Essay On Voice In To Kill A Mockingbird

The type of voice in a narrative can have an important roll in shaping the style and feel of a text. Different types of voices help to create variety in the things readers are presented with, for example a first person voice is common because the reader is able to be presented to a person who knows all about the situation. A First person voice is also able to make the reader develop a bias to the characters thoughts and feelings, this can also be a reason to choose a particular type of voice.

‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, written by Harper Lee, uses three different voices to present one important story. Lee uses her own voice along with two versions of her main character, Scout and Jean Louise, Scouts older self. Using all three voices to convey one over all message can effect the impact of the main story. Each voice can help to shape the effects of events on the reader, this helps Lee to add more detail and view to her narrative. With each voice comes a type of voice, Harper Lee has an omniscient style voice while Scout and Jean Luise have the first person style qualities. Usually a narrative will have one voice, first person or third person, Lee has created her own style by adding her own personal aspect as a third person into a first person type narrative. As well as adding two types of voices, Lee

uses two different first person narration styles for her characters Scout and Jean Louise. Scout was awarded a subjective monologue voice to shape who she is as a young female living in a strict, segregated town. Having this particular first person style allows Scout to present and express her thoughts on things while other, older characters, may have different opinions in comparison. Page 168 represents how Scout’s actions are effected by her age and how her voice is able to share her thought on the matter. Jean Louise is presented with a detached autobiography style, she reflects on events that happened in the past, this contrasts with what scout is doing in the moment. The fact that Jean Louise is the older self of scout helps to see how Jean Louise is effected from the events in her past. Page 176 is an example of Jean Louise and her voice, By expressing the older version of Scout, Louise is able to
share what she has learned and experienced throughout her life.

All three voices are able to cross over one another to allow perspective and deeper understanding of the plot and events carried out.

When the three voices are implemented into the narrative, Lee carefully chooses her preferred voice to cary the event out. Each voice is capable of telling a different side of the story, which can help to be presented to the reader. Lee aimed to present life as a child in a small southern american town back in the 1930’s and how it effected it innocents and justice afterwards. With the use of narrative voice, each connected to one another, conveying one powerful story of

change.