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A critical study of "to kill a mockingbird" by harper lee
Relationship between literature and society
Relationship between literature and society
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The character of Miss Maudie brings a great deal of optimism to Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Her cheerful nature and always trying to look on the bright side of situations gives a positive feeling to the novel. Firstly, Boo Radley is a mysterious man to many people in Scout’s neighbourhood, including herself. As a reaction???? to the people’s curiosity over the years, rumours gave began to spread about Boo Radley and why he never leaves his house. One day when Scout is over at Miss Maudie’s house, she learns that Miss Maudie does not listen to, nor believe that the rumours are true, but instead that Boo Radley is a good person who happened to be brought up in a bad house and is receiving a poor reputation because of it. Along with Miss Maudie’s positivity about …show more content…
who Boo Radley really is, Lee also displays her optimism one cold winter night. One night Scout is woken by Atticus, when they run outside and find Miss Maudie’s house on fire burning to the ground.
The next day, despite just having lost everything, Miss Maudie is as cheerful as always when Scout and Jem come to visit her. Miss Maudie tells them, “I hated that old cow barn. Thought of settin’ fire to it a hundred times myself” (Lee 97). When Scout and Jem question why she is not grieving, Miss Maudie explains, “Always wanted a smaller house... gives me more yard... I’ll have more room for my azaleas now!” (97). In what would be a very troubling and depressing time for most people, Miss Maudie finds a way to be upbeat and joke around with Scout and Jem about how she did not like her house anyways. As the day of Tom Robinson’s trial gets closer tensions start to rise in Maycomb County. Eventually, the day comes and after Atticus fights a hard battle in the courtroom, and the jury has a long discussion, Tom Robinson is declared guilty for raping and beating Mayella Ewell, a white women. The final verdict ways down heavy on Jem, who does not agree with the judge’s decision in the slightest. The following day of the court case, Jem, Scout and their friend Dill go to visit Miss
Maudie. When Miss Maudie sees Jem’s face she simply says “Don’t fret, Jem. Things are never as bad as they seem” (288) reminding Jem that the court case should not make him as upset as it is. As their conversation progresses, Miss Maudie also tells them what she thought after hearing the news, “well we’re making a step- it’s just a baby step, but it’s a step” (289). Miss Maudie believes that the delay in the jury’s verdict shows that they were not jumping to a conclusion based on racism, but that they were actually thinking their decision through. Throughout the novel, Lee portrays Miss Maudie as a very influential role model for young Scout who believes that good results can emerge from bad situations, if you just do a little searching for them.
This highlight's how prevalent and ordinary racist discrimination was. The way Scout felt it was wrong to be talking to Mr Raymond also indicates how he was omitted from the community. Racial prejudice divides the town and allows people to be excluded and discriminated against. When Miss Maudie says, "You are too young to understand it." she is discriminating against Scout's age. The use of this cliché illustrates how common it was for adults to not explain things to children because they assumed they would not understand. It also displays how age discrimination was something that happened regularly. Scout often has different views on topics and if she was included in more conversations people within the community could see things from a different vantage point. In this way To Kill A Mockingbird outlines how gender, age and racial prejudice impacts individuals and communities in a damaging
Do Bystanders have a responsibility to intervene in crimes? This is a question we tend to ask ourselves very often. In the texts To Kill a Mockingbird and “Stand Up”, one can see the dangers of intervening in crimes. Bystanders are innocent and shouldn't risk their own lives for someone they don't even know. Being a bystander doesn't make you guilty, because it's your choice weather to help and stick up for someone or not.
Frances O'Grady, the first woman to be General Secretary of the Trades Union of the UK once said "You just wish sometimes that people would treat you like a human being rather than seeing your gender first and who you are second." To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee was about how evil human behavior can change people for the worse in many different cases for example Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. Both were hurt by the evil doings of others around them. Boo by his own father and Tom by the Ewells and their supporters. Scout and Jem's father Atticus was a young black man named Tom Robinson's lawyer in the trial after he was falsely accused by the Ewells who said the he raped 19 year old Mayella Ewell. Sadly he was charged with rape and sentenced
Miss Maudie’s quotes and actions helped the characterization of the main characters. One of the motifs in To Kill a Mockingbird is the small town life.
The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is set in Alabama in the 1930s, and concerns itself primarily with the interrelated themes of prejudice and empathy. These themes are explored as the story follows Scout Finch as she learns lessons in empathy, ultimately rejecting prejudice. While all characters in Lee’s novel learn from their experiences, not all are able to grow in the same manner as Scout. The idea of a positive role model, typified by the character of Atticus Finch, and the ramifications of its absence, is a concept that Lee places much emphasis on. The isolated setting is also pivotal in the development of characters. Lee uses the contrast between characters that learn lessons in empathy and compassion, and characters that cling to the ideals of a small town, to explore factors that nurture or diminish prejudice.
Miss Maudie has lnown Atticus Finch, now she has helped to raise Jem and Scout. Miss Maudie has always been there for scout, “I spent most of the remaining twilights that summer sitting with Miss Maudie Atkinson in her front porch.”(Lee 55) Miss Maudie took time out of her day to spend time with Scout when Jem abandoned her in his games with Dill. Miss Maudie acts like a mother would checking on the child and finding something for them to do. Miss Maudie also acts like a parent when she is asked a question. “Why, one sprig of nut grass can ruin a whole yard. Look here. When it
Lee uses Scout and Jem’s tumultuous childhood experiences to... has had many trials through her life, and on was in fact a trail of Tom Robinson, a black man accused in raping Mayella Ewell, one of the daughters of Bob Ewell, the town’s idler. Atticus, the children’s father, was defending Tom Robinson, and the case seemed to be in favor of him, all the way to the point of Jem stating, “He’s not leaning, Reverend, but don’t fret, we’ve won it..Don’t see how any jury could convict on what we heard-”(Lee 176). Jem is very confident in his father’s argument, and believes that the case will lean to Tom,
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a courageous tale of leadership and gallantry. This book voices the story of a young girl, Scout, and the town of Maycomb. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird there are numerous quotes to which you should bring to your attention. By far, the most important quote describes what Boo Radley experienced all those years he was locked away in his house, “A boy trotted down the sidewalk dragging a fishing pole beside him. A man stood waiting with his hands on his hips. Summertime, and his children played in the front yard with their friend, enacting a strange drama of their own invention.…. Fall, and his children trotted to and fro around the corner, the day’s woes and triumphs on their faces. They stopped at an oak tree, delighted, puzzled, and apprehensive. Winter, and his children shivered at the front gate, silhouetted against a blazing house…. Summer, and he watched his children’s heart break. Autumn again, and Boo’s children needed him. Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough” (Lee 236-237). All those years he has watched as Scout and Jem grew up. All those years he imagined they were his own. Characterization is significant for the reason that Scout realized Boo Radley isn’t the irrational murderer, he is portrayed to be; he is pleasant and generally cares for the children.
He is always available to give advice to his children, even if they made a major mistake, because he wants them to have discipline. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch shows this with his advice, his actions and his respect towards his children, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, and Jem Finch.
Among many things, Miss Maudie teaches Scout that she should not judge people based solely on rumors she might hear about them. Scout, being only six years old at the time of the story, believes everything that reaches her hears and takes most things literally. Rumors she hears about a man named Boo Radley, who many consider the town freak because of his different lifestyle and because nobody ever sees him, create in her the belief that he is a crazy maniac. The activities she takes part in with her older brother Jem and their friend Dill only fuel her theories about Boo. When Jem and Dill begin shunning Scout aside, she spends her time with Miss Maudie instead, and they develop a kind of friendship. Miss Maudie, a Baptist who loves nature, has high morals, and treats everyone as equals, aids in Scout discontinuing her belief about Boo Radley’s state of mind. At one point, they have a conversation regarding Boo. They discuss the rumors Scout has heard thus far about him, and Miss Maudie shoots down her beliefs. When Scout asks Mi...
Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, many characters develop and mature in unique ways. Boo, who fears talking to others, Aunt Alexandra, who is against people of other races or social classes, and Scout, who is young and is not aware of life’s challenges, constantly suppress their emotions and personality. Their life choices and decisions that they make throughout the book, lead them to be more accepting of others and less prejudice. As the book progresses, Boo, Aunt Alexandra, and Scout learn life lessons and develop into mature adults.
Miss Maudie Atkinson, one of the Finch’s neighbors, had a house fire. Atticus (Scout and Jem’s father) woke up the kids and made them go outside, in case the fire spread to their house. While Scout was not looking someone gave her a blanket, “‘Someday, maybe, Scout can thank him for covering her up.’ ‘Thank who?’ I asked.
Maudie Atkinson is a modern day woman in her mannerism compared to a traditional woman such as Alexandra Hancock; Miss Maudie's futuristic view point is very apparent through her actions. She says in a conversation with Scout and Jem about the trial that is about to occur, “'Just because it's public, I don't have to go'”(Lee 159). Lee shows the characterization of Miss Maudie as a strong, rebellious woman for not attending the court case even thought its an event in the towns history where most citizens of Maycomb attended. Miss Maudie shows her independent thinking of a modern day women in the society of Alabama. She concluded that she does not want to attended the court case when she says, “' 't's morbid, watching a poor devil on trial for his life. Look at all those folks, It's like a Roman carnival”'(Lee 159). Maudie Atkinson illustrates her unique thinking because she gives her own opinion on the situation that is occurring. A majority of the citizens in Maycomb feel that Tom Robbins is guilty but Miss Maudie's mind is not conflicted by racial prejudice. Lee uses c...
At the beginning of the book, Miss Maudie talks to Scout about her father and informs her on facts about him that she was not aware of. Miss Maudie did not have to inform Scout that her father could play a Jew’s Harp, and was the best checker player in Maycomb. Furthermore, she told Scout that she should be proud of her father, yet that was Miss Maudie’s own choice to tell her these words. The trial created hardships on Scout through her father, and the truths from Miss Maudie helped her to develop pass them. Close to the end of the novel, she and Aunt Alexandra have a conversation about the people in Maycomb. Aunt Alexandra does not understand why the people in the town let Atticus hurt himself by defending Tom Robinson. Miss Maudie responds with telling her about the handful of people who do not judge and trust Atticus to do them right. Later, Scout becomes offended when Miss Maudie talks about behind closed doors who in turn goes, “Atticus Finch is the same in the house as he is on the public streets” (Lee 61). Miss Maudie does not think before speaking honest comments to people which only supports the fact that she is sincere. The honesty she gave to Scout helped her look up to Miss Maudie, and have both Scout and Aunt Alexandra better understand Atticus. All of these truths gave them something more to look around at, even if they did not want to at the
Miss Maudie is a Mockingbird because she exerts positivity through other's lives. Miss Maudie wants Jem and Scout to "Take it all"(88) when trying to build a Snowman. Miss Maudie is subconsciously improving Jem and Scout's lives by providing them with snow in order to build a snowman. Jem and Scout have never seen snow before so Miss Maudie is adding onto the experience that Jem and Scout are having. Mockingbirds are making life better just by being there, even in a not so positive event - "Miss Maudie looked around, and the shadow of her grin crossed her face. 'Always wanted a smaller house, Jem Finch. Gives me more yard. Just think, I'll have more room for my azaleas now!'"(96). This demonstrates Miss Maudie's exerting positivity in a time of despair, showing that she doesn't have to try to be a mockingbird to make the world better around her.