Passage Annotation and Character Study- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

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Passage Annotation and Character Study- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The novel To Kill a Mockingbird is a timeless American classic that has been appreciated and loved by readers for decades. Harper Lee explores the story of a lawyer and his family in the deep parts of the South who is given the task of defending a black man accused with the rape of an adolescent white girl. Atticus Finch, the father of the protagonist and narrator Scout Finch, represents an elite group of minds that see beyond the invisible lines of race and wish to treat everyone with respect and equality. Atticus faces a series of external and internal struggles that brings meaning to the novel and reveals the overarching themes of the novel. Through several conflicts varying from a child’s misunderstanding to society’s blatant racism, Harper Lee’s Atticus Finch is passionate about upholding his morals and values and instilling in his children the knowledge and wisdom that he utilizes to guide himself throughout life.
In Excerpt 1 from Chapter 3, Scout is physically upset over the reading issue with Miss Caroline at school and tries to convince Atticus to let her stay home where he can read with her. Atticus teaches Scout that you cannot judge a person without experiencing what they have gone through. He tries to reason with Scout; if she agrees to stay in school, then they can both continue to read together. Atticus has to deal with the conflict arising from Scout’s literacy skills, mainly caused by Miss Caroline, Scout’s teacher, who does not want Scout reading. Atticus has to not only teach his daughter the proper way to deal with trouble; he must also defend his parental skills and allow Scout to keep reading and defy Miss Caroline. Atticus is re...

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...y get Jem and Scout to understand how they should behave, but mainly why they should act that way. Atticus has instilled in his children his own personal strong sense of morality and justice. He is a strong character who chooses to act out of the goodness of his heart and with the intelligence of his mind. He is compassionate and caring, even when facing the repulsive Bob Ewell Atticus manages to hold his composure and treat with Southern Gentleman-like respect. Atticus is a passive man, he does not reach out to violence as a means to an end, nor does he stand for the injustices of social discrimination. He stands for truth, fairness, and acceptance, and is a brave man who will defend his word and his family. By bestowing him with strong convictions, overall wisdom, and empathy, Harper Lee uses Atticus as the novel’s moral backbone and silent hero against racism.

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