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Historical themes in To kill a mockingbird
Historical themes in To kill a mockingbird
How the setting of to kill a mockingbird effects the plot
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I have two questions about chapter fifteen. First of all, why did the mob leave? One answer that has come to mind is the fact that Scout talks to Mr. Cunningham. Scout notices Mr. Cunningham next to herself and she starts talking. Scout mentions stuff about how Scout knows his son and that she beat him up once, but he was cool about it. Mr Cunningham seems as if he is not even hearing one word Scout is saying. Even though Mr. Cunningham is not paying wonderful attention, Scout continues to talk to Mr. Cunningham. It is like for example, when a parent is talking to another parent and one of the parents children keeps whining for something. The adult continues to talk to the other parent, and just acts like they are hearing what the child is …show more content…
The members of the mob then simply get up and leave with nothing left to say to Atticus. My second question is why did Jem stand up to Atticus? One answer is that he wanted to make sure his dad was safe. He felt weary of leaving his dad there to defend himself against a bunch of wild men who smell of whiskey. I can relate, since I do not think anyone would leave someone the love in a potentially troublous situation. I believe Jem also wanted to help defend his dad. He was willing to help defend his dad against the malicious men that had come. Another answer to why he stood up is because he thought that somehow he and the other two children could help in some way. I anticipate that Jem knew that Scout could help in someway. Jem knew that Scout and him could help even though they are children. I believe that Jem thought that Scout could help if she started talking. And help is indeed what the kids did. Without Jem standing up to Atticus how he did, the whole book could have turned out to be a different story. In conclusion, the two most important questions that I have, can be answered in my own personal perspective/point of
...reinforcing the idea that the roles are now switched. Atticus keeps calm during most of the situations, but lets others boss him around and take control while he mainly sits and waits nearby. Scout and Jem begin to stand up for their father when he will not stand up for himself and act caring as if they were in charge of Atticus’ actions, protecting him from the evils of others. Scout supports this idea when she begins to talk very adult-like with Mr. Cunningham, especially showing her thoughtful wisdom when speaking of “entailments”. Atticus later shows that he is proud of his children for sticking up for him when he did not himself by massaging Jem’s hair in his “one gesture of affection.” So while Atticus often is being the best father figure he can to Scout and Jem, they are also very helpful to him by taking control of situations that he would not be able to.
When Jem and Scout found out that their father would be defending a black person, they knew immediately that there would be much controversy, humiliation from the people of Maycomb and great difficulty keeping Tom alive for the trial. It was not long when Atticus had to leave the house very late to go to jail, where Tom was kept because many white people wanted to kill him. Worrying about their father, Jem and Scout sneak out of the house to find him. A self-appointed lynch mob has gathered on the jail to take justice into their own hands. Scout decides to talk to Walter Cunningham, one of the members of the mob.
During the court scene a lot of difficult things happen and it becomes a very hard case for Atticus to solve and explain. Jem and Scout are both very upset about Tom Robinson being accused of the things he didn’t do. Atticus begins to tell Jem that it’s going to be okay and that he wants Jem to not worry about what the outcome is. Atticus is trying to teach him that even if the case doesn’t go the way they wanted and the way that it was supposed to go, that they still did the right thing and that they would keep trying to help Tom Robinson in any way they could. This is what Atticus tells Jem, “Link, that boy might go to the chair, but he’s not going till the truth’s told.” “Atticus’s voice was even. And you know what the truth
... he leaves him. Scout points out Mr. Cunningham in the mob and starts talking about his son, Walter. This makes the mob realize what they are doing and humanizes them. The mob disperses and Atticus is thankful for Jem not leaving. This is how Atticus has taught Jem to be independent and realizes that Jem is becoming more mature in his actions.
Scout Finch, the youngest child of Atticus Finch, narrates the story. It is summer and her cousin Dill and brother Jem are her companions and playmates. They play all summer long until Dill has to go back home to Maridian and Scout and her brother start school. The Atticus’ maid, a black woman by the name of Calpurnia, is like a mother to the children. While playing, Scout and Jem discover small trinkets in a knothole in an old oak tree on the Radley property. Summer rolls around again and Dill comes back to visit. A sence of discrimination develops towards the Radley’s because of their race. Scout forms a friendship with her neighbor Miss Maudie, whose house is later burnt down. She tells Scout to respect Boo Radley and treat him like a person. Treasures keep appearing in the knothole until it is filled with cement to prevent decay. As winter comes it snows for the first time in a century. Boo gives scout a blanket and she finally understands her father’s and Miss Maudie’s point of view and treats him respectfully. Scout and Jem receive air guns for Christmas, and promise Atticus never to shoot a mockingbird, for they are peaceful and don’t deserve to die in that manner. Atticus then takes a case defending a black man accused of rape. He knows that such a case will bring trouble for his family but he takes it anyways. This is the sense of courage he tries to instill in his son Jem.
The passage I have chosen is from the book, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. In this passage Atticus Finch is trying to teach his children, Scout and Jem, the real or his definition of the word courage. He is explaining to his children that courage is more than just men with guns. He says to not connect courage with fighting, but to associate it with standing up for what you believe in. It takes little character to point a gun and pull a trigger, but it takes a whole lot of courage to accept a difficult challenge in which you can ultimately be defeated in. It made me realize that courage goes beyond a physical act, it shows one's integrity and strength. I learned that a person is courageous when they follow their own beliefs and stick to
Jem turned 12 and trashed Ms.Dubose’s house. His punishment for that was he had to read to her she acted strange and not to long after that she passed. Scout found out that Tom was accused of rape. Atticus finally blew up and made Scout cry.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is an emblem of racial jurisdiction. All throughout the book it shows how the law applies to blacks as opposed to whites. Lee shows how unjust the treatment of blacks is and the disregard for their human rights. Though through the actions of the characters in the book; it can be said that their actions show a glimmer of hope for this very prejudiced society.
The middle section of the book shows many different sides to the relationship between Atticus and Jem. Atticus does not like to tell his children how to behave. This quote shows how Alexandra is making him tell Jem and Scout how to behave. The tension is shown easily. "Before bedtime, I was in Jem's room trying to borrow a book, when Atticus knocked and entered. He sat on the side of the bed, looked at us soberly, then he grinned. `Er-h'rm,' he said. He was beginning to preface some things he said with a throaty noise, and I thought he must at last be getting old, but he looked the same. ` I don't exactly know how to say this,' he began. `Well just say it,' said Jem. `Have we done something?' Our father was actually fidgeting. `No I just want to explain to you that-your Aunt Alexandra asked me... son, you that you're a Finch, don't you?' `That's what I've been told.' Jem looked out of the corners of his eyes.
In the beginning of chapter 10 Scout thinks that her father, Atticus is boring and old. That he doesn’t do things that children her age fathers do. When Jem and Scout asked him why he was so old and he responded “He got a late start, which we felt reflected upon his alilites and manliness.” Later in the chapter Jem and Scout notice something is wrong with an old dog down the road. The neighborhood gets told to stay inside and not come out, because there is a mad dog on the loose. Atticus and Mr. Tate take over and plan to shoot the dog. Mr. Take yells at Atticus to shoot the dog, but he is nervous he will miss considering he hasn’t shot a gun in almost 30 years. He knows it is up to him, before you know he shoots the dog and in relief the neighbors
In Chapter 11-15 things continue to get exciting. These chapters continue to explore Watson’s character and his determination to be better than Holmes. Watson understands that he won’t be able to solve a mystery without Holmes. He deals with that frustration. Watson tries to take on the mysterious stranger on the moor before Holmes finds him.
In the narrative, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, chapter nine is one of the most revealing episodes of the book. If the chapters in the book had a title, chapter nine would be called “Defending the Defender”. In chapter nine of the writing, Harper Lee described, “Francis looked at me carefully, concluded that I had been sufficiently subdued, and crooned softly, ‘Nigger-lover…’ This time, I split my knuckle to the bone on his front teeth,” (Lee 112). Francis was calling Atticus a “nigger-love” because Atticus defended an African-American in a court of law and this didn’t make Scout very ecstatic. I decided to call chapter nine “Defending the Defender” because Scout was standing up for his father because Atticus argued in a black person’s
Some might say that Atticus is putting him and his family in danger.Someone in the mob said,”You know what we want...Get aside from the door” (202). That proves that the mob meant businses and that they were will to “get rid” of Atticus if needed. But,lucky Scout jumped in and saved his life before his life needed saving. Even if Atticus did not have Scout to save him, he would have reasoned with the mob and brought them back to their senses.
Atticus knew it would be a long shot to win and yet he entered it with a passion because knowing him, a man full of excellent morales, he knew that everyone involved with it would come away with something positive, even if that thing was simply a different outlook or perception on the black or life in general. Atticus 's great compassion for Tom and his community as well as his understanding for his side of the story would soon come with multiple consequences that himself and his kids would have to endure. For instance on (p.104) he explains to scout the trouble she may up endure but to keep a positive outlook, "When summer comes you 'll have to keep your head above far worse things...it 's not fair for you and gem, I know that, but sometimes we have to make the best of things, and the way we conduct ourselves when the chips are down-well, all I can say is, when you and Jem are grown, maybe you 'll look back on this with some compassion and some feeling that I didn 't let you down...." He instils that once Scout and Jem are mature enough to understand these things, that they will know he never let them down. This excerpt/example further exemplifies his understanding of Jem and Scouts sake and what they will go through as little kids but
Near the end of the novel, a mob of men from the town gather in front of the jail to lynch Tom Robinson. To there surprise Atticus is waiting there for them. Later Scout, Jem and Dill joined them. This was a very awkward situation for everyone there, and Scout tried to ease the tension by starting conversation.