https://www.echeat.com/ To Kill a Mockingbird is narrated from the viewpoint of Scout, a young girl of about six years old who is the daughter of another central character, Atticus Finch. Atticus is the voice of justice and rationalism speaking out in a town full of highly emotional and ignorantly prejudiced people. A lawyer, the integrity of Atticus never wavers throughout To Kill a Mockingbird as we are shown one of the few figures who truly holds justice and moral beliefs above the prejudices of society. To Kill a Mockingbird Themes - The Mockingbird The main themes of To Kill a Mockingbird are illustrated through two major subplots running parallel throughout the novel. One of the major themes in the novel is the mockingbird motif. Atticus feels that it is wrong to kill a mockingbird because all they do is sing beautiful songs and never harm anyone. This theme is illustrated through the trial of Tom Robinson. A black man, Tom Robinson is accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman. In this subplot, the racially prejudice nature of Maycomb is clearly portrayed through such instances as the fact that Atticus is accused by the town of being a "nigger lover" for defending Tom’s case and also through the lynch mob scene outside the jail. It is in the Tom Robinson trial that the greatest example of injustice because of prejudice is seen. Although Atticus actually manages to prove the innocence of Tom Robinson, the white jury still refuses to declare the innocence of a black man over a white resulting in the most blatant testimony to the fact that the town of Maycomb held racial discrimination above justice. Through its decision the town essentially kills a mockingbird. Tom Robinson was a man who did no harm to others but instead actually helped others out of kindness - a mockingbird who becomes victim to a racist society. To Kill a Mockingbird Themes - Another Man's Shoes The second motif again concerns the nature of prejudice and is illustrated through the subplot of Boo Radley. Atticus tells his children that we never really know a man until we stand in his shoes and walk around in them. This theme is represented through Boo Radley, a man surrounded by mystery and rumors and hence prejudices. It is this prejudice that initially consumes Scout at the beginning of To Kill a Mockingbird as she imagines Boo to be some 2011-12-14T13:10:31.13-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Theme-of-Prejudice-in-To-Kill-A-Mocking-Bird-34390.aspx To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic novel about a young girl, her brother, and a close friend and their adventures in finding Boo Radley, and growing up in a prejudiced society towards African-Americans. The books main character Jeane-Louise Finch, nicknamed Scout, is shown how cruel and unfair the world can be, especially southern Alabama during the Great Depression. The reader is given a very good idea of how hard it was to show courage through its time of need. To Kill a Mockingbird portrays great courage, for example Scout, her father Atticus, or Ms. Dubose in her time of peril. It is all of these stories rolled up in this book that kept me reading this classic novel, although reading is not my favourite pastime, this book was a very satisfying read. I would say that To Kill a Mockingbird is a very good read for anyone who is looking for inspiration, or is looking for a strong story. Lee depicts family values shining through in the darkest of times, and the many intertwined stories create a memorable novel. Atticus Finch is a courageous person because he does what he believes is right, and does not follow Maycombs racist way. Defending Tom Robinson, an African-American man accused of raping a white woman proves Atticus’ integrity. His children Scout and Jem feel the repercussions of their father’s actions in defending Tom Robinson, "But Mrs. Dubose held us: "'Not only a Finch waiting tables, but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers’ ... 'your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for.'" Atticus stays strong and does what is truly right despite the publics’ beliefs. Mrs. Dubose is a good model of courage because she recognizes she has a flaw and that she has to fix. She is addicted to Morphine and makes a goal to die free of her weakness. She goes through a time of withdrawal that is difficult to survive "Her head moved slowly from side to side. From time to time she would open her mouth wide, and I could see her tongue undulate faintly. Cords of saliva would collect on her lips; she would draw them in, than open her mouth again. Her mouth seemed to have a private existence of its own." She finishes her goal before she dies, although she is has taken help from Jem reading to her every Saturday as a way of 2008-12-05T02:31:13-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Courage-in-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-33898.aspx Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck was first published in 1937. Steinbeck wrote Of Mice and Men during the Great Depression which was from 1929 to 1939. The book takes place in Salinas, CA which is right in the heart of California and also Steinbeck’s birthplace. Of Mice and Men is based on mental retardation, The Great Depression, and the migrant workers. One of the characters in the book named Lennie was a big guy but had a mental retardation problem which was common during the Great Depression and Steinbeck shows you how sad it was in the book. The Great Depression was the longest and worst period because stock values dropped, food prices went up by 40%, and it was hard for people to find jobs to take care of their family. Which had Steinbeck more motivated in writing this book because he wanted to show us the life back then. The book had migrant workers working in a ranch and trying to make a living each with a different dream. Steinbeck bonds all of the problems during the Great Depression and tells us how life was back then all in a book with a really interesting plot. The plot of Of Mice and Men is all about Lennie and George trying to make a living with their friendship and other stuff. Lennie is a large, strong man with the mind of a child, and George is a smaller man that is more intelligent who cares for Lennie. Escaping from the town of Weed are the results of Lennie touching a girl’s dress and getting blamed for raping her because of his love of touching soft things. They will have to go and find a new ranch which they do and it is near Soledad, CA. George and Lennie will work there to buy a small farm of their own, and "live offa the fatta the lan" by saving up enough money. Lennie loves to tend rabbits so he agrees with George into sharing his pay to buy that farm so he would tend those rabbits. However, this goal is only a dream until Candy, another worker on the farm, offers to share his savings for a place on the farm and George lets him. But the Stable buck, Crooks, would also like to join George and Lennie’s dream farm. Even after all the efforts they had worked for 2008-05-07T22:51:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Of-Mice-and-Men-Book-Review-33594.aspx I observe the lighting slowly becoming fainter and the air in my lungs slowly becoming cooler as two guards escort me towards an empty cell. The smell of something rotting is getting stronger and it is slowly becoming unbearable. The guards and I stop at what looks like to me, one of the smallest cells in the prison. “Common Nigger” say’s one of the guards, while his eyes pierce into my soul with antagonism. I move into the cell and stand there for a short period, while I look around to see if anyone else is in the cubicle with me. The guards lock my cold and lifeless cell and depart back up the way they came. I turn and look for a seat or a bed to sit down on but all I see is a rusted ledge as long as the cell. As I sit on the ledge, I feel as if I were sitting down on a cold slab of frost. My body temperature starts to decrease, yet my heart beat starts to increase. My head feels like it is about to burst, and my destiny slowly feels like it is coming to an end. As I’m sitting down I picture the town in my mind. I see a small community full of depression which has a restriction between the communication of black folks and the white folks. The Negro society is classed lower than the White populace on the rungs of the town’s social ladder. No matter how rich the Negro race is, in a white man’s eyes, we are below the lowest member of the white society. Realising this, I see that the Negro population in the town is marginalised because the White population in the town, values white supremacy to a great extent and believes that the Negro society should be lower than them because in one point of time the Black folks were slaves for them. I understand now why the verdict of my trial stated was opposite to reality. It was because the jury just could not admit a black man was innocent. They had to say that I was “guilty” because they favoured white people. I am sure if the verdict of the trial stated that I was innocent, it would have caused great catastrophe for the white population, because they would be seen by the Negro society as an untruthful 2008-03-09T03:28:30-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Reflection-of-Tom-Robbinson-Imaginative-Text-33530.aspx Racism can come in many forms such as active violence or prejudice, and it can result in disruption of social values. Racism is able to corrupt a town, which is evident within the court scene of Tom Robinson. Rumours and gossip were exchanged throughout Maycomb County, and one such comment was: “typical of a nigger’s mentality to have no plan, no thought for the future, just run blind first chance he saw. [265]” In this quotation, the word “typical” is implying that all black people have a lower intelligence level than white people. Racism can also draw out the worst in many, while it can also bring out the darkness in 2008-02-19T10:56:41-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Concept-of-Racism-in-TKAM-33524.aspx To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel that offers a view of life through a young girl’s eyes. This novel focuses on two main themes being racism and discrimination. Racism is undoubtedly the most prominent theme of the novel. It comes in an open and subtle manner that is displayed through speech and actions. The racism in Maycomb takes mainly the form of having white people against black people. There are many people in Maycomb that are racist because they think of Negroes as an inferior race and are often less reliable and trustworthy. Speech and actions are the most common forms of racism however the layout of the town is of racial discrimination as well. The Negroes are situated in a small camp quite out of the town “past the dump…five hundred yards beyond the Ewells (pg188)” which shows that they are somewhat less valued than the local dump. An example of a character who is severely racist is Mrs Dubose who lives next door to the Finches. Her intolerance of white and black people has become her characteristic. She insults people in many ways but becomes most vicious when it comes to matters of race. She once insulted Jem by saying that his father was “no better than the niggers and trash he works for! (pg113)” causing Jem to explode in a rampage through her garden. Eventually, the reader learns that Mrs Dubose suffers a life-threatening disease that explains some of her rages. This can excuse some of her judgement and intolerance but not all of her racial discrimination against Negroes. Although these issues are serious, the main racial conflict originates from the Tom Robinson court case. Some of the minor discrimination includes the absence of Negroes in the jury and the requirement of Negroes having to sit in the gallery of the court room. The more serious issues involve the injustice that Tom Robinson suffered in the case. Tom Robinson was accused of raping Mayella Ewell with weak evidence from her father but still won the case because the townspeople only believed Ewell’s story and since there were no Negroes in the jury, the case was immediately one-sided. Despite the similarities, racism is slightly different to discrimination which will be the next theme discussed. Discrimination is the main focus of this novel. Racism may seem like the only form of 2007-07-19T10:47:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Racism-and-Discrimination-theme-of-TKAM-33293.aspx The novel To Kill a Mockingbird demonstrates many themes but racism is strongest. Racism in the book takes the form of physical, emotional and institutional discrimination. The three main discriminations in the novel include the unfair life of a Negro in Maycomb, Mrs Dubose’s attitude towards the Finch family when the court case started and the Tom Robinson’s case. In the small town of Maycomb, the white people lived in the centre where there was the bank, courthouse, Tribune Office, Hardware store and the post office. There was a dirt road that “ran from the highway past the dump, down to a small Negro settlement some five hundred yards beyond the Ewells (pg188).” The Ewells were known as severely poor and mean people but the Negroes were thought to be even more inferior so they were positioned further away from the town central which is unreasonable and racist. There were many unoccupied spaces in the town yet the Negroes were forced to live on the outskirts of the town. Secondly, Negroes were also expected to exit and enter from backdoors of houses. When Calpurnia was alerting the town about the mad dog by knocking on the front doors, Scout said “She’s supposed to go around in back.” This is quite offensive because the backs of houses are often the filthy side and are usually not accessed from. This also shows that children were wrongly taught about Negroes at an early age. Religion-wise, the Negroes and the whites both worship the same god but they have separate churches. The Negroes worshipped in this “First Purchase” African M.E. Church on Sundays “and white men gambled in it on weekdays (pg130).” Having the white men gambling in the Negroes’ church is very disrespectful to their god and the Negroes that worship in the church because gambling is often thought of as sinful because the gamblers usually smoke and get drunk which is the opposite of god’s teaching is. Apart from the physical discrimination, emotional discrimination was also present in the novel. Jem, Scout and Atticus were often verbally abused by Mrs Dubose causing emotional stress and uncontrollable anger. Mrs Dubose had always insulted Jem and Scout when they walked past her house but her comments got stronger when Atticus started to defend Tom Robinson. Mrs Dubose went as far as saying “Your father’s no better than the niggers and trash he works for! 2007-07-19T10:46:46-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Racism-Theme-of-TKAM--33292.aspx Private talk to Calpurnia in the kitchen one day Calpurnia, I was just thinking about Mrs Dubose. I know that sounds weird but somehow, I seem to think of that incident differently now. Throughout the past few years, I have encountered numerous problems ranging from retrieving my pants from the Radleys to the court case that dad was involved in. However, my conflicts with Mrs Dubose have been most memorable. I still remember the amount of trouble I caused her that actually lead to the understanding of her values and beliefs. I had always hated and feared her but since she has passed away, I feel the less. It all started on the afternoon after my 12th birthday. Scout and I were heading to V.J. Elmore’s to buy a miniature steam engine for myself and a baton for my sister. Unfortunately, when we passed Mrs Dubose, we were once again engaged in an unwanted conversation. She started by insulting my sister so I thought that we should leave before things got worse but she stopped us. She continued by saying that our father defended for niggers. This caused me to implode with anger. Dad was the person that I respected the most because he taught and cared for me extremely well after my mother’s death. I was not going to let a person like Mrs Dubose get away with this but I remained calm. We continued to walking to the shops and I bought the items we were after. These new toys helped clear some of the anger but I was still eager for revenge against this woman that insulted me helplessly many times. As we returned home passing Mrs Dubose’s house, I noticed that she wasn’t on the porch. Although I knew it was mortally wrong, I still let my impulse take control. I took full advantage of this opportunity completely forgetting what my father taught me about being a gentleman. Without thinking, I snatched by sister’s new baton and ran furiously up Mrs Dubose’s steps into the front yard. I rampaged through her garden slicing all the heads of her camellias. Then I snapped the baton in two and threw it down with an instant sign of sorrow for my sister. Once again, Dad found out about my actions and I was told to talk to Mrs Dubose about what had happened. Mrs Dubose was known for having a concealed 2007-07-19T10:45:14-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Marginalised-Voices-Dramatic-Monologue-Jeremy-Atticus-Finch-33291.aspx Education in To Kill a Mockingbird takes the form of formal and informal education just like in Australia and other countries. The two Finch children Jem (Jeremy Atticus Finch) and Scout (Jean Louise Finch) undergo education in the novel and appear to learn a limited amount. Scout’s first experience of formal education was disastrous. Although Scout was a talented student with exceptional reading ability, the teacher Miss Caroline Fisher did not recognize this as a special ability that should be encouraged and instead, belittled her as if she was a freak and said that Atticus “taught her all wrong, so they can’t ever read any more. (pg33)” In this novel, Harper Lee appears to be satirizing formal education because the Dewey Decimal System that Miss Caroline referred to as the basis for reading and writing is 2007-07-19T10:44:09-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Education-theme-of-TKAM--33290.aspx Context of To Kill A Mockingbird section Context In this section, Atticus is arguing with Mr Tate about the death of Bob Ewell. In the background of the drama, Scout was listening to what is being said. Atticus claims that Jem was the one that killed Bob Ewell by getting a “hold of Ewell’s knife somehow in the dark” but Mr Tate says that he fell on his own knife killing him. Both men are very stubborn and refuse to be persuaded easily. Sub-context Before the argument started, both Atticus and Mr Tate knew who murdered Bob Ewell. Atticus and Mr Tate are not actually arguing but trying to protect Arthur Radley who they both knew was the killer. They are both trying to confuse Scout who is listening to the conversation in the background. Both Atticus and Mr Tate are worried that Scout might 2007-07-19T10:43:28-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Atticus-Finch-vs-Mr-Tate-33289.aspx Certain uncanny resemblances between Tom Robinson and Boo Radley's lives exist in Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird. Often large groups of people misunderstand certain unusual individuals. Sometimes they stereotype the person; other times, they simply do not bother to find out the truth. When such circumstances occur, the ostracized person's actions become unfairly misinterpreted or not understood at all. Sometimes rumors circulate about the individuals, that might then be assumed as the truth. In this novel, Tom and Boo are both outsiders to the white, normal society of Maycomb county. Tom and Boo share generous natures that are misunderstood; they hold little social value, and are generally assumed guilty. The first parallel in the lives of Tom and Boo, focuses on their property. Tom lives in the "nigger nest" (pg. 175) near to Mr. Ewell but outside the city limits. While testifying Mr. Ewell says, "I've asked this county for fifteen years to clean out that nest down yonder, they're dangerous to live around 'sides devaluin' my property (pg. 175)". A person's status often relates to his property, and the interpretation of that property's value is often based on the tenants of the land. In Maycomb county, the black community inhabits the least desirable property. In the Jim Crow era, blacks were stereotyped as violent and unclean; therefore, the property they owned was considered unvaluable and was located in the worst part of the county territory. On the other hand, the people in the "best" part of town are always white and upper class members of society. Mr. Ewell lives directly next to the town dump, yet he considers the blacks that he lives near a larger threat to his land's value than the appearance and stench of the city's trash. Most people in the better parts of town might even agree with him because they assume that the black people are a constant menace to white society, and being near them endangers one's life. The Radley property also threatens the lives of people brave enough to venture near it. The children believe that anything that comes from the Radley's soil is poisoned, including the nuts and fruits on the trees. Jem yells at Scout once saying about the Radley property: "Don't you know you're not supposed to even touch the house over there? You'll get killed if you do" (pg. 33). Jem also goes so far as to 2007-05-16T19:10:55-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Similarities-in-Tom-s-and-Boo-s-live-33214.aspx Analysis of Themes of "To Kill a Mockingbird" To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is an award-winning novel, published in 1960. Through six-year old Scout, her narrator, Harper Lee drew an affectionate and detailed portrait of Maycomb, Alabama, a small, sleepy, depression-era town. The main plot concerns the trial of an unjustly accused black man who is steadfastly defended by Scout's father, a respected lawyer. Covering a period of one year during Scout's childhood in Alabama, the story reflects the details of small-town life in the South and examines the painfully unjust consequences of ignorance, prejudice, and hate, as well as the values of courage, honor, and decency. Harper Lee shows that what appears may not always be real by presenting life like situations during the story. One of the main themes in To Kill A Mockingbird is “racism”. Maycomb has both a black and white community. Both sides have racial views about each other. When Jem and Scout go to the black church a woman comes out and says, “You Ain’t got no business bringin’ white chillun here – they got their church, we out ours.” (Pg. 119) Both communities are hostile towards each other. When a black man is accused of a crime he doesn’t commit, he is still found guilty because of his skin color. It is stated in the book, “In our courts, when its white man’s word against a black man’s, the white always wins. They’re ugly, but those are the facts of life.” (Pg. 220) However most of the white people agree with this. Most of them think that Tom Robinson is guilty just because of the color of his skin. The Radley property also threatens the lives of people brave enough to venture near it. The children believe that anything that comes from the Radley's soil is poison, including the nuts and fruits on the trees. Jem yells at Scout once saying about the Radley property: “Don't you know you're not supposed to even touch the house over there? You'll get killed if you do” (pg. 33). Jem also goes so far as to say, “if Dill wants to get himself killed, all he had to do was go up and knock on the front door” (pg. 13) No child has ever died from touching something on the Radley property, yet the children continue to believe it to 2007-04-18T22:51:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Themes-of-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-33027.aspx The American 1920s in "To Kill A Mockingbird" The twenties and thirties in America presented many problems for the black community all around the nation. They still were not provided the same rights as the white race - they still had no right to vote and were unable to use the same facilities as whites (transportation, restaurants, restrooms, etc.). They were also subject to racial slurs and were often punished severely for crimes that a white could get away with and receive nothing more than a slap on the wrist. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, illustrates such prejudice in the form a court trial in which a black man is accused of assaulting a young white girl. Needless to say, the all-white jury was one of the many problems that blacks faced during the twenties and thirties. The twenties and thirties was a time of extreme racial tension, and the arrival of the Great Depression in 1929 didn’t make things any better. The blacks were already subject to criticism by the general public, let alone the rise of the Ku Klux Klan. The Klan showed absolute brutality towards the black race. Blacks were beaten, burned, lynched, or branded by the KKK - hundreds of blacks fell under the wrath of the KKK. The KKK was so enormous, in fact, that it was the law since many law enforcement officials were pledged into the clan. One situation showed a black man walking on the streets one night when a police officer began to hassle him. The police officer was a member of the clan, and when he called for backup, other clansmen were there within minutes. They then proceeded to beat the black man unconscious and took him to a remote part of the woods. There, they tied him to a tree and whipped him nearly to death. They left him hanging there to die after they had had their fun. The man’s body was discovered a few days later with bite marks from all the forest creatures that had picked up his rotting scent. Conveniently, the police made no attempt to apprehend the suspect. (KKK: Acts of Brutality). Another problem for blacks was that they were unable to enroll in white schools. Blacks had their own school building, which was no doubt dilapidated compared to the white schools. They had to work twice as hard to 2007-04-18T03:06:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-American-1920s-in-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-32979.aspx A Critical Analysis of To Kill A Mockingbird The novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" is about a girl named Scout Finch who lives with her brother, Jem, and their widowed father Atticus, in the Alabama town of Maycomb. Maycomb is suffering through the Great Depression, but Atticus is a wealthy lawyer and the Finch family is financially fine in comparison to the rest of society. One summer, Jem and Scout become friends with a boy named Dill, who has come to live in their neighborhood for the summer. Dill becomes fascinated with the spooky house on their street called the Radley Place. The house is owned by Mr. Nathan Radley, whose brother, Arthur (Boo), has lived there for a long time without going outside. Scout goes to school for the first time that fall and hates it. She and Jem find gifts apparently left for them in a knothole of a tree on the Radley property. Dill returns the following summer, and he, Scout, and Jem begin to act out the story of Boo Radley. Atticus puts a stop to their fun, telling them to try to see life from someone else's view before making judgments. But, on the last day of summer, the three sneak onto the Radley property, where Nathan Radley shoots at them. Jem loses his pants in the escape. When he returns for them, he finds them sewn and hung over the fence. The next winter, Jem and Scout find more presents in the tree, left by Boo. Nathan Radley eventually plugs the knothole with cement. Shortly thereafter, a fire breaks out in another neighbor's house, and during the fire someone slips a blanket on Scout's shoulders as she watches the blaze. Convinced that Boo did it, Jem tells Atticus about the mended pants and the presents. To the dislike of Maycomb's racist town, Atticus agrees to defend a black man named Tom Robinson, who has been accused of raping a white woman. Because of Atticus's decision, Jem and Scout are subjected to abuse from other children, even when they celebrate Christmas at the family compound on Finch's Landing. Calpurnia, the Finches' black cook, takes them to the local black church, where the warm and close-knit community accepts the children. Atticus's sister, Alexandra, comes to live with them the next summer. Dill, who is supposed to live with his new stepfather in another town, runs away 2007-04-18T02:16:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/A-Critical-Analysis-of-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-32959.aspx In "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Scout learns some major lessons. Some of these lessons are not worrying about little things, how to be a lady, and appearance and reality. Atticus teaches Scout and also Jem not to worry about little things because there will be bigger things to face. Aunt Alexandra teaches Scout about being a lady when coming to live with the Finch Family. Atticus teaches Scout about the difference of appearance and reality. One major lesson Scout learns about in [i:107f9d47b5]To Kill a Mockingbird[/i:107f9d47b5] is not worrying about little things. A good example of this in the book is during the fire. Miss Maudie’s house is burning down and the Finch’s house starting to catch fire. Scout asks Atticus if they should go in and save some of their belongings and furniture but Atticus says it’s not time to worry yet. He knows that the court case about Tom Robinson will bring something bad upon his family. Atticus, being a very calm person, tries to prepare his children to be strong and not to worry ‘til it’s actually time to. A second major lesson Scout learns is how to be a lady. An example of this lesson is when Aunt Alexandra comes to live with Atticus and his children. She thought that Scout was a tomboy because she didn’t have a woman around to influence her and Atticus let her do whatever she pleased. Scout starts to get interested in becoming a lady when Tom Robinson is shot and Aunt Alexandra is in complete shock but goes back to her guests and acts like nothing had happened. Scout admires this of Aunt Alexandra. Another major lesson Scout learns is appearance and reality. An example of this lesson is the day Miss Dubose, Tom Robinson, and Tim Johnson. All three are innocent and good. They are all harmless but had something wrong with them that they couldn’t help. Miss Dubose’s addiction to morphine made her look like a terrible person just like Tom Robinson being black made him look like a criminal to white people and the rabies made Tim Johnson look fearful to the neighborhood. Scout learns that people are different on the inside than they are on the outside. In conclusion, Scout learns many lessons throughout [i:107f9d47b5]To Kill a Mockingbird[/i:107f9d47b5]. These lessons are not worrying ‘til you really need to, how to be a lady, and the difference 2007-04-17T00:37:31-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Major-lessons-Scout-learns-throughout-TKAM-32924.aspx Symbolism in To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is an astounding portrayal of Southern tradition and human dignity, a novel whose themes and lessons transcend time and place. The book is narrated by a young girl named Scout who matures over the course of the story from an innocent child to a morally conscience young adult. The cover of the novel displays a knot-holed tree containing a pocket watch and a ball of yarn, accompanied by the silhouette of a mockingbird soaring over the trees through a twilight sky. The portrait on the cover is an emblem that signifies the nature of Scout's maturation and the underlying themes presented by Harper Lee. Lee's signified themes, ethically rich and profoundly humane, epitomize traditional Southern mentality. The story commences during the summer in Maycomb County, Alabama, in a children's world. Scout is a young girl around the age of ten and her older brother Jem is about thirteen. Their summer days consist of playing make believe, fictional games from dawn until dusk with their friend, Dill, from Montgomery, Alabama. In the child's world, the twilight sky represents the rising sun, the dawn of a new day, and the commencement of a full day of children's games and activities. The child's world that exists during the daytime is a world flourishing with innocence and simplicity. However, the daytime is the only time when the child's world exists, for when the sun falls, curfews draw Scout, Jem, and Dill back to their homes for the evening. When daylight fades and the moon begins to rise, the games subside and the make believe, fictional world ceases to exist until following morning. The twilight sky portrayed on the cover represents a rising sun, and thus, the inconsequential child's world. The knot-holed tree housing the pocket watch and the ball of yarn portrayed on the cover is another signifier for the child's world. The tree is on the edge of the Radley property and the pocket watch and ball of yarn within it were placed there by Boo Radley. Boo is an instrumental character to the make believe child's world because of the great ambiguity and elusiveness that he represents. Neither Scout, Jem nor Dill has ever seen Boo Radley; all they know about him are the stories they have heard from Miss Stephanie Crawford, their neighbor and potentially reliable source. 2007-04-05T23:30:50-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-TKAM--32900.aspx Loss of Innocence in To Kill a Mockingbird "Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square."(Lee 9). This environment, as Scout Finch accurately describes, is not conducive to young children, loud noises, and games. But, the Finch children and Dill must occupy themselves in order to avoid boredom. Their surroundings are their boundaries, but in their minds, they have no physical confines. Although the physical "boundaries were Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose's house two doors to the north..., and the Radley Place three doors to the south,"(Lee 11) Jem, Scout, and Dill find ways to use the limits, in conjunction with their imaginations, to amuse themselves. The children are the ones who change the old town and make it full of unexpected events. In the same way as the children, the adults of the novel play games that come from their imaginations and, they themselves are the ones who provide the fear for everyone in the county to fear. "Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself"(10). The adults and the children share the fact that they both play games, but a difference also exists between them. The children enact their entertainment, knowing that the games could get violent, but in the end, when the games are over, all the players are able to return home. On the other hand, the adults play their adult games, hurting anyone who does not play by the given rules, and not everyone is fortunate enough to return home. The children pretend to be violent at times but the adults actually are violent. As the children move through the novel, they use these games to develop from their innocence to a level of experience by actualizing the realities of their games through the lives of the adults. Through their own games and through the games of the adults, the children learn values of respect, courage, and understanding. As most children naturally do, Jem, Scout, and their newly-found friend Dill find amusements to make the days pass with excitement. When they first meet Dill, they are beginning the "day's play in the backyard"(11). The implication is that it becomes routine for them to play and that each day 2007-04-05T22:06:22-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Loss-of-Innocence-in-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-32899.aspx To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is a very good book which revolves mainly around the development of the main character, Scout, and her family who live in the south during the great depression with is a time frame of the late 30’s. Much of the development of these characters is drawn from the trial of a black man named Tom Robinson, who was accused of raping a white woman. With their father acting as the defense attorney in this highly popular case, Scout and her brother Jem are faced with many problems. When the story was made in to a movie however, it lost many key characters, and events. It is almost as though the book and the film tell two different stories, as one is about Scout, Jem, and Atticus, and there lives in Macomb County, while the other focuses more on the trial of Tom Robinson. To prove this point, these characters, events, and concepts will be compared between the film and the book. `There are many characters who, in the film, were left out, but whose characters are lula, Alexandra, and Jack. Rlula was placed in the story to show the other forms of racism which also took place in the south, was the only example in the story of black on white racism. Alexandra, was used to show the stereo type on southern woman, the huge importance she placed on family, her affinity for gossip. And lastly, Jack was used to argue that cliché and reflect the more positive southern people, along with Atticus, he showed that not all southerners conformed to the older thought prosses. His patience with Scout, his understanding of Atticus' situation, and support thereof, all were different to the norm of the community in the south, therefore showing that not everyone fit the stereotype. The movie, however, excluded all three of these characters who seem to be somewhat important to the story and development not only of the other characters that they interact, but with the setting and mood of the story. In addition to the many characters which were left out, there were several key events which were left out or changed in the film. In the book, Scout finds the knothole in the Radley's front yard, and keeps it secret from Jem, this being the first time she has ever kept anything secret from her brother it troubles 2007-03-29T05:54:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Book-vs-Movie-32876.aspx Jem Finch In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”, Jem Finch is the son of Atticus Finch, and brother to the narrator and protagonist, Scout. Jem plays a very large role in the story, being the older brother. He is almost always there for Scout when she needs him, and he usually gives her instructions on how to do various things such as, being polite, not making herself look stupid, how to get by in school, and how to keep adults from being mad at her. Although he some times gives her bad advice he is usually a 2007-03-12T23:05:17-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Jem-Finch-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-32790.aspx Prejudice in "To Kill a Mockingbird" Harper Lee deals with prejudice in a large way in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. The main theme of the novel is prejudice. Almost every character is involved in a situation that contains prejudice. The novel is staged in the ‘tired old town’ of Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s. Maycomb is a classic southern town full of gossip, tradition and burdened with a legacy of racism. Harper Lee bases her novel on historical events that started only a few years before her novel was published. The civil rights movement had begun and was a very important in America at the time the novel was being written, so there was likely to be a lot of prejudice in Harper Lee’s novel. There are many situations in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ that are very similar to actual historical events, such as the Scottsboro trials which have a lot in common with the fictional trial of Tom Robinson. The narrator in the novel is called Scout Finch, and the story is told through Scout’s perspective. Her fresh outlook on the town of Maycomb provided the reader with a multitude of viewpoints on civil rights. Scout’s innocent perspective compels her to ask questions about why whites treat blacks the way they do. Scout must come to terms with the racism of her town and how it affects the people in her life. A number of people greatly influence Scout. The two major role models in her life, her Aunt Alexandra and her father Atticus, pull her in two opposing directions. Aunt Alexandra is prejudice towards the Finch’s black housekeeper, Calpurnia. Bought into the Finch house to teach and act as a female role model for young Scout, Aunt Alexandra begins by demonstrating to Scout Calpurnia’s inferior position. Aunt Alexandra from the beginning shows Scout who possesses the power. The first time Aunt Alexandra appears in the novel, we instantly see the lack of respect that she has for Calpurnia. Aunt Alexandra does not say “please” or “thank you,” just a simple command forcing Calpurnia into an inferior position. Calpurnia has symbolized strength and authority throughout Scout’s childhood, by acting as a mother figure in the Finch household. Scout has never seen Calpurnia in such a low and submissive position. Calpurnia has established a respected place in the Finch family through the years of dedicated service and through the love she has 2007-02-02T18:17:02-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Prejudice-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-32555.aspx Families in "To Kill a Mockingbird" In the widely known novel To Kill A Mockingbird there are two families that are very diverse and are text book examples of complete opposites on the moral ladder of success. The Cunninghams and the Ewells have two very distinct and opposite reputations. The Cunninghams which are very respected while the Ewells very much despised. The Ewells are given the privilege to hunt out of season, so that the residents of the small town of Maycomb would not have to tolerate their continuous begging twenty-four hours a day for seven days a week. These two families show the respectability of hard workers or, in the Ewells case, can fill their peers with sorrow. The Cunninghams have pride, as for the Ewells, they have a natural like anarchist nature that will eventually haunt them and hurt others because of their lurid like attitude. The Cunningham's are very respected by the citizen's of Maycomb county. The Cunninghams took nothing, unless they could pay it back. Walter the youngest in the Cunningham clan was in the same class at school as Scout Finch the daughter of Atticus Finch. While in school, a fresh young new school teacher known as Miss Caroline did not know the reputations of the predecessors of these two children. In what looked like a good day for the rookie teacher quickly turned into complete disarray and a total adversity trip for the teacher. Walter Cunningham being raised in a very hard working environment was taught not to take what he could not pay back. The teacher obviously did not know about his background in the most minute way and embarrassed him extensively by almost demanding him to take some lunch money. Knowing that he could not pay Miss Caroline back in the way that she had in mind he knew that he could take the money which he wanted to take so bad. Walter eventually ended up eating with the Finch's. While eating at the Finch's he did not know what to do with all of the food that they have offered to him. For example he drowned his waffles in a lake of syrup. Bob Ewell's son, Burris was also faced in the same way but in an total opposite direction and purpose. The same day as the Walter Cunningham incident there was another incident concerning the Ewells. Burris had "cooties." A "cootie" 2007-02-02T17:32:14-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Families-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-32529.aspx Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, published in the year of 1960, is the American classic novel awarded the Pulitzer Prize in fiction as well as the Brotherhood Award of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. The racism which is prevalent in many small American towns in the 1930s is illustrated with profound imagery in To Kill a Mockingbird. Although there are several characters in the book, the true main character is the young narrator's father, Atticus Finch, a man of great integrity and intelligence. He is a very heroic figure in more ways than one. Atticus possesses such traits as being principled, determined, and what's more, he's a teacher to others. By looking at To Kill a Mockingbird, one can see that Lee utilizes physical description, dialogue, and actions to characterize Atticus as a heroic individual; this is important because Atticus is a very serene, but spirited man. The most important legacy Atticus teaches in To Kill a Mockingbird is the message about how best to educate a child. From the beginning of the book, it's obvious that Atticus' life is down in luck. "It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyways and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do"(124). He strives to instill in Scout and Jem three specific values: spirit, bravery and tolerance of others. Atticus tries to clarify the disposition that's shown in the book by saying that it's important to appreciate the good qualities in people and comprehend the bad qualities by treating others with compassion or trying to see life from their standpoints. "If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. 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" (30). He teaches this life lesson to show that it's possible to live with principles without losing sight of hope or acting skeptical. For example, Atticus is able to highly regard Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose's courage even though he disapproves of Mrs. Dubose's continuous acts of racism. "She had her own views about things, a lot different from mine, maybe...son, I told you that if you hadn't lost your head I'd have made you go read to her. I wanted you to see something 2007-01-24T17:34:42-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Harper-Lee-s-novel-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-32440.aspx The Maturation of Scout in "To Kill a Mockingbird" As people grow in life, they mature and change. The main character matures as the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, continues. Scout is childish and disrespectful at the beginning of the novel. She is learning from her experiences throughout the novel. By the end of the novel she has come to have a strong concern for the feelings of others, and understanding the world around her. She learns this through her own experiences. Scout matured a lot throughout the novel. Scout shows childish behavior at the beginning of the novel. She is disrespectful towards Calpurnia her maid. Scout suggests to Atticus to have her fired. “ ‘She likes Jem better’n she likes me, anyway,’ I concluded, and suggested that Atticus lose no time in packing her off.”(25). When Scout says this after Calpurnia punished her, it shows how inconsiderate and rude she was being toward Calpurnia. Also early in the novel Scout, Jem and Dill are afraid of Boo Radley, they think he is a monster and try to play tricks on him. They don’t know Boo Radley and have never seen him but still judge him on stories they have heard. They are threatened by him, and are scared to go on his property. This is very childlike. Scout also had the immature habit of getting into fistfights that started by the slightest provocation. When Jem had told Scout to stop beating on Walter Cunningham, he asked why she was fighting him in the first place all Scout had to say in response was “He didn’t have any lunch”(22) this shows she did not have good reason to be fighting him. Scout is very immature in these incidents in the novel Scout is maturing more and learning from her experiences further into the novel. Scout, Jem and Dill are no longer interested in teasing Boo Radley, they have moved on to new interests. This is a sign of growth. Scout views on her father were changing. She used to think her father was different from the other fathers because he was older and couldn’t do anything. Then after Atticus shot the mad dog in one shot and Scout is told that he has the best shot in town, Scout is proud and influenced more by her 2006-12-18T20:10:57-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Maturation-of-Scout-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-32027.aspx Doing the Right Thing in To Kill a Mockingbird “Stand up for what is right, even if you are standing alone.” This quote means a lot to me. I have always tried to do the right thing in life but have failed many times because of peer pressure In the book To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch, a strong lawyer and a loving father is a very strong example of this quote. Atticus always does the right thing regardless. He has lost respect and friends this way but has also gained respect. Atticus lives by his own rules and mostly by his conscience. Atticus defends Tom Robinson, an innocent black man who is being accused of beating and raping 19-year-old Mayella Ewell. He knows he is innocent and knows that if he does not defend Tom nobody else will because he is black. Atticus proves he is not a follower by defending Tom. Several children and adults torment Atticus and his family because he is doing the right thing for an innocent black man. The rest of the town does not believe defending someone that is black is the proper thing for a white lawyer to do. By Atticus sticking up for his beliefs and his morals he and his children are almost killed. His children get so angry with people tormenting them. They do not understand why their father is doing this. Jem goes over to Mrs. Dubose’s house and chops all of her flowers down because she is talking bad about Atticus. When Atticus hears about this he is very angry. He makes Jem go over to her house to apologize. As punishment, he must read to her until she no longer wants him to read to her. Atticus teaches his children to respect others even if they do not always respect them. Atticus believes when a person hurts you, you do not hurt them in return or get angry, you must kill them through kindness. That really gets to a people and will make them think. Atticus treats everyone fairly and understands the way other people think. Because she wants to, Atticus lets Scout wear pants and does not think she should be treated differently because she is 2006-11-17T02:00:56-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Doing-the-Right-Thing-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-31785.aspx Prejudice in To Kill A Mockingbird In Harper Lee’s To Kill 2006-08-31T19:48:53-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Prejudice-in-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-31417.aspx Character Analysis of Hero, Atticus Finch “To kill a Mockingbird”, an acclaimed novel, by Harper Lee is recognized throughout the world. Having read her novel, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1960 soon after its publication, I was compelled to consider the novel in greater depth but was particularly intrigued to examine the character of Atticus Finch as a hero. Maycomb, a fictional town in the Southern States of America plays host to the novel during the period of 1933-1935. To Kill a Mockingbird” follows a lawyer and his family prior to and during a legal case to defend a black male, Tom Robinson, charged of raping a white female, Mayella Ewell. This occurs in a very white orientated town. Atticus Finch, Attorney and father of two children only plays a brief part in the opening chapter but as this epic novel progresses so does his importance. It becomes apparent that Atticus Finch, arguably the novel’s main character, is extremely well respected in Maycomb by the majority of its residents. If someone expresses a dislike towards him he will still try to do his “best to love everybody”. Atticus is a man of extreme integrity and some say that it is through his mouth that Harper Lee expresses her own morality, an opinion that I share. He represents a true gentleman; his conduct is always courteous despite any provocation whether privately or publicly. This is enhanced by the very carefully selected word choice. Atticus is able to use language stylishly when appropriate but he can also communicate very simplistically such as when in a moment of crisis he can talk straightforwardly, for example to Jem and Scout, to enhance understanding. Atticus is a devoted family man; he manages to care for his children without the help of their mother, who died. Harper Lee gives Atticus a very “modern style” regarding parenting (in comparison to other families in the 1930’s i.e. principally he was a single parent). This could perhaps be a reflection on Atticus’s opinion that everyone has the right to be an individual and because of this we should not be judged. He is one person in a select few who feel that colored people should be able to have the same standard of living as their white counterparts. Atticus is open to all opinions and will accept each individual for their own beliefs regardless of whether or not these 2006-08-27T14:49:37-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Hero,-Atticus-Finch-31291.aspx Symbolism and Allegory in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird by Cleopatra Margaritopoulou "I'd rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."(96) The above words are what Atticus Finch tells his children after they are given air-rifles for Christmas. In fact, the title of the classic novel by Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, was taken from this passage. At first glance, one may wonder why Harper Lee decided to name her book after what seems to be a rather insignificant excerpt. After careful study, however, one begins to see that this is just another example of symbolism in the novel. Harper Lee uses symbolism extensively throughout this story, and much of it refers to the problems of racism in the South during the early twentieth century. Harper Lee's effective use of racial symbolism and allegory can be seen by studying various examples from the book, namely the actions of the children, of the racist whites, and of Atticus Finch. One of the more effective allegories in the novel is the building of a snowman by Jem and Scout. There was not enough snow to make a snowman entirely out of snow, so Jem made a foundation out of dirt and then covered it with what snow they had. If the snowman was made completely out of snow, Jem's action would not be so significant. Scout is very surprised when she sees the brown snowman and she exclaims: "Jem, I ain't never heard of a nigger snowman." (72), and to this Jem replies: "He won't be black long." (72). Scout's words indicate the strange nature of the snowman which is half-black, half-white. Jem, however did not find it peculiar and he "scooped up some snow and began plastering it on". Gradually Mr. Avery turned white? (73). The symbol of the snowman, like every other symbol in literature, may have various interpretations depending on the reading of the individual. In the specific case the snowman can be seen in two ways. Firstly, this alteration from black to white can be considered as a merging of the two races into one, without any differences between them to separate them, an equality of black and white people. The change of colour (black to white) suggests the 2006-08-07T20:56:49-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-and-Allegory-in-Harper-Lee-s-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-31147.aspx Analyzing the Concept of Justice in "To Kill a Mockingbird" Through the study this term of the central text, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and related texts, films Rabbit Proof Fence by Phillip Noyce and In the Name of the Father by Jim Sheridan, my understanding of the concept of justice, or what constitutes justice, has altered considerably. We all think we know what justice is, or what it should be. In Australian colloquial terms, it is the principle of a “fair go” for everyone. In a perfect world, everyone is treated fairly. No-one is subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, sex or disability. But the reality is that the world we inhabit is far from perfect, human beings are by their very natures incapable of perfection, which is why we have strict laws governing political, social and criminal justice. These laws are to protect us from others who wish to see us disadvantaged and to ensure that justice is done. What I have learnt from the study of this concept however, is that justice (or the carrying out of justice) is entirely relative to time and place; that is, an individual’s perception of this concept will largely be determined by the political and social context in which s/he lives. To Kill a Mockingbird, although fiction, is very much a reflection of the attitudes and values (the social and political context) of southern American life in the 1930’s. Harper Lee writes from her own experiences growing up in a southern American town very similar to the novel’s Maycomb. Embedded deeply within To Kill a Mockingbird are aspects of the political, social and criminal injustices inherent in the American South which she despised. Deeply troubled by the failure of the human race to live together in peace and friendship, Lee wanted to analyse the forces dividing man from man. A key phrase summing up her concern is provided by Mr Dolphus Raymond who, speaking to Dill and Scout outside the court room where Tom Robinson is being tried for rape, speaks of, “the simple hell people give other people – without even thinking.” He tells the children to, “Cry about the hell white people give coloured folks, without even stopping to think that they’re people too.” (p. 205) This is poignant coming from a white man who is himself a pariah in Maycomb. 2006-07-28T18:35:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analyzing-the-Concept-of-Justice-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-30772.aspx Central Characters and Plot of "To Kill a Mockingbird" The story is narrated by a young girl named Jean Louise Finch, who is almost always called by her nickname, Scout. Scout starts to explain the circumstances that led to the broken arm that her older brother, Jem, sustained many years earlier; she begins by recounting her family history. The first of her ancestors to come to America was a fur-trader and part-time doctor named Simon Finch, who fled England to escape religious persecution and established a large farm on the banks of the Alabama River. The farm, called Finch's Landing, supported the family for more than a hundred years. The first Finches to make a living away from the farm were Scout's father, Atticus Finch, who became a lawyer in the nearby town of Maycomb, and his brother, Jack Finch, who went to medical school in Boston. Their sister, Alexandra Finch, stayed to run the Landing. A successful lawyer, Atticus makes a solid living in Maycomb, a tired, poor, old town in the grips of the Great Depression. He lives with Jem and Scout on Maycomb's main residential street. Their cook, an old black woman named Calpurnia, also lives in the house. Atticus's wife died when Scout was two, so she does not remember her mother well. But Jem, four years older than Scout, has memories of their mother that sometimes make him unhappy. In the summer of 1933, when Jem is nearly ten and Scout almost six, a peculiar boy named Charles Baker Harris moves in next door. The boy, who calls himself Dill, stays for the summer with his aunt, Miss Rachel Haverford, who owns the house next to the Finches'. Dill doesn't like to discuss his father's absence from his life, but he is otherwise a talkative and extremely intelligent boy who quickly becomes the Finch children's chief playmate. All summer, the three act out various stories that they have read. When they grow bored of this activity, Dill suggests that they attempt to lure Boo Radley, a mysterious neighbor, out of his house. Arthur "Boo" Radley lives in the run-down Radley Place, and no one has seen him outside it in years. Scout recounts how, as a boy, Boo got in trouble with the law and his father imprisoned him in the house as punishment. He was not heard from until fifteen years 2006-07-28T08:37:54-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Central-Characters-and-Plot-of-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-30765.aspx Character Analysis of Scout and Jem in "To Kill a Mockingbird" It is a sin to kill a mockingbird because they do nothing but make music for us to enjoy." This was quoted from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, a creative novelist. To Kill a Mockingbird is about a young girl named Jean-Louise Finch, her brother Jeremy Finch and many other characters. Jean- Louise is nick-named Scout and Jeremy is nick-named Jem. Their father Atticus ,who was a lawyer, had been given a case to handle and did not have any choice but to receive it and work his best for his client. The case was about an African man, named Tom Robinson, who was accused of raping a white woman. Throughout the story the reader sees how Scout and Jem are afraid of Boo because they think he is a monster and try to tease him. They try to play tricks on Boo. Later in the novel they are no longer afraid of him and are no longer interested in teasing him. Another example of their maturity is how they view people. When Scout and Jem see how Tom Robinson is treated just because he is black, they begin to understand the meaning of prejudice. No one comes to help Tom Robinson except their father who defends him when Tom is accused of raping a white woman. Scout watches the trial and believes that he will be found innocent. Instead, Tom Robinson is found guilty. Her disappointment in the verdict makes Scout question the idea of justice. "Who in this town did one thing to help Tom Robinson, just who?" (215) Scout and Jem had believe that their father was not like any other fathers in school. They see him as an old man who can´t do anything. However, when a mad dog appears on the street, Atticus, their farther, kills that dog with one shot. They are surprised to learn that he is the best shot in the town. They´re attitude towards their father has changed. This is a sign of maturity. "The rifle cracked. Tim Johnson leaped, flopped over and crumpled on the sidewalk in a brown-and-white heap. He didn´t know what hit him." (96) "Jem became vaguely articulate, ‘you see him, Scout? You see him just stand there? All of a sudden he just relaxed all over. it looked like that gun was 2006-07-25T12:26:57-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Scout-and-Jem-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-30624.aspx Race and Class to a Child in "To Kill a Mocking Bird" To Kill a Mocking Bird explores the exuberant humour and the irrational attitudes towards race and class, through the young eyes of two Maycomb County children, Jem and Scout Finch. Jem and Scout endure the pressure to comprehend the prejudice, violence and hypocrisy of Maycomb County. The children are influenced by many different characters, their father, the great Atticus Finch being the more prominent. Ironically Boo Radley, a Maycomb county resident who has been burdened by the majority of folks in town also has a great influence on Jem and Scout and the growth of their characters. There is also the woman of the household Calpurnia, an African American nanny who also contributes to the emotional development of both characters. Atticus Finch is not only a role model for Scout and Jem, but also for the entire community of Maycomb. His social status is endorsed by his occupation as a lawyer and his level of education, which promotes him as a leader for his children and for the entire community. Jem and Scout admire Atticus’s intelligence and respect his beliefs. Atticus communicates with his children on a level they feel comfortable with. He teaches his children the acts of decent human principles, without criticism. This greatly affects the way the children approach others and act as individuals. Atticus concentrates on developing Jem and Scout as people, people who acquire morals, principles, ethics and human decency, never criticising the habitual nature of his children. For example, Atticus telling Scout to put on a dress and act like a girl, would in affect abuse her self-confidence. Atticus also passes on wisdom to his children on such issues as prejudice. Jem and Scout are confused by the notion that their father would represent a black man in court, though Atticus teaches Jem and Scout to accept all human beings, for every man is considered equal no matter what his colour or beliefs. “ If I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this country in the legislate, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again”. This quote refers to his defence of Tom Robinson. In Maycomb the majority of white people consider themselves superior over the Negroes. Atticus teachers his children otherwise, that this statement shouldn’t apply to the human race. 2006-07-22T18:32:10-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Race-and-Class-to-a-Child-in-To-Kill-a-Mocking-Bird-30484.aspx What you don't know can't hurt you, or so they say. Ignorance seems to course its way through the lives of the inhabitants of Maycomb, the fictional town in Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, either directly or indirectly. Racism is a direct result of ignorance, and many of the people in To Kill a Mockingbird were racist, and those that weren't were greatly affected by it. Then there were the Ewells, who were ignorant on many other levels too. Even Scout's schoolteacher, whose job it was to impart knowledge, was hypocritical and racist! Racism in Maycomb was the norm. Any attempt to deviate from that way of thinking was shunned, and you as well as branded on your forehead `nigger-lover'. As Atticus told Scout, ."..nigger-lover is just one of those terms that don't mean anything - like snot-nose. It's hard to explain - ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody's favoring Negroes over and above themselves."(p.113) Very few people in Maycomb dared risk the scorn of the town, but those who did were completely admirable. Tom Robinson's trial brought out the true characters of all the townspeople. The Ewells were proved to be ignorant and crass, while others, such as Atticus and Tom Robinson, shone through with their honesty and integrity. The Ewells were on an entire other level of ignorance than the rest of Maycomb. Bob Ewell and his clan were the lowest of the white people in the Maycomb hierarchy, only slightly above the blacks. "All the little man [Bob] on the witness stand had that made him any better than his nearest neighbors was, that if scrubbed with lye soap in very hot water, his skin was white." (p. 175) Bob, as a single parent on welfare, gets food stamps to provide for his seven children. But does he use the stamps to buy them food? No, instead he buys whiskey, and gets drunk. To allow him to provide for his children, the town has granted him amnesty to the hunting regulations. All the Ewell children just attend school for the first day in order to thwart the truancy people, so they are ignorant on an intellectual level too. The Ewells, though above the black society, were so much lower as far as morals and even cleanliness go. They are the most despicable and cowardly characters in To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout's teacher was Miss Caroline 2006-07-17T20:00:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Racism-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-30316.aspx Critical Themes in To Kill a Mockingbird Have you ever read To Kill A Mockingbird? It is a wonderful book by Harper Lee. This book shows great examples of courage, trust, and blindness. These are all displayed throughout the entire book. In the paragraphs that follow, you will read about courage, trust and blindness, and one way that each one is displayed. Mrs. Dubose shows a great example of courage in this book. Atticus admires her for this. Mrs. Dubose is an elderly woman that lives down the street from the Finch family. She acts highly unsociable, and puts them down whenever they pass by. Scout and Jem don’t like to pass by her house, but because she lives near the Finches, they must pass by regularly. Even though they do their best to be nice to her, she still criticizes the children and Atticus. One day, however, Jem was sick of Mrs. Dubose, because she was saying bad things about Atticus. He broke Scout’s baton, and cut off a bunch of Mrs. Dubose’s camellia bushes. As a punishment, Jem had to go over to Mrs. Dubose’s house every day after school for a month. He then had to read to her 1 hour per day. Scout chose to go with Jem, because they normally hung out together. Later, Jem learned that Mrs. Dubose was fighting a morphine addiction. That is why Atticus admired her for her courage. Trust is another thing that is greatly displayed through the book. A great example has to do with Atticus talking the Tom Robinson case. Atticus is a lawyer, and he is asked by Judge Taylor to take the case. Obviously he knew Atticus well enough that he would truly defend Tom. Judge Taylor trusted Atticus on this case. Atticus also showed that he could be trusted, by the things he did in spite of the case. For example, he protected Tom. One night, Atticus learned that there was going to be a mob of people. This mob of people had plans to lynch Tom Robinson. If Atticus didn’t trust Tom, and thought that he really did rape Mayella Ewell, then he probably wouldn’t have done what he did. Atticus went to the jail where Tom was located, and waited for the mob to come. He protected to from being lynched by these people. That was why Judge Taylor asked Atticus to 2006-07-10T16:16:38-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Critical-Themes-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-30179.aspx Racial Attitudes in To Kill a Mockingbird To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is an ageless classic that takes place during the 1930s. In the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, there was a deadly racial attitude towards the people who were different then the general public. In a town of tunnel vision and hatred, Atticus and Scout stood out with open minds. Atticus was the anchor of reason in Maycomb. He understood many people in town and taught his children how to understand other people's feeling as well. Atticus believed that if you knew what someone had been through, then you would understand them better. Atticus also made Jem and Scout realize that no one is pure evil; meaning that if you look hard enough, you would find that there is good in every person you meet. Mrs. Dubose, who was perceived as an "old witch" by Jem and Scout, showed great bravery in her fight against drug addiction. Atticus believed Jem would change his opinions of Mrs. Dubose if he spends some time with her. Only after Mrs. Dubose's death did Jem begin to perceive Mrs. Dubose the same way his father did. Likewise Atticus defended Tom Robinson when no other lawyer would. He was one of the few respectable people who were not blinded by the racial injustice Tom Robinson faced. Not only did Atticus defend Tom in the courthouse, he defended him at jail on one occasion too. It happened when an angry mob was trying to kill Tom Robinson, but Atticus risked his life to save him from that mob. If only the people of Maycomb were willing to listen to Atticus' wise advice, then the town would be free of racism. Scout, symbolizing the leaders of tomorrow, began to see how other people perceived things. She started to understand the meaning of "to kill a mockingbird." At first Scout couldn't comprehend what Atticus meant when he said, "It was a sin to kill a mockingbird." As the novel progressed, Scout begun to realize how people contributed to the community without harming others. For example when Boo Radley (the shy neighbor who never went outside) killed Bob Ewell to save Jem and Scout, the sheriff of Maycomb County tried to cover it up. Heck Tate, who was the 2006-07-09T14:12:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Racial-Attitudes-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-30122.aspx Social Life in To Kill a Mockingbird “Social life is mutual negotiation and society, social order relies on mutual negotiation between individuals; this represents both creed and particular reality in American society.” – Richard Friedrich Munch. Someone’s social life can be imperative in deciding how they live their life. This is also true in Harper Lee’s To Kill A mockingbird, a book focused on Jem and Scout Finch, two young children trying to survive through childhood in Maycomb, a 1930’s town that can be everything but sensitive to others. Such as: a young man who was harassed by the neighborhood children, the local Cunningham family who were looked down upon by almost the entire town, and Tom Robinson, a young black man who is convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. Harper Lee shows that there are two types of outsiders; one type got there by choice because for some reason they don’t agree with society and how things work, while others were pushed away and placed in that position. Dolphus Raymond chooses to be outside of the norm. He’s an old white man who married into a black family and doesn’t care what any one has to say about it, he shows this many times in the novel. In this quote Raymond is talking to Scout and Dill, a friend of the Finch children, in the yard outside the courtroom the afternoon of the trial: ‘“Secretly, Miss. Finch, I’m not much of a drinker, but you see they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that’s the way I want to live.”’(pg.200) Mr. Raymond tries to explain to the children that he’s not really an alcoholic. He just wants everyone to think that he is so they can have some excuse as to why he lives his life the way he does. But he really lives like that because he doesn’t want to be part of the town. He only wants to be with the people he loves and relates to, the black people of Maycomb. Dolphus Raymond is an outsider by choice. Boo Radley wants to be alone. He’s a young man who has basically become a legend through children’s’ imaginations and the stories they’ve come up with. This is how he’s lived his entire life. One night Jem and Scout discuss this and why he’s never come out of 2006-07-05T23:50:29-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Social-Life-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-30058.aspx Family Relations in To Kill a Mockingbird In the widely known novel To Kill A Mockingbird there are two families that are very diverse and are text book examples of complete opposites on the moral ladder of success. The Cunninghams and the Ewells have two very distinct and opposite reputations. The Cunninghams which are very respected while the Ewells very much despised. The Ewells are given the privilege to hunt out of season, so that the residents of the small town of Maycomb would not have to tolerate their continuous begging twenty-four hours a day for seven days a week. These two families show the respectability of hard workers or, in the Ewells case, can fill their peers with sorrow. The Cunninghams have pride, as for the Ewells, they have a natural like anarchist nature that will eventually haunt them and hurt others because of their lurid like attitude. The Cunningham's are very respected by the citizen's of Maycomb county. The Cunninghams took nothing, unless they could pay it back. Walter the youngest in the Cunningham clan was in the same class at school as Scout Finch the daughter of Atticus Finch. While in school, a fresh young new school teacher known as Miss Caroline did not know the reputations of the predecessors of these two children. In what looked like a good day for the rookie teacher quickly turned into complete disarray and a total adversity trip for the teacher. Walter Cunningham being raised in a very hard working environment was taught not to take what he could not pay back. The teacher obviously did not know about his background in the most minute way and embarrassed him extensively by almost demanding him to take some lunch money. Knowing that he could not pay Miss Caroline back in the way that she had in mind he knew that he could take the money which he wanted to take so bad. Walter eventually ended up eating with the Finch's. While eating at the Finch's he did not know what to do with all of the food that they have offered to him. For example he drowned his waffles in a lake of syrup. Bob Ewell's son, Burris was also faced in the same way but in an total opposite direction and purpose. The same day as the Walter Cunningham incident there was another incident concerning the Ewells. Burris had "cooties." A 2006-07-05T23:36:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Family-Relations-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-30051.aspx Legal Themes in To Kill A Mocking Bird This is an essay about To Kill A Mocking Bird. Throughout the course of history there have always been men and women who have preyed on the innocent. They do this not because it is easy, nor because it is hard, but rather because they can. They are the aftermath of poverty and poor upbringings. These universal troublemakers are present in every form of society. They believe that the ends always justify the means as long as the fate of their mischief is bestowed upon someone else. At times like this, those who fall victim to their folly are the innocent. This is the reoccurring theme in the classic American novel written by Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird, published in 1960. In the world there are “mockingbirds” of society. They never cause any harm, and in fact, they usually have good intents. Like the true mockingbirds of the wild, they bless others while they sing their pleasant songs. Yet, even though they only raise their joyous song for pleasure, they are hunted because they can be preyed upon. As a metaphor to true life, people like this, the innocent “mockingbirds”, are constantly being harassed and prosecuted for all the wrong reasons. “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 the 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.”(90) It is wrong to harm them because they never did anything to deserve their punishment. Yet even though this may be true, there is no such thing as a perfect world, and the unjust treatment will never stop. The innocents at times do pay for the crimes of the guilty. Harper Lee illustrates this in her writings of this novel. I believe that the theme of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird was a message to her readers, which was shown through several of the characters as “mockingbird” figures, who were wrongfully destroyed by the ignorance and hatred of those guilty. Tom Robinson was the appointed victim of the novel, and therefore, the most dominant “mockingbird” in the story. Throughout his trial in the later chapters of the 2006-06-27T02:48:05-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Legal-Themes-in-To-Kill-A-Mocking-Bird-29874.aspx Portrayals of The Finch Family in To Kill a Mockingbird The book written by Harper Lee and the movie of To Kill a Mockingbird are different in many ways, but both of them give the same message to across to the viewer or reader. Many people watch the movies thinking that they do not have to read the books because they both say the same thing, but those people are wrong, they say and show different things happening to the events and characters. There are many differences in the book and the movie, most of them dealing with the characters and events. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee gives the details, and shows the events that happen to the Finch family in their hometown of Maycomb, the movie does the same thing, but it shows different aspects from the book, creating a reason to compare and contrast these two great works of art. There were many characters that were just plain left out of the movie. Francis, who is Jem and Scout’s cousin is left out of the movie. Francis is the one that Scout beat up, for calling Atticus a “nigger-lover”(p.84), while visiting Aunt Alexandria. Aunt Alexandria is Jem and Scout’s aunt, or Atticus’s sister, she was also left out of the movie. Another person left out was Miss Rachael, who was Dills aunt who he stayed with over the summer, he stayed with Miss Stephanie in the movie. If one person was the same between the movie and the book, it would have had to of been Calpurnia. Calpurnia acted the same towards the children and toward the rest of the people. As in this quote she scolds Scout for making fun of Walter Cunningham in the same way: “Hush your mouth! Don’t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo’ comp’ny, and don’t you let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty! Yo’ folks might be better’n the Cunninghams but it don’t count for nothin’ the way you’re disgracin’ ‘em-if you can’t act fit to eat at the table you can just set here and eat in the kitchen!”(p.25) There were some events that were also changed from the book to the movie. In the book, Jem and Scout got air rifles, in the movie they never did. In the movie they never show the snow, where Jem and 2006-06-11T18:50:40-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Portrayals-of-The-Finch-Family-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-29196.aspx Atticus Finch Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird", published in the year of 1960, is the American classic novel awarded the Pulitzer Prize in fiction as well as the Brotherhood Award of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. The racism which is prevalent in many small American towns in the 1930s is illustrated with profound imagery in [i:2f409bf18f]To Kill a Mockingbird[/i:2f409bf18f]. Although there are several characters in the book, the true main character is the young narrator's father, Atticus Finch, a man of great integrity and intelligence. He is a very heroic figure in more ways than one. Atticus possesses such traits as being principled, determined, and what's more, he's a teacher to others. By looking at [i:2f409bf18f]To Kill a Mockingbird[/i:2f409bf18f], one can see that Lee utilizes physical description, dialogue, and actions to characterize Atticus as a heroic individual; this is important because Atticus is a very serene, but spirited man. The most important legacy Atticus teaches in [i:2f409bf18f]To Kill a Mockingbird[/i:2f409bf18f] is the message about how best to educate a child. From the beginning of the book, it's obvious that Atticus' life is down in luck. "It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyways and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do"(124). He strives to instill in Scout and Jem three specific values: spirit, bravery and tolerance of others. Atticus tries to clarify the disposition that's shown in the book by saying that it's important to appreciate the good qualities in people and comprehend the bad qualities by treating others with compassion or trying to see life from their standpoints. "If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. 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" (30). He teaches this life lesson to show that it's possible to live with principles without losing sight of hope or acting skeptical. For example, Atticus is able to highly regard Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose's courage even though he disapproves of Mrs. Dubose's continuous acts of racism. "She had her own views about things, a lot different from mine, maybe...son, I told you that if you hadn't lost your head I'd 2006-06-10T23:59:58-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Atticus-Finch-Heroism-and-Courage-29142.aspx Comparison of Book and Movie of To Kill a Mockingbird This essay will be talking about the differences between the book and the movie. There are some significant main ideas missing from the movie. The missing scenes from the book are when Jem and Scout go to church with Calpurnia, the school scene in which you get to know the Ewells and the Cunninghams, and how Aunt Alexandra, who influences the children in the book, never appears in the movie. The scene missing from the movie where Jem and Scout go to church with Calpurnia is one of the most important in the book. You learn of the respect that many of the black people have for the Finches, since their daddy is defending a black man. You also learn that not all black people are nice to Jem and Scout. Calpurnia gets into a fight with another lady at church defending Jem and Scout’s right to come to the black church. This shows you how much Calpurnia loves Jem and Scout. The director left this part out of the movie because in the court case there is another example of how the black people respect Mr. Finch. They all stand up when he walks out of the room. But in the movie, because the church scene is missing, it doesn’t seem that the blacks have as much respect for the Finches. You also don’t see in the movie that some black people of Maycomb County don’t like hanging around Whites as much as the white people don’t like hanging around Blacks. Another scene that the movie left out was a morning in the schoolroom. In the book, you meet the children of the Mr. Ewell and Mr. Cunningham. I think the director left this part out because you get to know Mr. Cunningham in the beginning of the movie when he comes to pay Atticus with some hickory nuts instead of money. Atticus explains to Scout that the Cunninghams is ******an honest, proud*******man who will always pay people back, even if its not with money. You get to meet the Ewells and see how they act in court. You learn they are inconsiderate people. But, by leaving the schoolroom scene out, you don’t get to know the younger boys of each family and how they act. 2006-06-02T03:18:15-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Comparison-of-Book-and-Movie-of-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-29016.aspx Dear readers, I was at the courthouse yesterday to watch the trial in which Tom Robinson ended up being convicted of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. After seeing all of the things Atticus tried to show everyone, I simply couldn’t believe my eyes that the jury could finally find Tom guilty. I have to say that I strongly disagree with the verdict, which should be reconsidered, in my opinion. I have no doubt that everyone could see through the lame an unconvincing story the Ewells made up to fool everyone. Bob Ewell clearly stated that he held with everything Mr. Heck Tate had said. And he agreed with Tate that Mayella’s right eye was blackened, which had to be beaten up by someone who had used his left hand. And when Mayella was testified, she again said that her right eye was beaten up, which is a huge mistake. For when Atticus called Tom to stand up, the whole courtroom was able to see his useless left hand. It was said to be destroyed since he was a boy by a cotton gin. And how in the world could a crippled man like Tom hit Mayella that hard with his right hand on the right side of the face? That seemed ridiculously impossible. I was being very delighted, indeed, at that moment to see the dishonest Ewells being unmasked publicly. No one could possibly say Tom was the one who has beaten Mayella up. Moreover, when Atticus asked Bob to write his name down on a piece of paper, Bob used his left hand instead of the right distinctively and inconsiderably. That’s again evidence against the deceitful Ewells. Bob is the one who is likely to have beaten his daughter up, not the poor Tom. The Ewells’ plan was revealed transparently. In Mayella’s testimony, Atticus asked her a series of questions like why no one came to help her, especially her seven siblings when she had claimed to have hollered, or whether or not Bob had beaten her up. All Mayella did was to remain silent, because their spurious story didn’t add up after all and she didn’t know how to answer those questions. The facts were clearly showed: no one had beaten her up but her own father. So when they announced the verdict, I was so shocked that I was nearly knocked of the chair. How could it 2006-03-02T02:49:26-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Newspaper-Editorial-28523.aspx Bob Ewell stabbed himself to death, trying to kill the Finches children My Tra Dang The Maycomb Journal Staff writer September 16th, 1935. Yesterday evening, at about 10 o’clock, a homicide happened, resulting in the death of a grown man and a serious injury of a child. Bob Ewell tried to kill Jem and Scout Finch in the schoolhouse after the “Maycomb County Ad Astra Per Aspera” performance ended, this year’s Halloween pageant, directed by Mrs. Merriweather, held in the school’s auditorium. Scout was a ham and had to wear a ham costume. Scout and Jem were in the schoolyard when they heard someone following them. According to them, it was so dark that they could scarcely see anything but Scout’s costume fat streaks was painted with shiny stuff that everyone could see her in the darkness. “I heard someone shuffle and drag his feet.” Scout said. She told us that things happened too fast that she didn’t even clearly know what happened. But, still, she recounted that someone grabbed her, mashed her costume and she fell to the ground. She heard fighting, kicking sounds, they sounded like they were bamming against the trunk. Next thing she knew was that Jem was up, found her and started pulling her toward the road. Scout said: “Then someone, I reckon it was Bob, pulled him backwards. There was more fighting and I heard Jem scream.” According to her, she ran into someone, who was probably Bob, who tried to strangle her and squeeze her to death. She couldn’t move but then, suddenly, someone yanked him down. Next thing she knew was that someone was coughing, panting fit to die. “Then I saw someone I don’t know was carrying Jem toward our house.” Scout recalled. Atticus said: “I have never conceived that someone could be cruel enough to do such terrible things.” Mr. Heck Tate, our town’s sheriff, went to the scene and found Bob lying there under tree with a knife under his ribs. He was dead. Jem Finch, who had bravely protected his little sister, was badly injured with a broken arm and a bump in the head. He is now still unconscious. Dr. Reynolds said: “We have to feel relieved that the situation didn’t get worse. Jem could have been killed, but he is alive.” The mysterious man who had carried him to the house had protected the children. His name is Arthur Radley. 2006-03-02T02:48:09-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-Written-as-a-Newspaper-Article-28522.aspx Symbolic drama Setting Southern Alabama; early 1930s Principal Characters Atticus Fitch, an attorney and single parent Scout (Jean Louise Finch), his daughter, a young six-year old tomboy (and the story's narrator) Jem (Jeremy Finch), Scout's older brother Arthur "Boo" Radley, a mysterious, reclusive neighbor Tom Robinson, Atticus' Negro client Story Overview When Jem was nearly 13 years old his arm was badly broken at the elbow. After it healed and Jem was assured that he could still play football, his arm never bothered him - though it always remained shorter than the right, and hung at a funny angle. Years later, Jem and his sister, Scout, still talked about the accident and the events leading up to it. They finally agreed it had all started the summer when they tried to get Arthur "Boo" Radley to come out of his house. Jem and Scout lived in Maycomb, Alabama, a drowsy, isolated town where everyone knew everyone. Their mother had died when Scout was two years old. Calpurnia, a Negro cook, took care of them and taught them tolerance that took them beyond the rigid prejudices of Maycomb society' Their wise father, an attorney, Atticus Finch, played with them and read them stories. In fact, Scout learned to read before going to school which later caused trouble with her teacher, who didn't think early reading fit into proper educational theory. During the summer when Scout was six and Jem was ten, the children became fascinated with the Radley place next door. Most of the community's young people believed the house was haunted. At night children would cross the street rather than walk in front of the Radley house. Nuts that fell from the Radley pecan tree into the school yard were never eaten; surely, Radley nuts would kill you. A baseball hit into the Radley yard was a lost ball. Scout and Jem raced past the property on their way to or from school. The only person seen going in and out of the dwelling was old Nathan Radley, "the meanest man ever God blew breath into," according to Calpurnia. But inside the weathered home also lived "Boo," Nathan's younger brother. No one had seen Boo for the past twenty years. It was said that he had gotten into some "trouble" all those years ago and had been imprisoned in the house ever since first by his now dead father and then by Nathan. All 2005-12-30T05:11:18-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Summary-Of-To-Kill-A-Mocking-Bird-28308.aspx Alexander Miles ENG 1DE 08 December 2005 Mrs. Wahba The Affect of Courage as a Theme in To Kill A Mockingbird Courage is defined as "that quality of mind or spirit enabling one to meet danger or opposition with fearlessness." According to Atticus Finch, one of the main characters in To Kill a Mockingbird, "Courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.” (124) No matter how one defines it, Harper Lee clearly portrays the theme of courage in her novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. It is one of the most predominant themes and is shown in many of the characters because what is a hero if they are not courageous? One likes to think of a hero, as strong, brave, meeting all challenges head on. All of the characters have a different view as to what courage is, and they all show it a different way; however, they do show courage in their everyday lives. Younger characters, like Jem and Scout, see the physical aspect of it, whereas Atticus believes this to be an extremely weak form of courage. He believes in the mental quality of courage; he admires Mrs Dubose for her attempt to rid herself from some of the evil that still grasped at her life as she died. For a younger character, like Scout, courage is most often associated with a physical act that is usually dangerous. It is hard for young children like that to realize that greater courage can be shown in other aspects of life. Scout sees an example of courage in her father when he shoots the mad dog. Although Atticus does not think of it as very courageous, Jem and Scout are proud of their father and the courage he showed in the dangerous situation. Atticus knows that the dog did not stand a chance; it was delirious so therefore could not think straight. In addition, he was holding a gun; the odds were stacked too highly on his side for his liking. He was not trying to prove a point, he was merely fulfilling his civic duty, yet they were still impressed. Later on in the story, Jem and Scout encounter the vindictive Mrs. Dubose who often shouts out racism directed at the passing children because of Atticus’ 2005-12-09T04:28:29-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Affect-of-Courage-as-a-Theme-in-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-28171.aspx Four Social Classes of Maycomb County In Harper Lee’s book To Kill a Mockingbird there are four evident social classes in Maycomb County. They are the professional white class citizens, poor honest white citizens, poor dishonest, outcast white citizens and black citizens. The professional white class own property and have jobs that provide income or money that came from their families. Members of this class are Atticus, an attorney, and his contemporaries Miss Maudie, the daughter of Dr. Frank Buford, Miss Stephaine, the town do-gooder and gossip, and the Radleys even though Mr. Radley had spent all of his wife’s money and had no visible means of support. The poor honest white 2005-09-14T00:32:42-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Four-Social-Classes-of-Maycomb-County-27974.aspx To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee This essay describes what Atticus meant when he told Scout that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. A mockingbird is a harmless bird that makes the world more pleasant. In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the mockingbird symbolizes Boo Radley and Tom Robinson, who were both peaceful people who never did any harm. To kill or harm them would be a sin. Scout's father, Atticus, tells Scout and Jem, "I'd rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."(p.69) The mockingbird symbolizes these two characters because it does not have its own song. Whereas, the blue jay is loud and obnoxious, the mockingbird only sings other birds' songs. Therefore, the mockingbird is seen through the other birds. The people of Maycomb only knew Boo Radley and Tom Robinson by what others said about them. Both of these characters do not really have their own "song" in a sense, and therefore, are characterized by other people's viewpoints. Boo Radley went through his life never wanting to hurt a fly. He left gum, pennies, and wax dolls for Scout and Jem. He sewed Jem's pants and left them on the fence so he could get them easily. He also saved Scout's and Jem's lives while risking his own. Boo was a fragile and gentle person. Throughout the novel, Scout, Jem, and Dill are curious about the "mysterious" Boo Radley because he never comes outside from his house or associates with anyone in the neighborhood. The children are afraid of him because of all the stories they hear about him from the people in Maycomb. For example, Miss Stephanie tells the children that while Boo was sitting in the living room cutting a magazine, he "drove the scissors into his parent's leg, pulled them out, wiped them on his pants, and resumed his activities." (p.11) After hearing stories like these, the children consider him to be evil. Gradually they assume more about Boo because he never plays outside or with anyone, and therefore, the children are not convinced otherwise. Boo Radley becomes a game for the children and they act out Boo Radley scenarios that they believed to be true. These stories were based on the gossip that trails 2005-08-14T00:44:11-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Meaning-of-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Why-it-is-a-Sin-27617.aspx Harper Lee illustrates the theme of courage in the book To Kill A Mockingbird. The book takes place in a southern town in Alabama. Most of the townspeople are racist in their views against black people. The story is narrated in first person by a young girl nick-named Scout. Her father, Atticus Finch, plays an important part in the story by defending a black person in court. This novel presents two children growing up in a biased community, often discriminated themselves, because of their father's views. Lee portrays courage in the characters of Atticus Finch, Mrs. Dubose and Boo Radley. It takes courage for Atticus Finch to go against people's beliefs in order to do what he believes was morally right. The racist views of the town are against Atticus defending Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman, and Atticus is often discriminated against for not agreeing with them. His children, Scout and Jem, also feel the hatred of others against them because of what their father's beliefs are. "But Mrs. Dubose held us: "'Not only a Finch waiting tables, but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers' ... 'Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for.'" Although Atticus is criticized for what he decides is right, he bravely ignores the disapprobation. Mrs. Dubose is courageous because she recognizes she has a flaw and that she has to help fix it to make it go away. She is addicted to Morphine and makes a goal to die free from her weakness. She goes through a withdrawal period that is difficult to survive. "Her head moved slowly from side to side. From time to time she would open her mouth wide, and I could see her tongue undulate faintly. Cords of saliva would collect on her lips; she would draw them in, than open her mouth again. Her mouth seemed to have a private existence of its own." She finishes her goal before she dies, although she dies almost right after she becomes free. It takes a great amount of self-confidence to be able to recognize that one has a flaw and even more to do something about it. Boo Radley is a reclusive person, due to being shunned the society and it takes courage for him to come out of his house, even to save Scout's life. Even after he saves her 2005-07-26T05:18:06-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Courage-Theme-In-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-27385.aspx TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD - Life's a Cruel Cruel World Schools tend to have cliques, small groups of narrow-minded people who criticize others. These teens in cliques parallel adults in today's society. They prey on those who believe in different things, come from different backgrounds, and have different morals and values. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, three characters, Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and Atticus Finch, all resemble mockingbirds, in that people persecute them for no reason. The people of Maycomb County victimize the innocent Boo Radley. His mysterious life interests the Finch children, Jem and Scout, and their friend Dill. They imagine Boo as a drooling, savage, six-and-a-half foot beast with a long jagged scar on his face, yellow teeth, and bulging eyes. They suspect that he peers into people's windows at night to stalk them and he may try to kill them. The real Boo, however, possesses a kind soul and a gentle heart. He manages to find ways to communicate in a positive and playful way with Jem, Scout, and Dill, but everyone suspects Boo of enigmatic crimes when "once the town was terrorized and…people still looked to the Radley Place, unwilling to discard their initial suspicions" (9). The townspeople do not give Boo a chance; they rather make rash conclusions. His seclusion from the town instantly opens him up to ridicule and gossip. Scout learns to judge him and others by their actions, not by the town gossip. Tom Robinson, a Negro, represents another mockingbird. He lives a life of simplicity beyond the town dump, and attends the same church as the Finch family cook, Calpurnia. Tom regularly assists people in need, especially Mayella Ewell, but he finds himself punished for it. Mayella, a white woman, accuses Tom of rape and abuse, and her father Bob takes this matter to court and uses subterfuge in his testimony. During the trial Link Deas, Tom's former employer, announces, "That boy worked for me eight years an' I aint had a speck o' trouble outta him" (195). Link tries to stand up for Tom because he instinctively knows Tom would never rape anyone, especially a white woman. Because of Link's experience with Tom, he steadfastly believes in Tom's innocence. However the prejudice that exists in Maycomb influences the jury to convict Tom of rape, leaving him and his attorney Atticus Finch disappointed but not surprised. Atticus, a very respected lawyer, defends 2005-07-03T01:42:47-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/TO-KILL-A-MOCKINGBIRD-Life-s-a-Cruel-Cruel-World-27210.aspx The characterization of Scout in Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird is seen from the progression of a child’s eyes; the many experiences and lessons learned, dealing with prejudice, are carried through to her adulthood. Lee uses this method of characterization to show that he many experiences and lessons learned as a child can create and effect the person that you grow up to be. In this case, Scout has many experiences with the prejudices dealing with race, which will be carried with her through her later life. Lee introduces Scout to be a young girl living throughout the Great Depression in the early 1930’s. She lives with her father, Atticus and older brother, Jem. Jem and Scout are basically raised by Caplurnia, a black “maid”, who comes and watches after them and takes care of the house while Atticus is at work. Because Scout lives with just her father and brother, and is raised mainly by a black woman she has many encounters with different types of racism. Throughout the novel, it is made clear that the Finch’s always go to church, but when Atticus leaves for a business trip, Calpurnia is left to watch after the children. On this Sunday in which Atticus is not home, Calpurnia decides to take Scout and Jem to her church. In this adventure to a “black church” for the first time Scout, Jem and Calpurnia are confronted by Lula; a big black woman who is offended when Calpurnia brings the two white children to their black church. “‘You ain’t got no business bringin’ white chillum here-they got their church, e got our’n. It is our church, ain’t it, Miss Cal?’ Calpurnia said, ‘It’s the same God, ain’t it?’…” (Mockingbird, pg. 119) This quote, between Calpurnia and Lula, shows that there is much tension when two white children are brought into a black church. The children do not feel wanted and would have rather gone home until they are welcomed by the reverend. Later during this experience, Scout realizes that many things done at a “black church” are the same as a “white church”. “Revernd Sykes then called on the Lord to bless the sick and the suffering, a procedure no different from our church practice….” (Mockingbird, pg. 121) Scout is starting to learn that blacks are no different from whites, but because 2005-06-21T03:21:26-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Character-Analysis-of-Scout-in-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-27053.aspx Courage as a Theme in To Kill a Mockingbird There are many themes in the book To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee. However, one of the most predominate is courage. This theme is shown by almost all of the characters in the novel. Atticus has strong views on courage. He shows this when he taught Jem and Scout to be brave; for instance, when he told Scout to stop fighting the people that mock her Scout had to be brave enough to ignore the harsh remarks and put herself above them. One person that Atticus admired for having real courage is Mrs. Dubose. When Jem ruined her camellias because she verbally hurt him, he made Jem go and read to her. He did this not only because it was a punishment but because he wanted Jem to learn from her. When Atticus said, "I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand" This showed how much Atticus respected Mrs. Dubose for trying to overcome her addiction. He also called her "the bravest person I ever knew". Atticus wanted Jem and Scout to know that he was not courageous for being able to shoot a crazy dog dead with one shot; but he is courageous for defending Tom Robinson even though he knew he had lost before he started. He teaches them that being courageous is standing up for what you think is right no matter what others believe. Courage is also shown within the community. When there is a fire at Miss Maudie's house, the book says that, "The men of Maycomb, in all degrees of dress and undress, took furniture from Miss Maudie's house to a yard across the street". The most important part of this statement is, "in all degrees of dress and undress". This shows that the people that came to help, came straight away. If the men would have dressed first, then they would have thought about whether to help or not, but they came straight from their beds to help. Boo's most courageous act was when he saved Jem and Scout's lives when Bob Ewell attacked them. When Boo saw that "his children needed him," his courage overrode the town's prejudice and he risked his own life to save Jem and Scout's lives. He was rewarded in 2005-05-05T00:00:39-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Analysis-of-Courage-as-the-Theme-in-To-Kill-A-Mockingbird-26584.aspx To Kill a Mockingbird is definitely an excellent novel and it portrays life and the role of racism back in the 1930’s. A reader may not interpret several aspects in and of the book through just the plain text. Boo Radley, Atticus, and the title represent three such things. In this essay, one will be introduced to the similarities and differences of Boo Radley and Atticus Finch. Not really disclosed to the reader until the end of the book, Arthur "Boo" Radley plays an important role in the development of both Scout and Jem. In the beginning of the story, Jem, Scout, and Dill fabricate horror stories about Boo. They find Boo as a character of their amusement, and one who has no feelings whatsoever. They tried to get a peep at him, just to see what Boo looked like. Scout connects Boo with the Mockingbird. Mrs. Maudie defines a mockingbird as one who "…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" (94). Boo is exactly that. Boo is the person who put a blanket around Scout and Jem when it was cold. Boo was the one putting "gifts" in the tree. Boo even sewed up Jem’s pants that tore on Dill’s last night. Boo was the one who saved their lives. On the contrary to Scout’s primary belief, Boo never harms anyone. Scout also realizes that she wrongfully treated Boo when she thinks about the gifts in the tree. She never gave anything back to Boo, except love at the end. When Scout escorts Arthur home and stands on his front porch, she sees the same street she saw, just from an entirely different perspective. Scout learns what a Mockingbird is, and who represents one. Arthur Radley not only plays an important role in developing Scout and Jem, but helps in developing the novel. Boo can be divided into three stages. Primitively, Boo is Scout’s worst nightmare. However, the author hints at Boo actually existing as a nice person when he places things in the tree. The secondary stage is when Mrs. Maudie’s house burned to the ground. As Scout and Jem were 2005-03-19T03:11:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Atticus-and-Boo-Radley-Analysis-26371.aspx What message does the novel, To Kill A Mocking Bird, convey about prejudice? Prejudice is the preconceived opinion of a person or thing. The novel To Kill A Mocking Bird’s main message to readers is not to treat other races, such as blacks, differently. There are 3 main types of prejudice: racial prejudice, social prejudice and religious prejudice. Maycomb is an old and tired town that puts a negative light on the town and the people. The poverty and lack of outside influence causes prejudice. The backwardness and narrow-mindedness of the community fuelled racism in Maycomb are negative qualities for social and religious prejudice. The foot-washers have a strong influence on the community and the town being prejudice towards the Radleys. In the trial there is a lot of racial prejudice toward Tom Robinson as there is no doctor present who could testify that Tom didn’t commit the crime. Maycomb town is described well in chapter 1 as it tells us why the people are so inward looking. “Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town.” This statement by Jem to the readers puts a negative light on Maycomb and its people. The personification of the word tired emphasises the lack of enthusiasm, about everything, the people of Maycomb have. It also suggests an unwillingness and lack of desire to change this fact. ‘Tired’ also indicates that the town is very boring and new concepts are not welcome. There is also the repetition of the word ‘old’ which gives the impression of a dirty decaying town. This emphasises how old fashioned and backward the town is. The paragraph also describes how the town is not looked after by anyone. The poverty and lack of outside influence causes prejudice. Maycomb rejects outside influences because of the old fashioned views. The town’s backwardness is highlighted by the way in which there are no activities or past times in Maycomb except gardening. “A day was twenty four hours long but seemed longer.” This is emphasised when Jem says, “Don’t have any picture shows here.” These quotes emphasise the restricted and backward views the people hold. It is apparent that the authorities do not wish for any outside interference, when during Scout’s current affairs lesson it is said that: “Few rural children had access to newspapers!” This shows that there was no wish for the town to change. The outside influences 2005-02-14T00:23:47-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/The-Message-About-Prejudice-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-26262.aspx The Many Faces Of Evil The best selling, Pulitzer Prize winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a riveting tale of life lessons. The story unfolds through the eyes of a six-year-old girl, named Scout. The book concerns the struggle against racial injustice in Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s. In this book, Lee brings out the struggles that people face everyday concerning prejudice. This powerful novel shows how people are stereotyped by their race, social class, and gender. The first form of prejudice shown throughout the novel is racism. For example, Attics Finch who is Scouts father is a well-known lawyer. He agrees to represent Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. Atticus's decision to take on the case resulted in Scout being subjected to abuse by the neighborhood friends. For example, when Mrs. Dubose says, "Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for"(Lee 102). This is showing that just because Atticus is standing up for justice he is being criticized. Another example is Doluphs Raymond. He lives on a farm and he lives with black people and raises mixed children. As Jem says, "They don't belong anywhere. Colored folks won't have 'em because they are half white; and white folks won't have 'em cause they're colored."(Lee 161.) Jen is referring to the mixed children and that people can't look past the color of the skin so these children can't be accepted anywhere. Racial injustice were huge in Maycomb but was not the only problem. Another conflict between citizens in Maycomb was social class. This is shown when Aunt Alexandra, Atticus's sister who is living with the Finch family tells Scout that she can't play with Walter Cunningham. Walter attends Scout's school and he is very poor, but this does not stop Scout from wanting to be his friend. Aunt Alexandra responds, "Because he is trash, that is why you can't play with him"(Lee 225). Just because the Cunningham's were not like the Finch's, Scout could not be friends with Walter. Another example is the way the town people treat the Ewells. The Ewells are poor white people who live amongst Negroes. Many people disrespect them as Atticus says, "The Ewells had been the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations"(Lee 30). Even though the Ewells are despicable human beings, they are treated better than the Robinson's just because they are 2005-01-06T07:41:03-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Theme-and-Moral-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-26130.aspx Cunningham and Ewell Character Analysis from To Kill A Mockingbird In the widely known novel To Kill A Mockingbird there are two families that are very diverse and are text book examples of complete opposites on the moral ladder of success. The Cunninghams and the Ewells have two very distinct and opposite reputations. The Cunninghams which are very respected while the Ewells very much despised. The Ewells are given the privilege to hunt out of season, so that the residents of the small town of Maycomb would not have to tolerate their continuous begging twenty-four hours a day for seven days a week. These two families show the respectability of hard workers or, in the Ewells case, can fill their peers with sorrow. The Cunninghams have pride, as for the Ewells, they have a natural like anarchist nature that will eventually haunt them and hurt others because of their lurid like attitude. The Cunningham's are very respected by the citizen's of Maycomb county. The Cunninghams took nothing, unless they could pay it back. Walter the youngest in the Cunningham clan was in the same class at school as Scout Finch the daughter of Atticus Finch. While in school, a fresh young new school teacher known as Miss Caroline did not know the reputations of the predecessors of these two children. In what looked like a good day for the rookie teacher quickly turned into complete disarray and a total adversity trip for the teacher. Walter Cunningham being raised in a very hard working environment was taught not to take what he could not pay back. The teacher obviously did not know about his background in the most minute way and embarrassed him extensively by almost demanding him to take some lunch money. Knowing that he could not pay Miss Caroline back in the way that she had in mind he knew that he could take the money which he wanted to take so bad. Walter eventually ended up eating with the Finch's. While eating at the Finch's he did not know what to do with all of the food that they have offered to him. For example he drowned his waffles in a lake of syrup. Bob Ewell's son, Burris was also faced in the same way but in an total opposite direction and purpose. The same day as the Walter Cunningham incident there was another incident concerning the Ewells. Burris 2004-12-22T22:39:58-05:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Cunningham-and-Ewell-Character-Analysis-25996.aspx Who is the most guilty? Review the involvement’s of the characters in the novel and evaluate whether or not they were guilty, and if so how guilty? In the classic novel ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee there is an abundance of characters that could be proclaimed to be the guilty party, but who is truly the guiltiest one of all? The definition of guilt is as follows; the state of having done something wrong or committed an offense; a feeling of self-reproach from believing that one has done something wrong. My job is to examine the characters closely and determine who is the most guilty in the involvement’s of Tom Robinson’s prosecution, conviction and ultimately his death. As I stated, there is an abundance of characters that could be guilty, from Mayella and Bob Ewell, Heck Tate, to the jurors and Atticus Finch. All of these characters play a roll in the story, and a roll in the events that happened to Tom Robinson. The story is an interesting one, but guilty parties are found throughout. The story is set against the background of nineteen thirties Southern life. The Finches are a family that once ran a large, successful plantation. Their ancestors had been aristocratic ladies and gentlemen of the south. Now they are reduced to gentle poverty. Atticus and his family live in a town named Maycomb, he is a career layer. He has a son named Jeremy and a daughter named Jean-Louse. They also have a cook named Calpernia, she is a Negro but they respect her greatly. Racism in Maycomb is evident almost where ever you look, and Negro peoples don’t have a chance to succeed. A family that played a huge roll in the novel are named the Ewells. They live on the out skirts of town by the dump, near the Negro dwellings. The family consists of Bob, whom has a daughter named Mayella and several other siblings. In the context of the book, they are seen as no better than the Negro’s. There is a sheriff named Heck Tate, he is the one and only police officer in the small town, and a judge named Taylor, who in the end hands down Tom’s punishment. To Kill A Mockingbird deals with many primal and basic lessons in human nature. The book expresses many issues that affect people throughout there lives. The novel deals 2004-07-05T09:38:41-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Who-Is-The-Most-Guilty-25354.aspx Certain uncanny resemblances between Tom Robinson and Boo Radley's lives exist in Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird. Often large groups of people misunderstand certain unusual individuals. Sometimes they stereotype the person; other times, they simply do not bother to find out the truth. When such circumstances occur, the ostracized person's actions become unfairly misinterpreted or not understood at all. Sometimes rumors circulate about the individuals, that might then be assumed as the truth. In this novel, Tom and Boo are both outsiders to the white, normal society of Maycomb county. Tom and Boo share generous natures that are misunderstood; they hold little social value, and are generally assumed guilty. The first parallel in the lives of Tom and Boo, focuses on their property. Tom lives in the "nigger nest" (pg. 175) near to Mr. Ewell but outside the city limits. While testifying Mr. Ewell says, "I've asked this county for fifteen years to clean out that nest down yonder, they're dangerous to live around 'sides devaluin' my property (pg. 175)". A person's status often relates to his property, and the interpretation of that property's value is often based on the tenants of the land. In Maycomb county, the black community inhabits the least desirable property. In the Jim Crow era, blacks were stereotyped as violent and unclean; therefore, the property they owned was considered unvaluable and was located in the worst part of the county territory. On the other hand, the people in the "best" part of town are always white and upper class members of society. Mr. Ewell lives directly next to the town dump, yet he considers the blacks that he lives near a larger threat to his land's value than the appearance and stench of the city's trash. Most people in the better parts of town might even agree with him because they assume that the black people are a constant menace to white society, and being near them endangers one's life. The Radley property also threatens the lives of people brave enough to venture near it. The children believe that anything that comes from the Radley's soil is poisoned, including the nuts and fruits on the trees. Jem yells at Scout once saying about the Radley property: "Don't you know you're not supposed to even touch the house over there? You'll get killed if you do" (pg. 33). Jem also goes so far as to 2004-07-05T09:37:36-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-Similarities-in-Tom-and-Boo-s-lives-25353.aspx A mockingbird is a harmless bird that makes the world more pleasant. In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the mockingbird symbolizes Boo Radley and Tom Robinson, who were both peaceful people who never did any harm. To kill or harm them would be a sin. Scout's father, Atticus, tells Scout and Jem, "I'd rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."(p.69) The mockingbird symbolizes these two characters because it does not have its own song. Whereas, the blue jay is loud and obnoxious, the mockingbird only sings other birds' songs. Therefore, the mockingbird is seen through the other birds. The people of Maycomb only knew Boo Radley and Tom Robinson by what others said about them. Both of these characters do not really have their own "song" in a sense, and therefore, are characterized by other people's viewpoints. Boo Radley went through his life never wanting to hurt a fly. He left gum, pennies, and wax dolls for Scout and Jem. He sewed Jem's pants and left them on the fence so he could get them easily. He also saved Scout's and Jem's lives while risking his own. Boo was a fragile and gentle person. Throughout the novel, Scout, Jem, and Dill are curious about the "mysterious" Boo Radley because he never comes outside from his house or associates with anyone in the neighborhood. The children are afraid of him because of all the stories they hear about him from the people in Maycomb. For example, Miss Stephanie tells the children that while Boo was sitting in the living room cutting a magazine, he "drove the scissors into his parent's leg, pulled them out, wiped them on his pants, and resumed his activities." (p.11) After hearing stories like these, the children consider him to be evil. Gradually they assume more about Boo because he never plays outside or with anyone, and therefore, the children are not convinced otherwise. Boo Radley becomes a game for the children and they act out Boo Radley scenarios that they believed to be true. These stories were based on the gossip that trails through their neighborhood. In reality, no one knew anything about Boo Radley. He stayed inside of his house and remained reclusive in Maycomb County. At 2004-05-07T00:14:04-04:00 http://75.150.148.189/free-essay/Symbolism-in-To-Kill-a-Mockingbird-133.aspx