The reason why Atticus defended a black man and did what most everyone would never think of doing is because of justice and civilly going against the norm. The character, a lawyer named Atticus, also endangers not only his own life but his family's, by defending a Negro. He believes he is protecting an innocent man. Even though he is black. Atticus could not live with himself if he failed to give his utmost effort in clearing the accused, Tom Robinson’s, name. The lawyer feels that he has to do it. The people of Maycomb are small minded and hypocritical, Atticus Finch is not. Nothing can be done to make the towns people hear the truth.
In the passage Jem and Scout walk home during the dark hours,giving Bob Ewell an opportunity to stage an attack. As Bob Ewell attacks them Boo Radley rushes in to rescue Jem and Scout. After this Scout now understands what Atticus meant it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. The killing of a mockingbird is much like killing the innocent. It is beyond a crime and worse than the most heinous atrocities. Scout recognizes the Boo Radley as the mockingbird because he doesn't bother anyone. Scout also recalls the time when Atticus said, " you never really understand a person's point of view until you climb into their skin and crawl around in it." She interprets this as something to always keep in mind and to consider through her journey to womanhood.
In Chapter 12 of Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, there are many events and situations in which irony is used to support the theme of the chapter. An example of this is in the very beginning of the chapter, when Scout is concerned about how distant and moody Jem is acting, and asks Atticus, “’Reckon he’s got a tapeworm?’” (Lee 153), to which Atticus replies no, and that Jem is growing. This is dramatic irony because the readers understand that Jem is acting oddly because he’s growing, but Scout doesn’t know this until she asks Atticus about it. This quote supports the theme of Chapter 12 by showing when Jem started to grow distance from Scout, getting aggravated with her and telling her to stop bothering him, and shows how the children
In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee teaches us about the town of Maycomb County in the late 1930s, where characters live in isolation and victimization. Through the perspective of a young Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, readers will experience prejudice Maycomb brings during times where people face judgement through age, gender, skin, and class. Different types of prejudice are present throughout the story and they all contribute to how events play out in the small town. Many of those in Maycomb face and express sexism, racial discrimination, and classism their whole lives. This disables the people who fall victim from living their life comfortably in peace. Boo Radley’s isolation from the Maycomb county, Tom Robinson’s black skin colour, and Atticus
In the argument between Mr.Gilmer and Atticus In to kill a mockingbird about Tom Robinson being found guilty for raping Mayella. There was impressive work of rhetorical analysis (Logos, Pathos, and Ethos). This argument takes place in a courthouse in Maycomb which if packed with the people of Maycomb. The argument between Atticus and Mr.Gilmer was about Tom Robinson to find out if he truly raped and abused Mayella. In the argument between them both used Logos, Ethos, and Pathos. Almost everyone throughout Maycomb thought Tom was guilty just because of the color of his skin. But, the real question was, did Tom Robinson really abuse and take advantage of Mayella Ewell?
The people, who live in Maycomb, say such ugly things about Atticus Finch, a white man, for defending Tom Robinson in court, because Atticus believe Tom and he tried to defend Tom seriously. Long time ago, many people believed that black men is not good, polite, and NOT believable, so they were treated like slaves. Now in real life, people who believe idea of racism by skin color are less than before. However, some people
The oppressive feeling of racism has touched all in maycomb. None can ignore it. The effect of it is very obvious, corruption. Atticus’s goal is to stop his children from “catching Maycomb’s disease” (117 need citation) in hopes that Jem and Scout will grow into people with morals that all are equal, you don’t have to follow society's predetermined standards. Atticus sacrifices his reputation, safety and when undertaking the responsibility of defending a black man. In the 1930’s, when a black man's word was opposing a white man’s word, they always lost because people assumed that whites are always telling the truth and blacks always lie. When one of the kids(find out which one) asks atticus why he is even attempting to defend Tom when he knows
“ Experience is the harsh teacher who destroys one’s innocence.” This can be said of Charles Baker Harris, better known as Dill. A young, imaginative, and thoughtful boy, Dill realizes the harsh realities of the world throughout his summers in Maycomb. Before experience teaches him the grim truths of society, Dill possesses the childlike innocence and purity all young children possess. Experience teaches him of racism, life, and the human race through the life changing summers he spends in the microcosmo Maycomb. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Dill’s yearly summer trips reveal that experience can kill one’s innocence and teach valuable lessons.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Jem believe Maycomb is Unjust because The Maycomb he used to know is not like what it is now, Which is shown when the prejudice members of his community are against Tom, Lula refusing to let Jem & Scout enter their church, and When he was punished for destroying Mrs. Dubose’s flowers. To Start Off, Scout was explaining on how the final verdict of the jury & judge affected Jem & loss faith in the citizens of Maycomb. Scout says, “I shut my eyes. Judge Taylor was polling the jury: “Guilty...guilty...guilty...guilty…” I peeked at Jem: his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each “guilty” was a separate stab between them” (282). Maycomb is an injustice town because as every time the Jury said “guilty” it negatively affected Jem like he was being stab inside which illustrates how he was very confident in knowing that Tom will be acquitted & be found innocent but, after the verdict it had made realizes & lose hope on the members of his community. As the trial progresses Jem becomes tired and views his members of community with contempt. Jem is emotionally scarred after Tom Robinson is wrongly convicted. Jem firmly believes that there are differences between individuals, social classes and races. Which made Jem acknowledge what he thought Maycomb was, a safe place to live with people who care for each other and has loss faith on the neighbors and the people he knew due to large amount of prejudice
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses Jean Louise (Scout) Finch as the narrator. Scout is now an adult and reflects on three very crucial summers during her childhood days. When Scout is first described in the novel, she is prone to violence, labels people based on class, denigrates people, uses racist language, and is prejudice (Seidel 1). All of these things show that she is childish at the beginning of the novel. 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.
“Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win”. Atticus Finch decided to defend Tom Robinson when he was accused of raping a white woman. I would’ve done the same thing as Atticus because I believe that back then it wasn’t a very fair world. As soon as a white person blamed a black person Police or the Judge would automatically take the word or the white person. In my opinion that is truly unfair.
“Racism is taught in our society, it is not automatic. It is learned behavior toward persons with dissimilar physical characteristics.”-Alex Haley To Kill A Mockingbird is a novel that is greatly affected by the way others see the world. Scout, a young girl, growing up in Maycomb a place where racism is accepted. She is constantly learning how racism affects the community through different altercations in Maycomb. She realizes that racism shouldn’t exist due to the side effects. In To Kill A Mockingbird Harper Lee conveys that racism causes inequality between people, isolation, and injustice.
Who are the blue jays and mockingbirds of To Kill A Mockingbird? Set in the early 1930’s of America, Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is a coming-of-age book that tells the story of an innocent, naive child becoming an adult through the experience and intake of racism, discrimination, and social injustice throughout the book. Harper Lee’s development, usage and characterization of her characters throughout To Kill A Mockingbird help establish two of her most important themes of the book, which are the presence of social injustice and the coexistence of good and evil.
“To kill a Mockingbird” is a novel in which Harper Lee, the author, presents forth various themes among them the unheard theme of social molarity. Harper dramatically uses a distinctive language through Scout, who is the narrator of the story to bring out the difficulties faced by children living in the southern Alabama town of Maycomb. Harper has dramatically displayed use of bildungsroman throughout the story; this helped to give the story a unique touch of a child’s view to bring out a different type of humor and wit. It has also used to develop and thrive the theme of morality in the society. 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.
Through To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee teaches us the righteousness of empathy. Harper Lee 's technique of writing and coinciding Christian beliefs weaved through emphasizes the importance of the story 's moral and themes. It is through Scout, the young dynamic and protagonist, that Lee opens the reader 's eyes to a realistic world of prejudice and inequality during the 1930s. Though introducing many characters throughout the novel, it is through Lee 's wise father character, Atticus Finch, that she further helps teach her readers life lessons, one being empathy. While narrating in first person, Lee further details her novel with the setting and use of style and diction.