ipl-logo

Conventions In To Kill A Mockingbird

834 Words4 Pages

Discuss the idea(s) developed by the text creator in your chosen text about the significance of individuals attempt to live unconstrained by conventions or circumstances.

Customs, traditions, conventions, mores, norms these have been here since beginning of time and one is expected to follow them without question and pass them on to their offsprings. Majority of conventions are good and meaningful, however some conventions are destructive, harmful and dangerous. One can say that conventions are like cocoons they shield youth and give them a pathway to follow however, when these customs threaten to put down a group in society, one must break out from the cocoon. In the novel, To Kill A MockingBird, the author, Harper Lee, explores characters that attempts to live unconstrained by conventions or circumstances. In the town of Maycomb the …show more content…

In the novel, To Kill a MockingBird, Harper Lee illustrates the harsh treatment receive from the townspeople’s when he is order to defend Tom Robinson. When talking to his brother, Jack, Atticus explains that he hopes that his children will not catch Maycomb’s usual disease of racism and prejudice, he hopes his children will come to him. “I just hope that Jem and Scout come to me for their answers, instead of listening to the town.” When Scout asked Atticus if he was really a n***** lover, Atticus responded “I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody... I'm hard put, sometimes—baby, it's never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesn't hurt you." That shows that he believes good wins over evil. Looking at Atticus we can see that he is not held back by the conventions of racism and prejudice, he is trying to live and guide his children to be fair and loving towards

Show More
Related

  • How Does Jim Finch Show Courage

    665 Words  | 3 Pages

    Atticus knew the consequences of supporting tom because of his skin and how bad segregation was in his town. He knew the community of Maycomb would dislike his actions and call him and his family names like “negro lover”. Scout asks Atticus why he was defending Tom he says“ The main one is if I didn’t I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again”(Lee 86). Atticus could not live to know that he did not serve justice in his county, and that even though he would be called names or looked at differently, Atticus would still be doing the right thing.

    Read More

  • Tom Robinson Transformation

    951 Words  | 4 Pages

    Tom Robinson is caught kissing a white woman from Maycomb named Mayella Ewell. To prevent being frowned upon by the local citizens, she instead said that Tom Robinson raped her even though that was far from the truth. He’s taken into trial with the help of Atticus, and the case is unarguably one of the factors that help further the theme of innocence in Scout’s view. Atticus is determined to help Tom, even if it means that the citizens will turn against his own family because “killing a mockingbird is a sin.” As events progress, Scout is taught that discrimination solely because someone is “different” is

    Read More

  • Atticus Empathy Quotes

    405 Words  | 2 Pages

    This cruelty was presented to the reader conspicuously throughout different instances. However, Lee utilized the character Atticus to try and combat the racism and to be an exemplary man of empathy. One situation that shows this would be Atticus's final statement at the end of the Tom Robinson trial. “I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty” (Lee 275).

    Read More

  • Symbolism In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1117 Words  | 5 Pages

    The poet, Lascelles Abercrombie once said, “There is only one thing which can master the perplexed stuff of epic material into unity; and that is, an ability to see in particular human experience some significant symbolism of man 's general destiny.”. He talked about how powerful of a tool symbolism is and how it is the only thing that can truly define a highly complex ‘destiny’ or series of events. Symbolism is something that is found throughout Harper Lee’s book, To Kill a Mockingbird. Lee shows the reader that racism is a product of society,she portrays the matter through her symbolism of the mad dog, the birds and the bugs.

    Read More

  • Atticus Finch Quotes In To Kill A Mockingbird

    712 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the 1930’s south, racism was at its peak, but one man with contrasting ideas, was willing to sacrifice his entire social standing to defend a negro. In Harper Lee’s, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Scout’s father, Atticus, taught her many things. He taught her how to shoot, not to fight, and most importantly, to stand up for her values. Atticus showed his children the importance of protecting their beliefs on a few occasions: when he took on Tom Robinson’s case, when he protected them from the mad dog, and when he raised them to judge upon character, not appearance. First and foremost, when Atticus took Tom’s case upon himself, he showed the importance of doing what you think is right, regardless of the consequences.

    Read More

  • Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1302 Words  | 6 Pages

    He urges Scout to refrain from saying those words, yet she fails to grasp his reasoning. Subsequently, Atticus clarifies that he’s defending a black man named Tom Robinson. “Scout, you aren’t old enough to understand some things yet, but there has been some high talk around town to the effect that I shouldn’t do much about defending this man” (100). He knows it’s frowned upon to defend a black man in the South, especially in Maycomb, Alabama. Nevertheless, he stands firm in his commitment to righteousness and remains unburdened by racial prejudices.

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Quotes To Show Courage Essay

    1314 Words  | 6 Pages

    Atticus being a white men also showed courage by going against the Maycomb people and willingly defended Tom Robinson, a black men. Due to that he was often called N-lover by other white people. Despite of those criticisms given by many of the town’s people, he did his best to defend Tom. He said, "If I didn't I couldn't hold my head up in town, I couldn't represent this country in legislature, I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do something".(page 75). On page 149, Atticus says : “Son, I told you that if you hadn't lost your head I'd have made you go read to her.

    Read More

  • Normality Of Man In To Kill A Mockingbird

    826 Words  | 4 Pages

    I’m hard put, sometimes-baby, it’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesn’t hurt you”(108). Scout was asking Atticus about being a nigger-lover, and he explained to her that it is only an insult if she lets it bother her. Name- calling also shows how poor of a person the name caller is. In the courtroom, Atticus made an impact on the jury, but it just was not enough.

    Read More

  • How Does Lee Use Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird

    2565 Words  | 11 Pages

    “Prejudice: To Kill a Mockingbird” Why do we judge strangers so harshly? Why is it that, when we walk down the street, we look and treat ‘odd’ people differently? Instead of giving the homeless person a wide berth when he flashes you a hopeful smile, why not return the smile, just as you would for anyone else? In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the townsfolk of Maycomb treat ‘odd’ people and African Americans with no respect or kindness.

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Society Quotes

    722 Words  | 3 Pages

    “The world is full of people who think different is synonymous with wrong” - David Levithan. In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, she writes about a county named Maycomb that is fearful of anyone that is different from them. Jean Louise Finch, often called scout in the book, grows up in a xenophobic society. Scout grows up alongside her older brother Jem, her father, Atticus and their family’s mother-figure caretaker named Calpurnia. When Scout’s father is asked by Judge Taylor to defend a black man named Tom Robinson, he faces harmful backlash from the community.

    Read More

  • Atticus Respectful Quotes In To Kill A Mockingbird

    452 Words  | 2 Pages

    Even though Some people, like Aunt Alexandra thinks Atticus is raising scout wrong because she doesn't like to wear girly clothes. Atticus acts like a teacher to his children, he teaches them wondrous things. Atticus punishes his kids when the deserve it. Jem and Scout are shown to be respectful and treat people the same.

    Read More

  • Privilege In To Kill A Mockingbird

    978 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it.” Harper Lee had used the tragic situation of Tom Robinsons trial to explore many themes including, racism and differences in privilege. “To kill a mockingbird” written by Harper Lee explores many situations linked to the broad idea of racism throughout the systems of Maycomb and differences in privilege in many different ways. The quote that Atticus argues with explains that in Maycomb, all men and things are equal.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Love In To Kill A Mockingbird

    634 Words  | 3 Pages

    Atticus explains this to Scout after she asks if he is a n***** lover. This quote is an example of how Atticus is amorous toward Tom Robinson even

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Essay About Being Fair

    451 Words  | 2 Pages

    In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout asked Atticus if he was a N-word lover and Atticus was trying to explain to her that he loves everyone equally. Atticus says to Scout. ” I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody… I’m hard put, sometimes thinks is bad names.

    Read More

  • Atticus Relationship In To Kill A Mockingbird

    886 Words  | 4 Pages

    In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus is a lawyer in Maycomb Alabama. He Has two kids, Scout and Jem. His wife died when Scout was only two years old. Atticus is not only respected by his children but his community. Atticus teaches his kids valuable lessons throughout the story.

    Read More

More about Conventions In To Kill A Mockingbird

Open Document