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Symbolism of a mockingbird the novel
Symbolism of a mockingbird the novel
To kill a mockingbird analysis essay
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In Harper Lee’s book “To Kill a Mockingbird” she takes on themes like social inequality, moral educations, and the existence of good and evil. In the book, Scout Finch, and her brother Jem Finch, learn through events like an unfair trial and a murder attempt on them, they learn that sometimes good and evil can often be disguised as the other. The first event that shows this theme in the book is the night after the lynch mob visited the jail to kill Tom. Mr. Cunningham was seen by the Finch family as a good person, but after he was seen as a part of the lynch mob, they changed their opinions. For example, these quotes show how Scout was confused why the Cunningham was at the lynch mob,“I thought Mr. Cunningham was a friend of ours. You told me a long time ago he was”. “He still is.” “But last night he wanted to hurt you.” Atticus …show more content…
During the trial, there is two opposing sides, the good and the evil. The evil is Bob and Mayella Ewell, since they know that Tom is innocent and still let him be sentenced to death. Also, the good side is Atticus and a minor piece of Judge Taylor, since he appointed Atticus even though it wasn’t his turn, and Atticus defending Tom even though he knew he wouldn’t win. As shown in this quote, “It was Jem’s turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd.“It ain’t right,” he muttered, all the way to the corner of the square where we found Atticus waiting.Atticus was standing under the street light looking as though nothing had happened:his vest was buttoned, his collar and tie were neatly in place, his watch-chain glistened, he was his impassive self again.“It ain’t right, Atticus,” said Jem “No son, it’s not right” (Lee 285). After the trial, Jem realizes is not always fair or just causes him to cry. His experience with this injustice has shown him that he has to grow up and realise what is going on around
Atticus a lawyer in Maycom County defends a black man. By said that a white woman accuses that a black man rapped her. Atticus’s children are in confusion and constantly ask their father about his case. Atticus said”….If I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature. (75). Clearly we can see that he has lots of respect to this county and for blacks. Atticus wants his children to ignore what everybody thinks on him about defending a negro. During a conversation between Jem and Atticus, tells jem,” As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, whenever a white man does that to a black man, that white man is a trash.” (223). At the court Atticus is sure that he will lose but want to make a statement to this racist society. He wants this county treat black people just how they treat white people. Atticus states in the court,”…..you know the truth….some Negroes lie some Negroes are immoral….There is no person in this courtroom who ha...
During the court scene a lot of difficult things happen and it becomes a very hard case for Atticus to solve and explain. Jem and Scout are both very upset about Tom Robinson being accused of the things he didn’t do. Atticus begins to tell Jem that it’s going to be okay and that he wants Jem to not worry about what the outcome is. Atticus is trying to teach him that even if the case doesn’t go the way they wanted and the way that it was supposed to go, that they still did the right thing and that they would keep trying to help Tom Robinson in any way they could. This is what Atticus tells Jem, “Link, that boy might go to the chair, but he’s not going till the truth’s told.” “Atticus’s voice was even. And you know what the truth
In 1960, author Harper Lee wrote a book titled “To Kill a Mockingbird”, which has become a well-known classic. The main theme of the story, represented various times, is the significance of empathy for others as well as recognizing evil and fighting against it. Jem and Scout both learn that their hometown is not as pleasant as they once thought, and that no one is truly evil unless if they make an attempt to change themselves.
Atticus had shown justice and the decision between right and wrong when he was defending Tom in the court house. For example Atticus had said " I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. In the name of god, do your duty" (Lee 274-275). Clearly this example has shown that Atticus is a man that wanted justice and for the truth to prevail. This shows that he only sees Tom as as a defandant and not as...
There is one event in particular that causes Jem to doubt the morality of the world as he becomes enraged with life. That moment makes Jem realize how cruel life can be and learns about racism and inequality. Jem starts to cry after finding out Tom Robinson was seen as guilty despite obvious evidence of not doing the crime. Scout narrates that she and Jem “made our way through the cheerful crowd” as Jem mutters “it ain’t right” (Lee 284). This causes Jem to realize how the world has people who are unfair and downright cruel, his enjoyment of life gradually fades and is miserable after leaving the
Jem displays values like compassion and tolerance by believing that all men are created equal no matter which race, religion, or attitude they have. He shows this when he hears the verdict of Tom Robinson's trial. 'It was Jem's turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. 'It ain't right,' he muttered, all the way to the corner of the square where we found Atticus'; (212). This is the first time he realizes that there was injustice in the world. He slowly matures and begins to understand that there are such thing as prejudice and racism.
Throughout the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout Finch learns a variety of concepts about the way the world really is. However the main concept that Scout discovers is the evil that surrounds her and her hometown of Maycomb. Scout discovers the evil in the world through her experiences in Maycomb and these are the events that help her grow and mature into who she is. Mainly, the trial of Tom Robinson opened Scout’s eyes to the evil and wrongdoings in the county, as well as in the courtroom. The trial gives way to the prejudice remarks about the Finch family’s involvement in the case. The trial of Tom Robinson, the county’s comments on Atticus’s involvement in the trial, and getting attacked at the end of the story
In the beginning of the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout Finch is a good-hearted, innocent five-year-old who has no experience with the evils of the world. However, throughout the novel, Scout has her first contact with the evils of the world in the form of prejudice. Arthur “Boo” Radley — one of the two cases — is a harmless human-being who falls victim to this evilness. Regarded as an evil person, Boo is the “ghost” of Maycomb and is used as the scapegoat for anything bad which happens. However, growing up in the house of Atticus Finch, Scout learns that humanity is evil at times, but there is also a lot of good humanity has to offer. Not only is there good, but what may seem evil at the time, if approached with an outlook
Having grown up in the home of a lawyer, Jem understands the ways of the courtroom and recognizes Atticus’ behavior in court. When Tom Robinson is put on trial for being accused of raping Mayella Ewell, Atticus is appointed his attorney. As questioning continues, Atticus blatantly proves it was impossible for Tom to even commit the crime. Jem says to Reverend Sykes, "...don't fret, we've won it....Don't see how any jury could convict on what we heard" (Lee 279). Jem’s response to Reverend Sykes comment
Jeremy Atticus Finch (aka Jem) from To Kill a Mockingbird is viewed as a “regular” kid who is immature and innocent to the “real world”. Since Jem is still young, he has not gone out on his own in the world and had to fend for himself. He has not seen the “real world,” therefore Jem does not understand that life is not always fair. This view of the world is clouded by his innocents. Jem, although going through the death of his mother, does not completely understand how life can be. Jem’s eyes finally start to open up to the true, harsh world after witnessing the verdict of “guilty” in the Tom Robinson court case. In seeing this injustice, Jem begins to mature more, his innocents starts slipping away, revealing how to world is.
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
verdict of the trial, Jem and Scout see the hate in jurors for blacks, for it is obvious that Tom Robinson is innocent. Another new and disturbing element that Jem and Scout discover is child abuse. Having never been hit by Atticus, the children know nothing of physical, mental, emotional, or sexual abuse. However, Mayella Ewell knows too well of these abuses and is a victim of them from her own father. Bob Ewell shows he has no consideration for her by his actions or words, and this is clearly displayed during the trial when he is being asked on the stand, "Are you the father of Mayella Ewell?" (172) His crude reply is, "Well, if I ain’t I can’t do nothing about it now"(172). This shows he has no class or respect, while on the other hand, Jem and Scout are used to seeing the example of their tactful father. Also, during the trial it becomes lucid that Bob Ewell beat Mayella up and not Tom Robinson.
When Scout, Jem, and Dill are at the court, Jem learns that Maycomb county isn’t what he thought it was. When the jury announced their decision, Jem was shocked because he thought that Atticus had won the trial for Tom. Jem is affected for months, and Atticus explains that, “the older you grow, the more you’ll see it. The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is the courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments to the jury box” (Lee ??) Jem matured because Maycomb was not a fair place for all and realizing this forced him grow up in a
It is a sin to kill a mockingbird, because they are innocent. To Kill A Mockingbird is a book that is a book well focused on many different real problems. The writer Harper Lee showcases these problems through the characters and told by the narrator Jean Louise Finch (Scout). The story takes place in the small town Maycomb where rumors stay. Two innocent men are thought out to be such monsters by the people in the town.
“It was Jem’s turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. ‘It ain’t right.’ he muttered, all the way to the corner of the square where we found Atticus waiting.” (Lee 212)