To Kill A Mockingbird Narrative Analysis

In writing the point of view of the story can alter what the reader is able to pick up on and comprehend. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the first person narrative changes what the reader can perceive. The novel is narrated in the voice of a maturing girl. The only thing the reader is able to know is what Scout hears and thinks. In this novel Scout’s first person narrative alters how the reader views characters such as Mrs. Dubose and Boo Radley and also gives a limited view of the night Bob Ewell attacks the children.
Because of Scout’s background and age the reader obtains a slightly altered view of Mrs. Dubose. Whenever Scout and Jem walk by Mrs. Dubose’s house, Mrs. Dubose openly attacks the way Scout has grown up, whether it be her father’s parenting methods or the way she dresses. Despite the effort put in Jem and Scout to behave, these vicious attacks continue. Because the story is told from the view of the accused, the reader is only allowed to see things from their point of view. Scout’s view of Mrs. Dubose limits the reader in their
Dubose and Boo Radley as well as the events on the night of Bob Ewell’s death give an altered view for the reader. Scout’s position in society limits her interaction with Mrs. Dubose and gives the reader less insight into her character. On the night Bob Ewell attacked the children the reader becomes hindered by the first person narrative due to the lack of insight from Scout. The reader is also able to view another character, Boo Radley, differently because Scout has different experiences with him than any other narrator would. Overall if this novel was written from another character some characters could have been portrayed with completely different attitudes and the novel would lack a certain amount of suspense on the night that Bob Ewell attacked the