To Kill a Mocking Bird. In this essay, I will explore the ways in which family relationships are presented, specifically within the Cunningham, the Radley and Ewell families and will refer to the language devices and techniques used to explore theses rela
Set in the 1930's, Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" features four main families that are text book examples of the adversities within the moral and social ladder in the "tired old town" of Maycomb Alabama. These differences within their backgrounds has an effect on their use of language and the ways in which they interact with one another and their surrounding society. Harper Lee's clever use of language serves as a means of revealing the differences between families, creating atmosphere giving the reader a sense of authenticity and a way of enhancing and supporting key themes such as racial injustice and inequality. In this essay, I will explore the ways in which family relationships are presented, specifically within the Cunningham, the Radley and Ewell families and will refer to the language devices and techniques used to explore theses relationships. The evidently troubled Ewell family "lived as guests of the county in prosperity as well as in the depths of a depression" as a result of the Wall Street crash in 1929. They are illustrated to be severely disadvantaged - mentally and physically- by their "congenital defects" and suffer at the hands of "the diseases indigenous to filthy surroundings" as established by Scout's humorous and ironic first person narrative. This morbid description of the Ewells allows the reader to sympathise with the family as they must
To Kill A Mockingbird Essay: Powerful and Powerless
The concept of Powerful and Powerless is an integral part of our society, this idea is vividly explored in Harper Lee's 1960 novel, 'To Kill a Mockingbird' (Arrow Books 1997). Set in the fictitious town of Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930's, Harper is able to explore intimately themes of prejudice, courage, community and innocence to perfectly embody the idea of powerfulness and in contrast powerlessness. This essay will further expand on these themes in their relation to characters such as Atticus, Mrs Dubose, Miss Gates and Boo Radley, and the way in which Lee is able to convey her assumptions in this engaging novel. Courage is clearly elucidated in the characters of both Atticus and Mrs Dubose to be a quality that empowers the individual. Atticus puts himself in the middle of a conflict between Tom Robinson and the Ewells, an act so courageous that his brother compares him to Christ. Harper Lee utilises the technique of allusion in the quote "let this cup pass from you, eh?" alluding to the night before Christs crucifixion where he prayed that he might avoid his fate. Uncle Jacks comment to Atticus calls upon this reference because he is aware that his brother was not looking forward to what was to become of him during his case defending Tom Robinson. This technique of allusion allows the audience to truly comprehend how courageous Atticus really was, by drawing a parallel to
Courage in To Kill A Mockingbird
English Laterature To Kill a Mockingbird - Courage There are many themes in the book To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee. However, one of the most important is courage. This theme is shown by almost all of the characters in the novel. Bravery is shown in the novel in different ways by different characters. Atticus is probably the most courageous character of the novel. Since Scout narrates the story and she admires her father, she describes with detail his qualities, many of which involve courage. According to Atticus, "courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what", courage is not a man with a gun in his hand, courage is when you fight for what is right regardless of whether you win or lose. Atticus fits into his definition of what "real courage" is and demonstrates it several times throughout the novel. In chapter 10, Atticus showed his children that he was a courageous man when he stepped into the street to face down a rabid dog. But shooting something wasn't really Atticus' idea of courage. He viewed courage on a more intellectual level, as a moral thing, not as something that can be proved with a weapon. Atticus wanted Jem and Scout to know that he was not courageous for being able to shoot a crazy dog dead with one shot; but he is courageous for defending Tom Robinson. He teaches them that
In this essay I will be exploring Jem and Scout's journey to maturity throughout the novel; To Kill a Mockingbird
How effectively does Harper Lee present the children and growing up in To Kill A Mockingbird? In this essay I will be exploring Jem and Scout's journey to maturity throughout the novel; To Kill a Mockingbird. I will look at the techniques Harper Lee use and how well they work in portraying their growth to maturity. I will also explore influences on the children and the tree main themes in this novel: education, bravery and prejudice. The main them is prejudice which will be looked at in more detail. Jem and Scout represent a typical youth, naivety and innocence. In the first chapter, page 8, Scout says: 'Thereafter the summer passed in routine contentment. Routine contentment was: improving our treehouse that rested between giant twin chinaberry trees in the backyard, fussing, running through our list of dramas based on the works of Oliver Optic, Victor Appleton and Edgar Rice Burroughs' They have no worries through the summer and have fun. The phrase 'routine contentment' is repeated in the passage which gives the effect that this is what they usually do in the summer and were satisfied with the events they do. These are all things people generally do in their childhood and in summer. Some of the things they do seem to be menial such as 'fussing' which also seems quite childish. The atmosphere of summer is created by what they do. In summer it is a time for relaxing; with
To Kill a Mocking Bird Essay. In the book, To kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee highlights the meaning of the narrative using novel standpoint, structure and irony. Harper Lee investigates the absurd attitudes of adults towards race and status
EN3UO Mr. Miller June 16, 2009 To Kill a Mockingbird An innocent child is unaware of the realities of the world until they witness through experiences and teachings, ethics and morals. A book, in the same way, consists of characters, whose experiences, feelings and thoughts convey a subtle theme or message that is usually ethically accurate. The theme represents the controlling idea of the book and the central purpose for which the author decided to write the novel. The theme of the book is usually what the author wants the reader to take away from the book. As a crucial element of a novel, the way in which the author generates the meaning of the book is significant. The author can express the theme effectively not only through the characters present in the novel but also through specific writing styles, the focus being form and text. In the book, "To kill a Mockingbird", Harper Lee highlights the meaning of the narrative using novel standpoint, structure and irony. Harper Lee investigates the absurd attitudes of adults towards race and status in the Deep South in the 1930s through the eyes of Scout Finch. The novel illustrates the conscience of a town that is suffused in prejudice, violence and hypocrisy, which is understood through a black man's struggle for justice. Harper Lee mainly emphasizes the irrationality of prejudice thoughts of a town, along with other themes
To Kill a Mockingbird Essay
How is the character Atticus presented in Part 1 of "To kill a Mockingbird"? In the book "To Kill a Mockingbird", Atticus Finch is a lawyer and the father of the narrator Scout and her brother Jem. The book is set in the Deep South during the mid 20th century. In the first part of the book it is clear that Atticus is a very different character to most of the inhabitants of Maycomb (the town that the play is set). The author Harper Lee uses many techniques to try and show the difference between Atticus and the other characters and also portray his unique personality. This essay will analyse how Atticus is presented in the first part of the book. Firstly, Atticus is shown by Harper Lee to be very liberal in regards to the treatment of his children. In the time that the book is set, children are meant to be very respectful to their parents and were only to address them as "sir" or "ma'am" however Jem and Scout are very relaxed in the manner in which they call and speak with their father. "Atticus said so," this is a quotation said by Scout to Dill after she met him. She sees her father as Atticus and not only refers to him like that to other people but also in his presence. Compared to how every other parent is addressed by their children, Atticus is treated as an equal by Jem and Finch. When he wants them to learn from their mistakes he does not force them to blindly just
Examine the nature of prejudice in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. Are there any signs of this prejudice breaking down by the end of the novel?
Examine the nature of prejudice in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. Are there any signs of this prejudice breaking down by the end of the novel? "Scout and Jem Finch's summers drift by in a round of make-believe, fishing and fun with their friend Dill from Meridian. As the years pass and the children grow up in the small community of Finch's Landing, they begin to learn that life is not as straightforward and fair as it seemed through the eyes of their childhood. They discover why Mrs Henry Lafayette Dubose always seems so vicious, the truth about the mysterious and much maligned Boo Radley, and how people react when they are forced to choose between their prejudices and what they know is right." (Prelude). Maycomb is a very close-knit community, although most friendships are within class and race types. All the towns people are familiar with each other, and many are related by birth or marriage. This means that small 'cliques' form, giving rise to the usual rivalry between the different groups. This accentuates the differences in class, race and culture between them. This is one of the many factors making most of its residents racially prejudiced. It is apparent that although there may be some lower class white people, they are never as low as any coloured residents. Another factor is the era in which the story is set. Although the author doesn't state an exact year, the
Examine the different kinds of prejudice and injustice which you have found in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. How does Harper Lee convey these to the reader?
Examine the different kinds of prejudice and injustice which you have found in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. How does Harper Lee convey these to the reader? 'To Kill a Mockingbird' was written by Harper Lee in 1960. Nelle Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama, a city of about 7,000 people. She studied law at the University of Alabama and one year at Oxford University. After giving up working as a clerk for an airline she moved into a cold-water apartment in New York to concentrate on writing. She first handed this book to a publisher in 1957 but it was rejected so she took two further years to rework it before it was published as 'To Kill a Mockingbird' in 1960. The book tells a story very similar to Lee's own childhood. The town in which it is set is a small southern town just like her own with the characters matching friends and associates from her youth. It is set in the thirties and is a highly significant statement and important to that era. It was written at the time of the civil rights movement, which guaranteed basic civil rights for all Americans, regardless of race. 'To Kill a Mockingbird' was set thirty years before Lee wrote it, meaning she could use hindsight to give the story authenticity. Lee helped move the civil rights movement forward by reminding the population of the prejudice they had and showing them that something had to be done.
How Does Harper Lee Present Jem As Developing And Changing Over The Course Of The Novel?
How Does Harper Lee Present Jem As Developing And Changing Over The Course Of The Novel? Harper Lee's character Jem Finch from her famous novel, 'To Kill A Mockingbird' is very significant because during the course of the novel he undergoes a great maturation process. As he matures a great deal mentally he sees the evil in society and understands the social and emotional issues as an adult would, which helps him come to understand all the events which are occurring around him. At the beginning of the story Harper Lee illustrates examples of Jem's child-like immaturity. You are told Jem's age by Scout "When I was almost six and Jem was almost ten" (p.6) early on in the novel to help show he is still a child. Harper Lee then goes on to give more early signs in the novel of Jem's naivety when he gives a description of Boo Radley "Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch" (p.13) as you can see the description of Boo it is one of an imaginative child. I think Harper Lee has chosen to include this portrayal of Boo from Jem to help show he is still very much a child, this therefore helps set up the aging process that is to follow. There are many small incidents that show signs of Jem maturing such as Jem eventually stopping all games involving Boo. This is because he matures enough to see Atticus' point
Explore how Harper Lee presents the theme of prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird.(TM)
Explore how Harper Lee presents the theme of prejudice in 'To Kill a Mockingbird.' Harper Lee's book 'To Kill a Mockingbird' has many themes but a very large one of these is prejudice. Her book is focused around America in the 1930's and what people's attitudes were back then. Her book is written to influence people about the ways of prejudice, especially in the time it was written. She brings in to the book many different characters all with contrasting opinions. Through these characters he shows us how people see each other and the problems that it causes. This book tells us of the American state Alabama and a county with in it called Maycomb. Harper Lee tells us this story through the eyes of a child, Scout. She uses this technique because a child has so many different opinions on life. It also shows the reader the innocence of a child at many times, especially involving the topic of prejudice. The character of Scout is developed through out the book as she faces many situations and there consequences. We meet many characters from all different races, her father (white), her housekeeper (black), her aunty (white.) A character who is introduced to us as one of the key role models in Scout's life is Atticus. He is portrayed as one person who is against prejudice and shows respect to every person. 'You'll get along better with all kinds of folk,' is something he says
