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The great author Ernest Hemingway once said that, “All things truly wicked start from innocence.” In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, several characters are portrayed as “mockingbirds” or innocent people. Some characters have an innocence that is not readily perceived. In the novel, Atticus Finch is a protagonist and the father of the narrator. He is the pride of Maycomb County and a talented, ethical lawyer. Bob Ewell on the other hand, is a drunkard and a blatant racist. He is of the Ewell clan and the scourge of Maycomb County. Despite the two characters being polar opposites, both are “mockingbirds”. Atticus supported a black man in rape case of Mayella Ewell- Bob Ewell’s daughter. however, both men’s behaviors are controlled by external, invisible forces.
Firstly we’ll analyze the white knight of Maycomb County, Atticus Finch. The innocence of Atticus Finch is evident throughout the novel.
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Innocence is a very prevalent characteristic in To Kill a Mockingbird. Innocence can be described as a category of ignorance. It is the lack of understanding of the irrationalities in the world. That lack of understanding can either elevate you like it did with Atticus, or destroy you like it did with Bob Ewell. Atticus’s innocence can be seen with a great clarity when he expected to win the case of Robinson v. Ewell even though Tom was a black man in a segregated time. His innocence is also prevalent when he speaks of having a good chance at an appeal for freeing Tom Robinson if Tom had stayed alive. Bob’s innocence is in his frustration. He was willing to take the lives of two children for the sake of family honor- an intangible thing that’s subject to change at any given moment. If anything, Bob probably cemented the Ewell name into infamy by the attempted murder of the Finch children. All characters are innocent to some extent- whether it be Martin Luther King Jr. or Adolf
“To Kill a Mockingbird” is a novel by Harper Lee, that teaches many themes, one of which being very important is courage. Many people think that courage is a man with a gun in his hand, but Lee’s definition is much different. She thinks that courage is when you know that you’re beaten before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what. The first quote I have to further explain this is early in the story when Atticus tells Jem and Scout about the court case he is handling. “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win” (Lee 101). Atticus knows he won’t win the court case, but he still tries his best and doesn’t falter whatsoever. Many people scrutinize him for defending a negro, but he ignores them like he should, and shows maturity and courage.
Childhood is a continuous time of learning, and of seeing mistakes and using them to change your perspectives. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates how two children learn from people and their actions to respect everyone no matter what they might look like on the outside. To Kill A Mockingbird tells a story about two young kids named Scout and her older brother Jem Finch growing up in their small, racist town of Maycomb, Alabama. As the years go by they learn how their town and a lot of the people in it aren’t as perfect as they may have seemed before. When Jem and Scout’s father Atticus defends a black man in court, the town’s imperfections begin to show. A sour, little man named Bob Ewell even tries to kill Jem and Scout all because of the help Atticus gave to the black man named Tom Robinson. Throughout the novel, Harper Lee illustrates the central theme that it is wrong to judge someone by their appearance on the outside, or belittle someone because they are different.
Throughout time the weak and innocent are often picked on for many reasons this is best explained by Atticus, “It is a sin to kill a mocking bird.”. The central idea of this book is not to prey on the innocent and harmless because they are often misunderstood. This idea is illustrated, and developed through many different characters such as Boo Radley, Scout, and Tom Robison all harmless characters, but misunderstood like the mockingbird.
The quote by Zora Neale Hurston, “There are years that ask questions and years that answer,” shows that coming of age is a tricky project that takes time and effort. In Harper Lee’s book To Kill a Mockingbird, she writes about Scout Finch, the narrator, reflecting on her past and the challenges she went through in her hometown, Maycomb, with her brother Jem and childhood friend Dill.. Harper Lee uses the young characters in the novel to show experiences, their role models, and conflict help shape a person from child to adult.
“Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird." A quote from the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird depicts the hardships of growing up and seeing the world around you being controlled by prejudice and racism. Lee implies that innocence is not seen as the assumption that people are naturally good but is more of a mature perspective gained from facing immorality.
...markings of an innocent childhood no longer. After Tom Robinson is shot, his murder is compared to “the senseless slaughter of songbirds”. Their hearts do nothing but sing out, making beautiful music for all to hear. This is why it is considered a sin to kill one. Jem Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley can all be seen as “mockingbirds”. They never attempt to hurt anyone, yet Tom Robinson was framed for rape, Boo Radley was unlawfully labeled as a vague recluse and the innocence of Jem Fitch was unfairly stolen due to the evil nature of society.
The novel to kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, focuses on "Maycombs usual disease", but also shows the compassion and wisdom that can exist in the is most bleak areas. The prejudice throughout the novel comes from the fear to change what they have grown up with, and the lack of knowledge of Maycomb.
Marcus Aurelius once said, “Life is neither good or evil, but only a place for good and evil.” In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the character of Maycomb was living proof of this quote. Elderly and stubborn, he refused to change no matter how much time went by. The days moved slowly for him, though. Always merciless and harsh, he was stuck in an era that had long been passed in other parts of the world. Maycomb refused to believe that people unlike him were still equal to him. The characters of Mrs. Dubose, Bob Ewell, and Miss Gates showcased the aspects of Maycomb. Mrs. Dubose was wrathful and brutal to Scout, Jem, and Atticus when they tried to be kind. Bob Ewell attempted to kill Scout and Jem just to get revenge on Atticus. Miss Gates was a hypocrite, pitying the Jews, but being cruel to African Americans. Maycomb was old, hateful,
“Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell's shoes a minute. I destroyed his last shred of
Innocence is defined as the state of being not guilty of a crime or other wrong act. The definition does not have any exceptions depending on race, age, gender or other physical characteristics. Yet in the south, the innocence of a guilty white man, is more important than the innocence of an innocent black man. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, is about a young girl named Scout who lives in Maycomb County, Alabama. The novel is separated into two parts, the first part is about the adventures of Boo Radley. While the second part is about the trial of Tom Robinson. In the first part of the novel, Scout along with her brother Jem and her friend Dill investigate the mysterious life of their neighbor, Boo Radley. Boo has not left
To Kill a Mockingbird - Theme of Innocence & nbsp; & nbsp; Innocence is a time when a person has never done something, it is the first step in the theme of innocence to experience. The second step in the movement from innocence to experience, is experience. This step is what is achieved after a person or thing has done something they have never done before or learns something they have never known before. The theme of growth from innocence to experience occurs many times in the first part of To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. This process is one of the central themes in the first eleven chapters of this book, because it shows how Scout and Jem change and mature. & nbsp;
The illusion of innocence is deeply instilled in the outlook of children. Reality soon takes its grip as kids begin to grow and mature, and they lose their pure qualities that they have once possessed. Their father Atticus shelters Jem and Scout from the town’s disease, teaching them the act of sympathy and how to distinguish the good aspects over glaring at the imperfections of people. The loss of innocence portrayed in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is exposed as the lives of Jem, Scout, and Dill go through their racist and prejudice society, learning how the worlds dreamlike qualities is nothing more than just a childhood fable. The children’s judgment of people and society quickly sheds as Lee displays the harsh realities to Jem, Dill,
The first “mockingbird” that is featured in the novel is a man named Atticus Finch. Not only is Atticus Finch the sole representative of Maycomb in the legislature, but also he is a brilliant lawyer. In addition, he has a good reputation in both Maycomb’s black and white communities because of his exceptional character. However, his reputation is soon shattered when he is faced with a case in court that affects him personally: he must defend an African American man in court in Maycomb’s segregated society. If Atticus chooses to try defending the man, he will lose his good status in town, since his racist American neighbors will soon disrespect him for treating the African Americans as equal to the Americans, which is highly unacceptable in the United States during the 1930s. However, Atticus still accepted the case believing that if he does not, he w...
In this world, everyone has an equal right; however, many people are getting falsely accused of acts they did not commit even though they are innocent. Mockingbirds, one of the most innocent birds, sing their heart out for people to enjoy, however, they getting killed every day. In this novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, there are many racial prejudices going on. Finches stand near the top of the social hierarchy, with Cunningham and Ewells underneath. Black community in Maycomb is even below the Ewells, even if they were a hard worker; they were not treated equally. The “mockingbirds” represents the idea of innocence, so killing a mockingbird is to destroy innocence. Throughout the book, many characters are considered a mockingbird. Three examples are Tom Robinson, Boo Radley, and Mr. Dolphus Raymond. Those three characters are innocent; they are kind and were never harmful to others. However, they were destroyed through contact of evil. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the mockingbirds symbolizes the idea of innocence, and Tom, Boo, and Mr. Raymond are considered one of it.
An old woman who was addicted to drugs accepted who she was and died that way. This lady with self acceptance was named Mrs. Dubose. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the reader learns self acceptance and the right of freedom. The reader learns self acceptance through Mrs. Dubose and Tom Robinson, which are principles worth fighting for.