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Role of children's literature
Innocence in american literature
Themes for the book to kill a mockingbird
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There were a few different themes in To Kill a Mockingbird one of which I believe would be the loss of innocence which I believe Dill represents in a odd way. Dill is a childish little boy who likes to play with Jem and Scout in fact early on in the book when the kids were acting Dill “played the character parts formally thrust upon Scout” (jem pg 8). Along with being a good friend and i nice guy Dill only came during the summer and loved to play with the kids he even ran away from home one summer when he couldn't come just to be with them. Dill never really loses his innocence and, I believe because of that he would make a good comparison to the kids at the end of the book after the attack. Along with being a good comparison Dill points out
one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it is a sin to
Jem had changed throughout the story from acting like a child and doing things that children do to becoming more mature and taking part in the community. When Dill had ran away from his mom and stepdad during the summer Jem and Scout had found him under the bed in Scout’s room. Scout was planning to hide him in her room: however, Jem had other plans. “Dill’s eyes flickered at Jem and Jem looked at the floor. Then he rose and broke the remaining code of our childhood. He went out of the room and down the hall. “Atticus, can you come here a minute, sir?” (pg. 74) For years, Jem and Dill had been the best of friends. Dill had found Jem trustworthy, however, Jem was willing to do what was right even if it means losing a friends trust. Towards the end of the summer, when Dill was getting ready to leave Jem felt that it was necessary that Dill should learn to swim. He has spent the next week going to the creek to teach him. "Jem had discovered with angry amazement that nobody had ever bothered to teach Dill how to swim, a skill Jem considered necessary as walking. They had spent two afternoons at the creek, they said they were going in ...
In Harper Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird" shows and teaches many lessons throughout the passage. Some characters that learn lessons in this passage are Scout, Jem, and Dill. Scout and Jems father Atticus, is taking a case that affects their lives in so many ways. They all learn new things throughout the story and it impacts their lives greatly. There are lots of things including the trial mostly that change the perspective of the world they live in. The kids are living in the Great Depression and it shows just how bad things really where. Scout, Jem, and Dill have experiences that force them to mature and gain new insight.
In her novel Harper Lee utilizes the gothic archetypes of the hero, the monster, and the innocents to portray Maycomb’s crisis of conscience during the trial. So all in all in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird we have Hero (Atticus Finch), our villain (Bob Ewell), and our innocence (Dill). At the end our hero is the victor but our character Dill has forever lost his innocence, as well as Bob Ewell losing his
In Harper Lee’s book, To Kill a Mockingbird, she creates many characters and she goes in depth on each one of their lives. Some of her characters have a happy life, some have good lives with some unfortunate events, and some of her character’s lives are sad and confused. We know that Scout has a happy life and Jem’s life is fairly good so far, but their friend Dill does not seem to fit in either category, because of his family life, his life seems confused. Dill is a character in To Kill a Mockingbird with a mysterious family life, although we know a few facts there are still some aspects unknown. Dill uses his powerful imagination to cope with his presumed difficult life.
When Dill comes out of courtroom because he is upset Dolphus Raymond says: come on round here, son, I got something that’ll settle your stomach” (pg 267 ch 20). This is the opposite of him doing harm he is trying to help. Another example of this is when we find out he always drinks coke out of the brown bag: here, he said, offering Dill his paper sack with straws in it … scout, its nothing but coca cola” (chap pg 267) he is just trying to help the people of Maycomb understand why he stays with black people. last example of him being a mockingbird is him sitting with the colored folks: “why ‘s he sittin’ with the colored folks? Always does he likes ‘em better’n he likes us I reckon” (pg 214 chapter 16) he is not Racist like all the other folks in Maycomb he like everyone he is not mean at
Dill also shows that he is warm hearted by caring about the littlest things, “it’s sort of like making a turtle come out…” “How’s that?” asked Dill. “Strike a match under him.” I told Jem if he set fire to the Radley house I was going to tell Atticus on him. Dill said striking a match under a turtle was hateful. “Ain’t hateful, just persuades him—‘s not like you’d chunk him in the fire,” Jem growled. “How do you know a match don’t hurt him?” “Turtles can’t feel, stupid,” said Jem. “Were you ever a turtle, huh?” “My stars, Dill! Now lemme think… reckon we can rock him…” Jem stood in thought so long that Dill made a mild concession: “I won’t say you ran out on a dare an‘ I’ll swap you The Gray Ghost if you just go up and touch the house.” Jem brightened. “Touch the house, that all?” Dill nodded. “Sure that’s all, now? I don’t want you hollerin‘ something different the minute I get back.” “Yeah, that’s all,” said Dill. “He’ll probably come out after you when he sees you in the yard, then Scout’n‘ me’ll jump on him and hold him down till we can tell him we ain’t gonna hurt him.” (17-18) This also shows Dill fascination about the
Loss of Innocence in Killing a Mockingbird Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather, the streets turned red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square. " (Lee 9). This environment, as Scout Finch accurately describes, is not conducive to young children, loud noises, and games. But, the Finch children and Dill must occupy themselves in order to avoid boredom.
The author George Elliot once said “don’t judge a book by its cover.” Appearance can be very misleading, and you shouldn't prejudge the worth or value of something by its outward appearance alone. This philosophical idea has been included in many works of literature, including the timeless classic To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee. The novel takes place in the town of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s. Many citizens of Maycomb tend to make judgements based on outward appearances alone. In the novel, Lee uses minor characters such as Boo Radley, Mrs. Dubose, and Tom Robinson to convey the book’s theme of prejudice.
The novel of To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the timeline and era of the 1930s which was synonymous for the renowned Great Depression. A tragedy in which social and economic change was urgently required yet old traditional beliefs and racial hierarchies including the Jim Crow laws were kept firm in position. These beliefs along with other aspects including behavior are clearly represented in the novel which leads the reader to infer that the time and setting of To Kill a Mockingbird is the 1930s. There are various methods and pieces of evidence that we draw upon that leads to the conclusion that the setting of the novel takes place in the
His second charateristics is him needing attention. The first time the reader see that he is needing attention is when Dill said, “Mr. Finch don’t tell Aunt Rachel, don’t make me go back, please sir! I’ll run of again!”(188) This quote shows how Dill is just wanting attention. Somebody who would say they’ll run away again just wants attention. Another time that the reader sees that he is needing attention is when Scout and Dill are talking, when Dill tells Scout, “The thing is, what I’m tryin’ to say is they do get on a lot better without me, I can’t help them any. They ain’t mean. They buy me everything I want, but it’s now-you’ve-got-it-go-play-with-it. You’ve got a roomful of things. I-got-you-that-book-so-go-read-it.”(191) By using this quote it shows how he’s wanting attention by wanting affection by his new parents. By the tone of this quote the reader can tale that Dill is filling upset that all he wants is attention.
... him like a dog. It gives them no rights and that’s what Dill is trying to explain to Scout. Lastly, Dill and Scout had to go through an experience to start using empathy; otherwise they could not put themselves into another’s shoes.
Dill is dreamy, enigmatic and insecure. Unlike the Finch children he feels unwanted until they welcome him under their wing. Dill talks of his stepfather and mother as well off people who show him the sights of the urbanised area that they live in. In reality this is not what the picture is with Dill and his parents. They don't want him and he is passed from relative to relative in an attempt to be rid of him for some time. He is moved on from his one relative to the next when they get tired making Dill feels unwanted although he doesn't show it. As a result of this when Dill comes to Maycomb and meets Jem and Scout, he feels comforted and contented to be with people who have time for him and who enjoy his company.
During the trial, Dill, “started crying and couldn’t stop” (198). Dill becomes impatient with the trial, complaining about how Tom Robinson is being treated. With Dill still having his childish views, the evil he experienced in the trial results in crying. With Tom Robinson being innocent like a mockingbird, Dill is easily wounded and sensitive as he sees the destructive words that an innocent has to hear. To kill a mockingbird is to kill innocence, so one can say that Dill is classified as one as well. Lee shows Dill’s trial experience results as a consequence of killing a mockingbird, since Dill, who is innocent, has been destroyed by the evil of racism. Lee displays the mockingbird’s innocence being killed throughout the novel; Tom Robinson, who is found guilty and then killed for a crime he didn’t do, has been destroyed by the evil of racism. Jem goes through experiences like the trial, which disturbed him that they did not win, but also gives him a more positive way of thinking. Jem is careful to not harm the innocent and fragile after seeing Tom Robinson’s unfair trial. Jem refuses to let Scout kill the roly-poly in the beginning of chapter 25, thinking that the roly-poly has done nothing wrong to any of them. Boo Radley is another example of the death of a mockingbird as his innocence was lost by the evils of mankind. Through Dill, Lee demonstrates his
For this assignment, I decided to do my film review on To Kill a Mockingbird (Mulligan, R., & Pakula, A. (Directors). (1962). To Kill a Mockingbird[Motion picture on VHS]. United States of America.) I have a personal connection to this film because it is one of my most beloved novels by Harper Lee. I have never watched the film so it was a nice experience to see the characters I have loved for years come to life just before my eyes. The film particularly focuses on a white family living in the South of the United States in the 1930s. The two siblings, Jem and Scout Finch, undergo major changes while experiencing evil and injustice in their small town of Maycomb. Jem and Scout’s father is named Atticus and he is a well-respected man in the town as well as being a lawyer.