Scout struggles, with many and varying degrees of success, to put Atticus’s advice into practice and to live with sympathy and understanding toward others. At the end of the book, Scout succeeds in comprehending and understood Boo Radley’s perspective, listening
Scout, being a child, she thinks the society is free of evil and it’s pure basically because she hasn’t been in contact with evil. Just like any other child she engages in several activities oblivious of the ramifications that follows. As a child she doesn’t understand the injustice that is enshrined the society and the glimmering racism. There is a continuous struggle between good and evil throughout the story, each part wanting to overcome another. The transition of Scout and Jen from childhood to adulthood forces them to live with the fact people can’t be purely good and also they aren’t purely evil.
This quote shows though Scout and Aunt Alexandra heard about Tom being shot to death, Scout realizes how to turn this situation to help herself mature and looking on the bright side taking after Aunt Alexandra. This shows that when a real-life situation, such as Tom Robinson being killed, is brought up it teaches Scout how to turn any situation to help her mature which is a valuable lesson that cannot be learned in school. In class, schools try to protect the students from the real world and perfect
However, the book passes a ray of hope as a path out of prejudice and injustice, as “Most people are (nice), Scout, when you finally see them.” (323). The purge of prejudice and injustice, ultimately, could be achieved by separating the facts from preconceived assumptions by examining life and evidence with a child’s
While narrating in first person, Lee further details her novel with the setting and use of style and diction. Lee teachers her audience to become open-minded by having Scout learn through external conflicts. These external conflicts help teach empathy throughout the novel, one being with Miss Caroline, the outsider teacher. The use of metaphors help the readers better relate to the points being made, one which is introduced through Atticus in chapter 3, "You never really understand a person . .
Atticus shows compassion towards everyone. Even when he and his family are being brought down by the people who they had grown up with. Atticus reminds Scout to always remember to show compassion onto others no matter how bad things might get. Atticus sets the example by remaining respectful to those who were judging him at the time. “So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take.” (Lee 222).
This usually means that those they deem below themselves are left scrambling. When a person’s independency is suppressed, it can lower their self-esteem. Some speak up for themselves while others submit to their suppressors. Those in power will do almost anything to maintain it even if it meant stepping on other individuals. All three key points are spread throughout the novel.
This is evident when Miss Caroline looked at Scout “with more than faint distaste.” after she reveals to Miss Caroline her capability to read and write. The noun phrase, faint distaste, shows that Miss Caroline is pull out by Scout’s knowledge, as she preserve that grade one students were not suppose to know how to read and write. From what she expected, we can deduce that Miss Caroline’s teaching method is impersonal, and does not suit the needs of the students in Maycomb’s society. With her incapability to differentiate for different abilities, Scout will not be challenged academically and learning is lost. Lee reinforces the failure of Maycomb’s education system once again through students in grade one, who were not expected to contribute and participate during class.
A mature character would not pick a fight or label people based on their money; however, by the end of the novel, Scout sees that these things are wrong. She begins to see that all people are equal and should be treated the same. The reader sees Scout growing up through her change in actions, speech, and morals. First,
Lee also expresses this theme through Scout. She learns how to use politeness to avoid conflict when she resists the urge to fight Cecil Jacobs (Lee 85). While Scout does not understand the significance of her refusal to fight, it marks the beginning of her learning how to combat criticism. Harper Lee uses the theme of diplomacy and respect to counter the hatred of racism and the theme can be effectively applied to real life. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee expresses themes through characters and actions to teach lessons about everyday life.