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To kill a mockingbird literary analysis
Character analysis to kill a mockingbird
Analysis of killing a mockingbird
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Supporting Characters' Roles In To Kill A Mockingbird Supporting characters are staples in storytelling. They help the main characters grow through teaching lessons or influencing their behavior and help develop the story. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout and Jem are largely influenced by minor characters and take something away from each of them. The kids learn to only judge someone based on their actions and not to judge because of rumors through Boo Radley. They learn that there is prejudice and unfairness in the world through the courthouse jury. They learn about true bravery through Mrs.Dubose. These supporting characters play roles that aid in the maturation and understanding of society to not only Jem and Scout, but the reader as well. …show more content…
Throughout the first half of the novel, most of the people in Maycomb think of Boo Radley as a scary phantom type creature because of the rumors that have been spread about him. It is for these reasons that the kids are afraid of Boo and are so eager to catch a glimpse of their gossiped about neighbor. However, later on in the novel their perception of Boo starts to shift as Boo begins to do nice things for Jem and Scout. Boo leaves treats and toys for them, sews up Jem's shorts when he rips them on the Radley fence, and even covers Scout up with a blanket when the kids were looking at Miss Maudie's flame engulfed home. The kids realize that Boo was not some evil figure, but someone who just wanted to be friendly and kind. It is through this that Jem and Scout learn to judge someone based solely on their actions and start to understand Boo a lot better: "I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley stayed shut up in the house all this time...It's because he wants to stay inside" (Lee 304). What the kids learn from Boo starts to show during the Tom Robinson trial when instead of judging Tom on what the townspeople are saying about him, they judge the situation on the given evidence. Boo's presence taught Jem, Scout, and the reader a lot about the people of Maycomb, specifically their judgeful ways and that they easily latch onto rumors. While Boo Radley helps the children realize that rumors have negative impacts on people, the courthouse jury shows the kids just how unfair society can be. The courtroom is normally supposed to be a place of fairness and justice, however during the Tom Robinson trial, Jem and Scout learn that it was anything but that.
It was clear based on the evidence that Tom was innocent, but with the jury consisting of only white men in 1930's Alabama, they decided to convict Tom only because it was a white man's word against a black man's. This upsetted Jem and Scout as they were sure that Tom and Atticus would win the case. It made them realize that people with prejudice will make unfair decisions, even when it's clear that they are making the wrong decision: "...but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed." (Lee 323). Seeing this changes Jem and Scout's perception of the people living in Maycomb, as they start to question whether the people of Maycomb were as good-hearted as they thought. Nowadays, there would not be racial prejudice in a courtroom, however the jury that was biased during Tom's trial could be the modern equivalents of people who use racial profiling, racial bias, and stereotyping. The kids and the reader learn that people who make judgements and decisions based on prejudice are people who should not be considered
kind-hearted. It was not until Jem and Scout met Mrs.Dubose that they learned what true courage is. At first, the kids believe that Mrs.Dubose is a mean-spirited, racist, old lady who they are being forced to read to for destroying her flowers, but they soon discover the real reason they are reading to her is to help distract her from the pain of her dying wish; to die while clean of morphine. After Mrs.Dubose passes, Atticus communicates the lesson that Mrs.Dubose taught them: "I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what." (Lee 149). What they learn is applied the most when the kids are disappointed that Atticus lost the Tom Robinson case, but they realize that Atticus went into the case knowing he would lose but continued on and put up a strong fight and kept the jury debating for hours and although he had lost, he had made progress in the fight against discrimination and racial judgment, which in that time period was something that required immense courage and was very difficult to do. It was evident that even though Mrs.Dubose had passed away, her lesson would still be remembered. In conclusion, supporting characters are key factors in Jem and Scout's growth as characters and the reader's growth as a person, through the lessons they teach and the influence they have. They learn that courage is knowing you have lost and still giving it your all from Mrs.Dubose's indirect teachings. The courthouse jury teaching the kids about the ridicule and unfairness in the world. Boo Radley teaching them to only judge someone based on actions and not rumors. With this in mind, it is clear that supporting characters are very important to the structure and the development of a story they also teach lessons that are applicable in the real worl
In real life there are many different types of people, some of them are similar
The novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, is an American classic, narrated by the young Scout Finch, the most engrossing character in the book. The novel is about the adventures of two siblings over the time of about three years. Jem and Jean Louise (Scout) Finch were two young siblings who one day met another young boy named Dill. Over time, Jem and Scout grow up under the careful watch of their father and friends, learning how to be adults. They play games, they sneak into a courthouse, and they learn a valuable life lesson. Scout was an intriguing character. As the narrator, you learn more about Scout’s feelings towards the events in the book and soon learn to love her. Let me introduce you to Scout Finch.
In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, a range of both major and minor characters which are portrayed with varying personalities. These character's interactions help to explain the issues that this text is concerned with. In the novel, the protagonist, Atticus Finch, is a defence lawyer who is appointed to represent a black man, Tom Robinson, who is charged with raping a white woman. The novel is set during the 1930s in America, which was when segregation of blacks and whites was well manifested into the society of those days. A black person had no right to defend himself if accused of a crime by white men. The author depicted several minor characters which helped to build up and expose the personality of the text's protagonist, Atticus Finch.
Yet he took the case with no hesitation. Atticus knows the difference between what is fair and what is true justice. He is well aware that whites and blacks have many differences with one another, but is also educated enough to know that there truly is no diversity in equity, and tries to teach everyone including his children this. ”You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view- until you climb into his skin and walk around it.(30)” Atticus is encouraging Scout to respect everyone and consider their true potential without considering false accusations in this quote. He applies what he teaches to his children to the people attending the Tom Robinson trial. Atticus is just one man, but with an unprecedented amount of sense of pride, intelligence, and justice. He reflects the image of the town’s people by showing them what they’ve allowed themselves to become based on their beliefs. He genuinely expresses their deepest consternation. In this quote he tells the audience what they are afraid to hear, but need to hear, “She was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man. Not an old uncle, but a strong young Negro man. No code mattered to her before she broke it, but it came crashing down on her afterwards.(272)” After stating his point and releasing the profound truth Atticus causes for Mayella and Bob Ewell to lose their composure. Nevertheless people of most of the white people of Maycomb continue to refuse to believe that a white woman kissed a black man. But they undoubtedly believe that a black man with a useless left hand beat and raped an “innocent” white woman. Atticus could have predicted the outcome from before he even took the case and refused to defend Tom Robinson. But he
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.
In the courtroom that night it is revealed that the alleged crimes of Tom Robinson, a decent Negro man, most likely did not happen. As Atticus says in his closing argument, "The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place. It has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination, but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant. The defendant is not guilty, but somebody in this courtroom is” (Lee 271). Showing the clear innocence of Tom Robinson due to lack of evidence, Scout thinks that the white jury will do the right thing only to find out that they still, unfairly, accuse him of being guilty. Scout and her brother, Jem, get very upset when they hear the verdict, however, it allows them both to learn the lesson that the county is unfair towards anyone who is not white. The county demonstrates this evil racism due to the social divisions in Maycomb between the whites and the blacks and because the whites see the blacks as unworthy of rights and freedoms. It was not just the trial itself that displayed evil in the world, but the comments and arguments surrounding the case did
To Kill a Mockingbird has dozens of minor characters that are important to the novel. The three most important, however, are Dill, Alexandra, and Calpurnia. They each have their own unique effect on Scout, which helps shape her personality as she matures throughout the course of the
Minor characters are often more important than they initially seem, and can be just as engaging and complicated as major characters. Furthermore, protagonists are isolated without the people that surround and influence them subliminally. This applies to the intriguing minor characters one has the privilege of discovering in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Specifically, Lee uses minor characters to effectively disprove stereotypes and establishing setting. Not only do they influence the direction of the plot, but also Scout and her development as a character. Lee carefully selects minor characters to send important messages and reinforce themes by using characters as symbols. Fundamentally, the minor characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird” are crucial in making Harper Lee’s novel beautiful, moving, and believable enough to touch every reader.
A small city nestled in the state of Alabama, Maycomb has got its faults, just like any other place in the world, but one of its main faults or (pg.88) “Maycomb's usual disease,” as Atticus calls it in the book is prejudice. Jem and Scout learn a lot about prejudice when a black man named Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white woman named Mayella Ewell and their father, Atticus, is called on to be his lawyer. They realize the hate that people have buried deep within their heart when they see a black man accused of doing something only because of his color. On pg.241, Scout starts understanding this and thinks, “Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.” As the case continues, up until the death of Tom Robinson, Jem and Scout learn more and more about prejudice and how the hate that people have towards others causes them to take wrong actions. They also see how unfair it is that a white man can get treated better and think of himself better than a black man only because he was born white. This prejudice and the trial cause Jem and Scout to get in argum...
Tom was very confused when he was accused of this incident because he had never been anything more to Mayella Ewell than an acquaintance. “The older you grow the more of it you’ll see. The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box”(Lee 220). This is how Atticus described the trial to his son Jem because he could not comprehend how unjust the trial was unfolding on a daily basis. The proceedings were not equitable towards Tom Robinson because everyone should have realized at the trial that he had not done anything wrong. In the end, Atticus lost the trial. Not because the jury and judge thought Tom Robinson had committed the crime, but simply because he was black and they were racist. Tom was sent to jail for doing absolutely nothing wrong, except being black. He never had the luxury to grow into old age, as his life was taken from him when he was shot seventeen times during his attempt to escape from jail. Tom Robinson’s life would have been completely different if he had not been black. The discrimination would not have occurred and the accusations would not have been leveled or
Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” takes place during the 1930’s in the fictional and quiet town of Maycomb, located in Maycomb County, Alabama. The town of Maycomb is described as a tired old town that moves very slowly and its residents have nothing to fear but fear itself. Being in set in the South during the 1930’s the story does tackle racism and inequality for African Americans as racism was becoming more and more prominent in the 1930’s. The fact that the story takes place in a backwater county in Alabama makes the the injustice even more prevalent. The story goes through the early years of the main characters Jem and Scout so the exact time is always changing, however, the more important and intense parts of the story takes place
Keeping a mouth shut doesn't hold the world shut out, it opens up new doors to things that would never be expected. In To Kill A Mockingbird written by Harper Lee, there is are two character that is are an eternal mystery for the readers. Boo Radley, though the reader nor Scout and Jem know anything about the character all they want is to learn about him. Boo becomes a mysterious figure that many see as creepy, ghostly, but also reasonably wise. The one-time Boo appears the readers learn he is a sagacious, powerful man. Little do Scout and Jem know is that their father is also a rational being as well. The two crucial character in the story helps support the
Racial prejudice is widespread in the county of Maycomb, and a prime example is the Tom Robinson case. Tom, a black man, was accused of raping Mayella, a white woman. Atticus puts forward all evidence from his witnesses that clearly proves Tom was innocent, Jem even says, ?and we?re gonna win Scout. I don?t see how we can?t? (pg 206), but Tom still received a ?Guilty? verdict. Atticus tried removing the prejudiced thoughts of the jurors by saying, ??the assumption - the evil assumption - that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings??. (pg 208). Atticus? saying insinuated the point that all of God?s children were created equal. To the jury, the only important thing was that Tom was black and the accuser was white, he never stood a chance under those conditions. These racial tensions between blacks and whites had made their way into the courtroom, a place where everyone should receive a fair trial no matter what race or colour, but an unjust verdict was reached. The prejudice that was felt towards Tom made him lose all hope of freedom, and as a result, he died upon an escape attempt. Tom was victim of racial prejudice and loss of hope.
In the novel "To Kill A Mockingbird" each of the main characters changed quite a bit. Through the experiences each character went through and the natural maturing that occurred in each of them, the characters were altered from the way they were at beginning of the book. The children, Scout and Jem, were the two most dramatically changed characters. However, Scout showed much more change than Jem did because of his mysterious hidden attitude. Scout matured from a helpless and naïve child into a much more experienced and grown-up young lady.
To kill a Mockingbird is a sin as Mockingbirds do not harm anyone, instead they fill the world with their beautiful music. I am Arthur (Boo) Radley, and I am much like the Mockingbird. I am a person who is a “recluse,” and is in peace with himself and the world. People consider my aloofness as a taboo and call me a maniac. They spread ill rumors about me, and how everyone should be afraid of me as I will kill everything that comes my way. This is far from the truth. I keep to myself as I do not like what is happening in the society, all the ill will, and not living in harmony, bothers me. I respect Atticus, as he is the only one who understands and respect my privacy. The wild stories are not only hurtful but they scare the kids off