boy, Walter Cunningham, during the course of the novel, and she notices that he is treated differently by others. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee uses the cultural customs and setting around the characters of Calpurnia, Atticus, and Miss Caroline to express their attitudes on social class by criticizing Walter Cunningham.

The novel is written and based in the 1930’s during the Great Depression. It’s narrated by a little girl by the name of Jean Louise Finch, and the nickname Scout. Scout explains how she views her life in these years in Maycomb County. How her father, Atticus protects his defendant Tom Robinson in court, and how her, her brother Jem and her friend Dill grow up together fantasizing over Boo Radley, and wanting to see him come out of the Radley house. We also get a look into how life was during the Great Depression and how racism was at it’s peak during this time, and coloured people were discriminated for being different tones of skin colour.

“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.

Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, takes place in Monroeville Alabama in the 1930s during the time of the Great Depression, when racial discrimination was very prominent in the American South. It is narrated by the main character Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, a six year old girl who is the daughter of local attorney Atticus Finch. She tells the story from an adult perspective about her own childhood experiences. Through Scout’s eyes, Lee is able to present the story objectively by having an innocent girl make observations about the town she lives in. She presents the theme of racial discrimination and injustice to make the reader think, using powerful description, strong characterisation and colloquial language to make the story come alive to the reader.

Innocent until found guilty. The caliber of modern law today. We now give every United States Citizen the right to a fair a speedy trial, to our sixth amendment rights. But imagine a time where these so called unalienable rights were non-existent, especially to one race. A time when everyone believed in one thing, not knowing right from wrong. That’s exactly what happened to Tom Robinson in the self-acclaimed novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird is a pinnacle of literature that elucidates the racial injustice of the 60-70s. A masterpiece by Harper Lee, as her meanings even demonstrate prejudice and chastity today. In like manner, things in the information age, like saving net neutrality , and the racism still evident within this very terrene today. Like Mrs. Maudie says, “It is a sin to kill a Mockingbird.” And Harper Lee agrees, as she puts in many crafts that sum towards the main theme, which is destroying innocence should stand alone. But why so? With that in mind, it’s time to uncover some of the traits that Harper Lee used to create an American classic.

German scientist Sebastian Thrun once claimed “that it is sad that we don't we never get trained to leave assumptions behind”. This quote refers to assumptions, a termed defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary as a “thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof”. The key clause being “without proofs”. Despite the ambiguity , society’s assumptions and biases are presented in numerous facets, including false rumors and racial prejudice. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee’s use of setting and point of view illustrates that assumptions and biases in society are premature, and are usually untrue.

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee,, Atticus Finch stated to his child In the novel T“Shoot all the bluejays you want if you can hit em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”. (pg )The most eye pulling thing about this quote is the concern Atticus is taking and the security he is trying to put across. Atticus is trying to get the point across that it is wrong to hurt or get at a innocent person. While some people don’t understand the fact that even if that person has done wrong to you when you try to hurt them or make them “feel your pain” that it makes you just as wrong as them and the high that we are feeling doesn’t stay forever.