More handpicked essays just for you.
Kill a mockingbird by harper lee critical analysis
Essays on harper lee
Kill a mockingbird by harper lee critical analysis
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
There are thousands of traits fir authors to choose from when creating characters. This makes it rare for two characters to be exactly the same or polar opposites. In the novel, to kill a mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Atticus finch is judged just as surely as Bob Ewell is. However, they do show very different views on education. While bob Ewells intoxicated tendencies are considered controversial in Maycomb, Atticus defending a man of colour is also seen as abnormal. On the contrary, they contrast through their very opposite views placed on the importance of education, although bob and Atticus are both similar in the way that they are seen as outcasts, they contrast through their opinions on the education system. Generally, Maycomb County …show more content…
has a very tight knit group of people. The characters are similar by the means that they are both seen as different. For one thing, the people of Maycomb all see bob Ewell as someone who does not fit in based on his actions and his ancestor’s legacy. When scout is confused as to why the Ewells do not have to go to school, Atticus confirms their family’s reputation. “the Ewells [have] been the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations. None of them [have] done a honest day’s work in his recollection”(Lee,30).Atticus explaining that the Ewells are a disgrace to Maycomb and have not worked a honest day in their lives shows that they are different from the other people of Maycomb. Most people in Maycomb work hard for the minimal amount of money they earn while bob lives of welfare and does not have to work for his money. Similarly, Atticus is known to have different opinions than those most common in Maycomb which leads to him being seen as strange. When scout and her cousin Francis get in an argument, his retaliation is to try and insult Atticus: “he’s turned out a nigger lover we’ll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb again” (Lee, 83). Cousin Francis blames Atticus for being the reason that the finch family is being judged in Maycomb. Similar to bob Ewell, Atticus and his family are being attacked with negativity in Maycomb. Atticus defending tom Robinson, a man of colour is seen as controversial and bob is selfishly wasting money and receiving special treatment making people judge him. Bob and Atticus both experience judgement in Maycomb although Atticus’ actions are benefitting someone while bobs are not. First, shown through their parenting techniques, both characters conversely show their views as a start; bob does not value education which reflects his children’s work habits and attendance.
After Miss Caroline tries to dismiss Burris Ewell to go wash up, he announces that she is not the reason he is leaving. “Been comin’ to school the first day o’ the first grade for three years now”(Lee,27).bob letting Burris skip school shows that he does not value his children’s education. Bob not worrying about Burris’ attendance shows he is also not worried about his future. Bob gets by on money he does not deserve and figures Burris will be able to do the same thing. On the other hand, Atticus is a very supportive father to scout and teaches her from a young age to have morals that revolve around education. When scout complains to Atticus about not wanting to go to school and says that she should not have to if Burris does not, Atticus explains to her she is not above the law. “Sometimes it’s better to bend the law… but in your case, the law remains rigid. So to school you must go” (Lee, 30). Atticus telling scout she has to go to school shows that he cares for her and wants her to be well educated. Unlike bob, Atticus wants scout to get an education and be able to get a job on her own. Atticus wants scout to gain responsibility and learn to do things she doesn’t necessarily like whereas bob does not force his children to go to school or give them any responsibilities. The character
development shows how children are a product of their environment and the two parenting styles reveal a lot about bob and Atticus’ personalities. In the long run Bob and Atticus both receive judgment from the citizens of Maycomb and have completely opposite morals when it comes to education. Bob Ewells family history and greedy actions led people to believe he does not fit in. similarly, Atticus experiences the same thing for defending Tom Robinson. Nevertheless, Bob and Atticus contrast through their very different opinion on the importance of education. Authors are able to connect characters through their similar emotions and experiences which allow them to take their writing to a new level. They are also able to contrast characters making their plot better than ever.
“[T]here is one way in this country in which all men are created equal- there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller; the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court” (Lee 233). These are the words uttered by Atticus Finch, an important character in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus is a lawyer, and at this point in the novel, he is trying to defend Tom Robinson, a black man who was accused of raping a white woman. This reflects upon how society was in the 1930’s, when the color of your skin affected your chances of winning a trial. In fact, it is speculated that To Kill a Mockingbird is loosely based off of the trials of the Scottsboro Boys, a famous case from this time period. Most of the main characters associated with both trials share similar traits, experiences, and backgrounds.
Walter’s family owns a farm, and Walter is obligated to help his father with tasks such as chopping wood. He has been in the first grade for three years in a row because every year he is forced to miss school during the harvest. While having lunch at the Finch’s home, he tells Atticus “Reason I can’t pass the first grade, Mr. Finch, is I’ve had to stay out ever’ spring an’ help Papa with the choppin’ but there’s anothr’n at the house now that’s field size (Pg. 31-32).” Although Walter would like to receive an education, he must help his father to get food on the table and to keep their farm operational. However, now that he has a sibling who is old enough to take his place on the farm, he will finally be able to move on from the first grade. His family values education and wants him to be successful in life. Burris Ewell, however, does not value school at all. Like Walter, Burris has also attended first grade for three years. “Been comin’ to the first day o’ the first grade fer three year now…. Reckon if I’m smart this year they’ll promote me to the second (Pg. 36).” Burris’ father does not value education, because he lets his son attend one day of school per year. Burris also does not care about his education. On the first day of school, a student explains “The truant lady gets ‘em here ‘cause she threatens ‘em with the
Harper Lee historically criticizes the Scottsboro trials with her book, To Kill a Mockingbird. Lee uses factual information as well as altering certain aspects of the trial in order to convey her theme, how the southern culture heavily protects its white womanhood. She accomplishes this by going into detail about how badly black men were stereotyped, about racial discrepancies, and disregarding contradictory evidence.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, by author Harper Lee, several of the characters in the book share a similar character trait. Atticus Finch, Mrs. Dubose and Boo Radley all show courage throughout the book in their own individual ways. In different events, all three characters were faced with a challenge that they could either turn away from and accept or try to defeat. In Lee’s novel, a few of the main events that occur in the book include Atticus Finch defending a black man, Mrs. Dubose is challenged with overcoming an addiction, and Boo Radley must brave the outdoors to save the Radley children. Throughout the book, the characters change and one begins to understand what life in the small town of Maycomb is like, as the Finch family and friends grow and mature throughout the events happening while encountering social prejudice, courage, and the mockingbirds of life.
In To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Bob Ewell assumes the racist, biased, and unjust motivations in order to retain any scrap of dignity in Maycomb County. Bob Ewell sees that he has been bested, and that the town knows the truth, however, he is able to abuse his racial standpoint, using racism to scapegoat his actions. The town, even though they all are aware that Bob Ewell is guilty, has been racially obligated to oppress Tom Robinson, due to the racist roots embedded in the town.
We learn how important it is to Atticus for his children to be educated. We see how he teaches them to read and write at an early age. “As it is in a black man’s account of slavery, reading and writing are major themes in To Kill a Mockingbird. Reading is first introduced with Dill’s announcement that he can read, and Jem’s counter boast that his sister, Scout, has been reading for years” (Telgen 301). Atticus reads to the children from newspapers and magazines as if they are adults who can understand issues at his level. By the time Scout attends her first day of school, she is highly literate, far surpassing the other children in the classroom and frustrating her teacher whose task it is to teach her students according to a predetermined plan. It soon becomes clear why Atticus thinks education is so important. During his closing arguments, Atticus explicitly acknowledges the ignorance blinding people's minds and hearts:
Whether we read books, watch movies, or simply live life, we cannot ignore that writers, directors or people create pairs of characters that may have things in common and characteristics that show them as opposites. Sometimes, they may seem obvious but at other times, the individuals have to be analyzed and understood. They are placed in stories to show the good and the bad in the story. However, placing similar and somewhat opposite characters together is clearly portrayed in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. These characters go through some of the same situations but they can be distinguished differently by the way they choose to deal a situation. Sometimes, their intention may be alike however, in the end, their doing is what makes them two different people. This contrast is especially evident when comparing Walter Cunningham Sr. and Bob Ewell, Boo Radely and Nathan Radely, and, lastly, Miss. Maudie and Miss. Stephanie.
... Mockingbird to compare and contrast characters; this is a very useful literary term because it shows how one character can make another character seem extremely better. Many characters are clear examples of this: Atticus’s respectful and fair behaviour in contrast to Mr. Gilmer’s rude and prejudice behavior; Miss Maudie’s truthful and open-minded personality in comparison to Miss Stephanie’s gossipy and impulsive personality; and, finally, Walter Cunningham senior’s hardworking and generous attitude compared to Bob Ewell’s careless and greedy attitude.)(Thus, it can be seen that foils play a major role within literature because it brings out one’s true nature and compares them shoulder to shoulder.)(Many of the contrasts between characters intensify the conflict between them, turning the story of innocence to experience into an epic struggle between good and evil.
Atticus’ statement on prejudice and racism characterises his moral integrity and his empathetic nature. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch is depicted as the complete opposite of what people would perceive to be a stereotypical southern man living in the Deep South during the 1930s. Contrary to the majority of his fellow townspeople of Maycomb, Atticus is a man of great virtue and moral strength. He in not bigoted or racist and is egalitarian in his approach to all people This sort of moral integrity is what he tries to instil in his two young children, Jem and Scout, despite the bigotry and inequality surrounding them. Atticus Finch stands as a moral beacon of the town, a label which causes much friction between himself and other members of the Maycomb community. A clearer idea of Atticus’ principles can be gained by comparing and contrasting them to three other characters in the Novel, Calpurnia, Bob Ewell and Aunt Alexandra.
The story To Kill A Mockingbird has a wide variety of characters and situations that make it an all-time favorite. The ever-growing popularity of this story has caused a movie version, based on the book, to be showcased. There are noticeable differences between the two that could change the entire feel of the story. The omitted scenes from the book, that are never shown in the movie, include: Jem and Scout going to church with Calpurnia, the school scene in which the Ewells, Cunninghams, and Scout’s teacher and classmates are introduced and talked about, and how Aunt Alexandra, the great influencer of the children in the book, never appears in the movie along with other Finch family members.
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee tells the story of a little girl growing up in a small Southern town during the 1930s, and facing everyday issues such as racism and growing up, and The Help by Kathryn Stockett shows the lives of black maids in the 1960s working for white women and feeling the effects of both racism and friendship from them. Despite the fact that the two books are from different time periods, The Help and To Kill A Mockingbird by are very similar novels because Celia Foote and Mayella Ewell both come from poor, white families, because both books examine society’s oppressive expectations of women from that era, and because both books show white people’s good relationships with the black people that work for them.
As most everyone knows, there are differences between a book and it’s movie adaptation. This is applicable to the book and it’s movie counterpart To Kill a Mockingbird, as well. But aside from the differences, there are also similarities between these two.
“ ‘Jem see if you can stand in Bob Ewell’s shoes a minute. I destroyed his last shred credibility at the trial, if he had any to begin with. The man had to have some kind of a comeback, his kind always does. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating that's something i'll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and i’d rather it be me than that houseful of children out there. You understand ’” (23.15) Atticus Finch had exposed the bad men in the community to his children but selflessly found room to feel sorry for Bob because of how he treats his children. The children were able to learn from Atticus by being able to understand what was being said but realize that not everyone is as fortunate as them and don't always have the moral understand like Atticus has taught them 'Scout, I think I'm beginning to understand something. I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in the house all this time. It's because he wants to stay inside.'" Page 227. Jem had recognized that not everyone can cope with the world they live in, being all caught up in hate, racism and distrust that it's better for people like that to stay inside, away from the horrid things of the world which is society. Adults are capable of judging and and not forgiving
A Time to Kill and To Kill a Mockingbird both have a number of similarities to be compared and contrasted. Both stories can be compared in their themes about justice and racial prejudice. However, this is where the similarities end. The themes and ideas in both novels are vastly different in shape and scope. In A Time to Kill justice is the main theme and most of the ideas are focused on justice and the gray in between the lines of black and white set by the law, racial prejudice is also touched upon very frequently in the comparisons between Jake Brigance and Carl Lee Hailey and how he wouldn't even have had to face trial if he was a white man. In To Kill a Mockingbird justice is a theme which is not expanded upon or explained in nearly as much detail as it is in A Time to Kill. To Kill a Mockingbird also has a much larger variety in it's themes, ranging from the themes of justice to the exploration of a child's way of perceiving right and wrong as well as the idea of coming of age. These stories are honestly and objectively far more different than they are alike.
Jill McCorkle's Ferris Beach, a contemporary novel, shares numerous characteristics with Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel written in the 1960's. Like To Kill a Mockingbird, McCorkle's novel documents the life of a young girl in a small southern town. The two narrators, Kate Burns and Scout Finch, endure difficult encounters. A study of these main characters reveals the parallels and differences of the two novels. Jill McCorkle duplicates character similarities and rape from Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird to show the reader how young girls think and develop.