To Kill A Mockingbird Morality Quotes

“Emotions can’t be allowed to interfere with what is right.” This quote, provided by Amazon’s recent, critically-acclaimed dystopian television series accurately summarizes the key takeaway when it comes to morality in To Kill a Mockingbird. How does this quote from a television show which takes place in an alternate 1960s America relate to the theme of morality in Harper Lee’s Great Depression-era novel? To answer this, we must first examine how the said theme in the novel is created. How does Harper Lee convey her message of not letting emotion sway us from right?

First, filled with rage, Lee’s Jean Loiuse “Scout” Finch certainly let her emotions get the best of her when she swinged at Francis for insulting her father. “This time, I split my

Dubose is introduced. Jem, having cut the tops off of every one of Mrs. Dubose’s (Who was terminally ill) camellias in retaliation for her insults, was reluctant to read to her as a sort of apology, not knowing the purpose of it. Little did he know, it would keep her distracted from her pain. It was the right thing to do, but Jem was disgusted by her. “He did not begin to calm down until he had cut the tops off every camellia bush Mrs Dubose owned” (Lee 103). “‘ She wants me to come every afternoon after school and Saturdays and read to her out loud for two hours. Atticus, do I have to?’ ‘Certainly’” (105). “(In reference to reasoning behind reading to Mrs. Dubose, who was now dead) It may have been some distraction” (111). Not only did Jem let emotions of anger and/or fear seize control when he decided to cut Mrs. Dubose’s flowers, but also when he was against reading to her. He knew what he did was wrong, damaging her property, and that reading to her would serve as an apology of sorts, but he let his extreme fear of her lure him away from doing so. Once again, Harper Lee stressed the importance of not letting emotion sway us from doing what is