The 1930s were a time of controversy, housing the great depression and after the civil war, it was a breeding ground for racism. Set in the town of Maycomb, Alabama, Jem and Scout, children of Atticus Finch become enthralled by the mysteries and horrors that surround Boo Radley. Atticus, a lawyer then begins to defend a black man named Tom Robinson who was accused of raping a white woman. It is through this that Jem and Scout begin to learn the true atrocities that mankind commits. However with Atticus's guidance they also learn the meanings of empathy and compassion.
Atticus Finch is used to represent the theme in to Kill a Mockingbird. Because of this a lot of misfortunate things happen to Atticus since he represents the theme. We see a lot of character development of Atticus in To Kill a Mockingbird and I feel that this is mostly because of him being used to represent the theme. Atticus has been used to represent the theme a number of times. One such time is on page 127 when the stray dog that had taken up residence in the neighborhood gets mad dog.
This quote takes place after Atticus has shot a rabid dog that was threatening his children and the neighborhood. Miss Maudie tells Jem and Scout that Atticus was “the deadest shot in Maycomb County in his time,” and was called “Ol’ One-Shot.” Jem and Scout are very surprised. The theme raised by this section is modesty. Just because you have a special ability does not mean that you should use it unnecessarily.
In “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Written by Harper Lee, Atticus believes Maycomb is unjust because he is someone who strongly believes in Justice/equal rights. Which is shown when Mr. Heck Tate shows up at Atticus’s door, Scout tells Atticus about how people think he’s wrong and, when Atticus talks about “Maycomb’s disease.” For my first piece of evidence, Atticus is telling Mr. Link Deas about the Tom Robinson case. “Link that boy might go to the chair, but he’s not going till the truth’s told.” Atticus’s voice was even.
Discrimination is shown throughout To Kill A Mockingbird in numerous ways. Racism and prejudice are shown when the jury makes the ruling to convict Tom Robinson as guilty, despite all of the evidence to prove his innocence; Scout is known for being a tomboy. The lessons about discrimination that Scout learns throughout the novel are applicable to all types of prejudice, Atticus Finch, the father of Scout and Jem Finch, is judged for defending Tom Robinson, an innocent man accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a low class teenage girl. Since most of the community is racist, Tom Robinson’s case is very hard for Atticus to defend. They do not believe a white man should be defending a black man.
Courage throughout history has always been interpreted in many different ways; cowardice, defiance, and even idiocy. Often it is hard to recognize true courage until many years have passed. True courage is showing bravery and standing up for your beliefs and principles in times of strife. “Courage isn’t a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin
A Little Girl in a Big Racist World The Webster dictionary defines a bildungsroman as a novel about the moral and psychological growth of the main character. Scout is the main character and narrator of To Kill a Mockingbird, along with side characters such as Atticus, Jem, Dill, and Boo Radley. Scout learns many lessons in the novel that develop her into growing up, but three really stand out.
We all describe a parent in different ways. Some say that they may be stubborn, idiotic, loving, or helpful. They all differ based on the opinion of the person. An example of a good adult would be from Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, His name is Atticus.
To children like Jem and Scout Finch, being courageous is completing a daredevil like task to impress others; however, as they grow up they learn what true courage is as they face situations where their courage is tested. They also witness an obstacle Atticus Finch overcomes that enhances their definition of courage. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee distinguishes foolishness from real acts of courage through the experiences of Jem, Scout, and Atticus Finch. At the beginning of the novel, Jem and Scout believe courage is getting close to Boo Radley, a character whom has a reputation of stabbing his father in the leg with a pair of scissors and committing all of the small crimes in Maycomb. While Jem and Scout’s friend Dill
A young boy had little education growing up, and it was hard for him to learn. When he got to older, he dropped out of high school and did not get any form of education for a year. After his year off, he applied to multiple colleges; he finally got accepted at Zurich, and became one of the most brilliant minds known today. This boy was Albert Einstein, and even though he did not get the best education, he still became famous for his knowledge. Some people learn more from life than their actual education.
Racism has been a societal issue for many years in the past, and although we are taking steps in the right direction, there will probably be racism for the rest of the human race’s existence. This is represented in the town of Maycomb in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, which took place in a heightened time of racial division and discrimination. Racism is a huge issue that influences many aspects of society, such as work, family, and class. Harper Lee portrays the theme of racism in To Kill a Mockingbird through the speech and actions of her characters and imaginative symbolism. Aunt Alexandra and Francis are characters that think they are more worthy because they are white.
Some feel that our courts are safe and true, others would say our courts have various flaws and don’t always fulfill the truth. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is the father to two young children, Scout and Jem, and works as a lawyer as a single father in their small southern town in Alabama during the thirties. Atticus gets handed a case when he has to defend a black man over a white woman. Through the use of racism and symbolism, Atticus’s claim that “out courts are the great levelers, and in our court’s all men are created equal,” is proved to be unsuitable.
1. On the first page of the story, we get the feeling that the novel will involve a flashback. Explain how you think Scout telling the story when she’s several years older enhances the meaning behind the events.