More handpicked essays just for you.
Racism in literature
Racism in america literature
The theme of oppression in many African American literary works
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
The main theme of to kill a mockingbird is coming of age, and it can be seen in many passages, but one of them is when Miss Maudie gives Jem a slice of the big cake while Scout and Dill receive a small cake “there was a big cake and two little ones on Miss Maudie’s kitchen table. There should have been three little ones. It is not like Miss Maudie to forget Dill, and we must have shown it. But we understood when she cut from the big cake and gave the slice to Jem.”and through the use of how the author makes the character of Miss Maudie treat Jem different. At the beginning of the book Jem used to tell Scout that she was becoming more like a girl and later as he became more older he wanted Scout to “act more like a girl” because that’s what she is. …show more content…
Maturing, coming of age, doing the right thing are important themes that can be one. This theme can be seen in Scout, Jem, and even in Atticus. At the beginning of chapter 3, when Jem stop the fight between Scout and Walter Cunningham he invites Walter to have dinner with them. “Jem suddenly grinned at him”Come on home to have dinner with us Walter” he said”. This shows how Jem is growing because he know that Scout did something wrong and Jem is trying to fix it or his way to say sorry. As the book continues Jem becomes older and he starts to think like his father. Atticus tells Scout and Jem, “Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” and later in one scene Jem applies this in a situation where Scout wants to kill the roil poly bug. This shows how Jem is growing and understands what his father meant when said that it was a sin to kill a mockingbird. He used this phrase to show how someone that has more power or its different can do something to those that don't have the power or the rights as the others like Tom Robinson, because of his skin color, because people like him were consider different from anyone
Everyone goes through different changes as they grow up. Maturing, coming of age, and doing the right thing are important themes in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. This theme is most often seen in the character Jeremy “Jem” Finch. He portrays this theme when he begins to enter puberty and becomes a young man. Jeremy starts to become more independent, wiser and more able to comprehend adult situations; Jem begins to get a better grasp on things. Other characters that demonstrate this theme are Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, and Arthur “Boo” Radley. Harper Lee shows how Scout comes of age in similar ways to Jem. Scout begins to grow up and become more tolerant of others by “putting herself in another person’s skin”. Boo displays his “coming of age” in a somewhat different way than Jem and Scout. There’s a scene in To Kill A Mockingbird where Boo has the chance to do the right thing by putting himself in harm’s way in order to save lives, and he takes the chance. To Kill A Mockingbird is a book that is overflowing with the theme “coming of age” (whether it is shown through the main character or others). This theme is important to the story because these characters are a small example of the changes that Maycomb needs to undergo. Jeremy Finch is the character in which this theme is most represented in.
“She had never told on us, had never played cat-and-mouse with us, she was not at all interested in our private lives. She was our friend.” (Lee 59) This was how Scout described Miss Maudie, Scout was explaining her perspective of herself and that she wants to be treated like an adult and that the only one to do so was Miss Maudie. Consequently, this helps the readers understand Scout. Also, Miss Maudie helps to develop Jem’s character by giving him a big cake when he’s supposed to have a small one like Scout and Dill. This shows that she doesn’t consider him a kid anymore which reflects Jem’s journey to adulthood throughout the book. “I simply want to tell you that there are some men in this world who were born to do our unpleasant jobs for us. Your father’s one of them.” (Lee 288) This quote was Miss Maudie’s way of explaining to Jem and Scout what their father’s job was, in other words, what his character’s job was. Miss Maudie’s quotes and actions were able to help the characterization of the main
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, there are many themes that are portrayed in the novel. Some of these themes include courage, social inequality, and more. Harper Lee develops the theme of a loss of innocence in To Kill a Mockingbird through Jem Finch and Boo Radley in many different ways.
Community, Empathy, and Sacrifice are three important themes that run through to book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. These are all important elements in the story; but the main theme of To Kill a Mockingbird is coming of age, a moment of transition from childhood to adulthood. The community of Maycomb is a small, low class town where the people are trapped in their own heads and don’t consider expanding out of their mindset. People’s lack of empathy affects how one person feels towards another person. When a character does feel empathy, they become more likely to sacrifice things that represent them. Through out the story these three things help contrast Jem and Scout from the
The key coming of age scene “ TO KILL A MOKING BIRD’’ is where Jem and the two others were up above in the jury watching their father ( Atticus ) try and win a case were an African American person is trying to be blamed guilty for doing something he did not do. This scene has the following literary elements, p.o.v , or point of view, coming of age and also characteristic and respect.
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 To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee utilizes the significant symbol of a mockingbird to convey the coming of age theme of knowing someone’s background before forming opinions. When Scout and Jem get airsoft guns for Christmas, Atticus knows they will go “after birds,” so he allows them to “shoot all the bluejays” as long as they do not “kill a mockingbird” because it is “a sin” (Lee 119). Through close analysis, the advice Atticus presents has a much deeper meaning to it than originally perceived. The “mockingbird” is a symbol for all of the innocent people that are portrayed unjustly and the “bluejays” represent the malevolent individuals. Also, Lee’s decision to use the word “sin” suggests that killing a mockingbird is absolutely iniquitous,
In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee tells the story of coming-of-age and the loss of innocence through the character Jem. Through recurring events, Jem is faced with the realization of society’s injustice, and is left questioning the world he lives in. During a time of rampant racial discrimination and prejudice in the south, Jem transforms from naivety to maturity.
Each and every person will go through a coming of age experience sometime in their life. Those experiences can come in different forms. But, each coming of age experience ends up shaping us to become a mature adult. In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee tells a coming of age story through Scout Finch, an aging girl’s point of view. Her brother, Jem Finch who experiences coming of age before Scout, realizes that being an adult was not what he hoped. Jem recognizes a different perspective of bravery from Mrs.Dubose, a vile, elderly woman’s perspective. In chapter 11, Harper Lee uses literary elements such as character, conflict, and setting to establish Jem’s new outlook on life.
...heme of maturation in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, is conveyed through the characters of Scout and Jem, in conjunction with the assistance of their virtuous father Atticus Finch. Early in the novel, Atticus ascertains himself as a major facilitator in the maturation process of Scout and Jem by incessantly providing mature solutions to his children’s predicaments. Moreover, Scout, a major benefactor of the Boo Radley incident and Atticus’ wisdom, has helped her develop into a very tolerant and mature individual. Undeniably, Jem’s remarkable development into a broadminded and compassionate character can be directly attributed to Atticus’ kindness and Jem’s exposure to the Tom Robinson trial. In synopsis, it is evident that the individuals and social circumstances that surround an individual play a major role in defining the type of individual one will become.
Life is full of lessons. The lessons you learn adjust and fit your character and who you are. In the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, the characters of Jem and Scout are young, and have to figure life as they go. Jem and Scout witness and live through life lessons. They learn these lessons from others around them. Some lessons come from their town itself, while others come from people. Their father, Atticus, teaches them a lot about life and the right and wrong. Jem and Scout learn what it means to have empathy, courage, persistence and personal integrity. Also, the Mockingbirds themselves adjust and appoint life lessons.
The exploratory of the novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” influenced the character Jem, Scout and Atticus because it educated in them bravery, equality and how to face injustice.
Maturity is a coming of age when a person is growing emotionally and mentally. Maturity is gained by experiences and decision-making, thus learning from mistakes. This is evident in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Through characterization and symbolism Lee displays maturity.
Personal growth is the key to somebody growing up and maturing. A person does not gain any personal growth without maturing or having some kind of personal event that triggers the maturing. Harper Lee writes about a family in a small southern town in the 1930's. The story To Kill A Mockingbird shows how the Finch family goes through their own form of personal growth. Many people in this novel experience personal growth.
Tears, darkness and confusion could destroy a beautiful childhood. The destruction of innocence is shown in To Kill a Mockingbird, as well as in modern day. Coming of age comes with extremely painful changes and challenges. (Biography.com Editors) Dr. Ben Carson had a tough childhood but became successful with education, strength, and wisdom.