Learning and Developing in 'To Kill A Mockingbird'
Jem, Scout and Dill are all young people who learn from people and events around them. How does Harper Lee show them learning and developing? Jem, Scout and Dill, who are young, develop as the novel progresses. Harper Lee shows these changes in different extremities during the course of the story. The events that occur change and help the children to develop. The word change means many things. Change can be for the better or for the worse, and change can come in many forms. Jem, Scout and Dill change in 3 main ways: Their understanding of the society, physically and their attitudes and values. Jem, Scout and Dill change in these 3 ways, through learning and developing and when events around them help them to learn about the events and the moral connotations of these events. They learn by being taught by other people, making their mistakes and through other people's experiences. Learning about these things, help them to mature intellectually and socially. The events that occur to show us how the 3 youngsters are learning and developing are conveyed by Harper Lee in multiple ways. The story is told by Jean-Louise Finch, a mature narrator compared to the young Scout portrayed in the novel. Scout's childish view to the world around her in Maycomb is highlighted by the reader understanding events better than Scout herself. Scout is taught many things through the novel, by
Symbolism and Prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird
Symbolism and Prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird Symbolism is used extensively in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The theme of prejudice in the novel can be best perceived through the symbol of the mockingbird. Atticus advised his children that if they went hunting for birds to "shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" . Miss Maudie explains this further by saying that "mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (Lee 1960 p.100). Bluejays are considered to be the bullies of the bird world. They are very loud, like to mark the territory and aggressive. When I think of this theme of Bluejays, I am reminded of Mr. Bob Ewell. Mockingbirds, however, are innocent and all they do is sing beautiful songs; they would not harm anyone. It is easy to understand that the mockingbird in the story is Tom Robinson, a harmless man who becomes a victim of racial prejudice. Like the mockingbird, Tom has never done wrong to anyone, instead he always tries to please peoples. Even the jury who sentenced him to death had nothing personal against him, they found him guilty mostly because to take the word of a black man over two whites would somehow create
“Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself.” (Scout Finch, Chapter 1, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’). Discuss how the historical, political and social setting of Harper Lee’s novel ‘To Kill a
Catherine Spillman 11L "Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself." (Scout Finch, Chapter 1, 'To Kill a Mockingbird'). Discuss how the historical, political and social setting of Harper Lee's novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird' contributes to the fears that are present in Maycomb County. 'To Kill A Mockingbird' is set in a small town in Maycomb County, Alabama, in the 1930s, which was a dark period in time for America as it had been hit by the Depression. Up until 1929, America had been doing very well, becoming a much richer country. However in 1929 when stocks had soared to an all time high, in September they plummeted. This day in history is known as Black Thursday and is remembered as the Wall Street Crash of '29. The crash hit people's interests hard and Americans all over lost a lot of money. Banks had to spend all of the money they had on regaining the economy, and agricultural needs were ignored, and didn't seem as important as other things like industry. Landowners had let out land to farmers to grow crops in, and when the Wall Street Crash hit them, they wanted to regain their land, as it was all they had. Therefore, the crash hit farmers the most and the Deep South was hit very badly because so many people were farmers by trade. There were many black people in the South of America, especially Alabama, and there was great
Prejudice in To Kill A Mockingbird
First impressions of people are often lasting impressions, especially in the minds of children. Unfortunately, these impressions tend to be negative, thus, discrediting the individual who conveys the impression and causing the observers to inaccurately assess his true character. Many times these impressions, aided by misunderstanding and prejudgment, cause unjust discrimination against an individual. To kill a Mockingbird depicts the themes of misunderstanding and prejudice, which portray Arthur (Boo) Radley as a villain. Through the progressive revelation of Radley's character, the children realize that their negative impressions and fears toward him were unfounded. Through gradual stages of change, Jem's, Scout's, and Dill's impressions of Radley are dramatically altered, bringing them to the realization that he is not the evil man he was thought to be, but rather a caring individual of distinguished bravery, and truly, the hero of the novel. In the beginning of the novel many falsehoods portray Boo Radley as a villain. These deluding opinions, very apparent in the adult community, are well illustrated by Miss Stephanie Crawford. She helps to mislead the children's impressions. Since Atticus, although often interrogated, but not wanting to create a breach of etiquette, refuses to speak about the Radleys. Therefore, Jem receives most of his information from Miss Stephanie
Analysis of "To Kill a Mockingbird".
Analysis of "To Kill a Mockingbird" The novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" is about a girl named Scout Finch who lives with her brother, Jem, and their widowed father Atticus, in the Alabama town of Maycomb. Maycomb is suffering through the Great Depression, but Atticus is a wealthy lawyer and the Finch family is financially fine in comparison to the rest of society. One summer, Jem and Scout become friends with a boy named Dill, who has come to live in their neighbourhood for the summer. Dill becomes fascinated with the spooky house on their street called the Radley Place. The house is owned by Mr. Nathan Radley, whose brother, Arthur (Boo), has lived there for a long time without going outside. Scout goes to school for the first time that fall and hates it. She and Jem find gifts apparently left for them in a knothole of a tree on the Radley property. Dill returns the following summer, and he, Scout, and Jem begin to act out the story of Boo Radley. Atticus puts a stop to their fun, telling them to try to see life from someone else's view before making judgments. But, on the last day of summer, the three sneak onto the Radley property, where Nathan Radley shoots at them. Jem loses his pants in the escape. When he returns for them, he finds them sewn and hung over the fence. The next winter, Jem and Scout find more presents in the tree, left by Boo. Nathan Radley eventually
I am going to write about the two main problems in Maycomb society which are racism and prejudice. Racism is an unjustified negative attitude towards people of a different race.
To Kill A Mockingbird The novel is set in the 1930's in a small community in Maycomb County, located in the South of America. Although slavery has been legally abolished for many years, the Southerners in Maycomb continued to believe in white supremacy, and the novel projects the social snobbery and the prejudice attached to these southern values. The residents of Maycomb are narrow-minded, by this we mean they keep themselves to themselves and have a strict set of opinions. People in Alabama in the 1930's were suffering from economic depression. This is when there is a high percentage of unemployment therefore very few people have money to spare. Maycomb is a hierarchical society. By this we mean that people are divided into levels by other people. In an hierarchy there will be a highest level, which have the most power, control and respect than the other groups, in Maycomb this group of people is the white people. Then there is a middle level who have power, control and respect but not as much as the highest level, in Maycomb this is the poor whites who don't have a lot of money, sometimes referred to as 'white trash'. Then there is a lowest level. This group, if any, has little power, control and respect. In Maycomb, this group is the black people, referred to as 'Niggers' by the white people. Maycomb is also a religious community meaning almost everyone is religious.
How effective is Harper Lee's title of To Kill a Mockingbird?
How effective is Harper Lee's title of To Kill a Mockingbird? '" Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it. "Your father's right," she said. "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people/s gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."' (p. 96) From the above quote we learn that a mockingbird gives only pleasure to people. It does not harm anyone, or destroy people's gardens, like other birds might do. The book can be said to contain 'human mockingbirds' who, each in their own way, are persecuted or treated badly through no fault of their own. Probably the two main and most obvious mockingbirds in the novel are Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. These two characters very much contrast each other, but the way they are treated by other persons in the book gives them a mutual bond. Both of these characters had to pay for their actions with their lives - Boo Radley being deprived of friendship and the outside world by his own family, and Tom Radley being convicted of a crime he did not commit, which ultimately lead to his death. Boo Radley, otherwise known as Arthur Radley, is
Questions on "To kill a mockingbird" Chapters 28, 29, 30 and 31
CHAPTER 28 . Comment on the way this chapter reminds the reader of earlier events in the novel? Chapter 28 is pretty action-packed, so there isn't too much time for reflection, but there are some reminders of previous events. First, as Scout and Jem walk to the school for the pageant, they pass the Radley yard. As they do, they comment, "Boo must not be at home. Listen." They pause and listen, pondering Boo, which is one of their favorite pastimes. This is reminiscent of the earlier chapters, when they were fascinated with Boo, constantly wondering about him, and playing games of daring in regards to him and his house. As they listen, they hear a mockingbird in the tree; this reminds us of Tom Robinson and his death, since the mockingbird was symbolic of Tom and his innocence, and how his death was such a travesty (like the death of a mockingbird would be). So, we can reflect on Tom a bit through that reference. When Cecil Jacobs scares them, it reminds us of how Scout almost beat him up earlier in the novel for making fun of her dad for defending Tom. As Judge Taylor laughs at Scout's tardy entrance onto the stage, this also reminds us of the trial, because he was the presiding judge. All of these little things serve as reminders of many things that have happened in the story to this point. They all merge into one action-packed and very dramatic chapter, that
To Kill a Mockingbird - prejudice
The novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee is a didactic novel which explores the issue of prejudice at different levels. It tells the story of two isolated members of Maycomb County - Tom Robinson and Boo Radley - who are subject to racial, individual and class prejudice from the community. The exploration of the theme of prejudice successfully evokes sympathy from the reader and also prompts the reader to consider the theme in a wider context outwith the microcosm of Maycomb. The mockingbird motif is arguably the most significant symbol in the novel - its key image of an innocent creature and its repeated image make it a very effective motif in conveying the theme of prejudice. Essentially, the mockingbird mainly symbolises Tom Robinson and Boo Radley, both innocent and isolated from society. Mockingbirds themselves do not have their own songs; instead they are heard through other bird's calls - the Maycomb County saw Boo and Tom through prejudice, gossip and racism within the community. The mockingbird symbol is employed by Lee to emphasise that, at the period of time in which the novel is set, the innocent people in society - the black community - were isolated and also that it is a sin to harm an innocent: 'Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em. But remember, it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.' In influencing the title of the novel, the
Multiple meanings of To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
To Kill A Mockingbird-Harper Lee 'To Kill a Mockingbird' has multiple meanings. Do you agree? Use the novel to provide evidence of your view. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, told in the eyes of a small girl, gives an insight to the discrimination and prejudice in the Southern America during the 1930s. In Harper Lee's novel we discover that the title of her book To Kill a Mockingbird has several meanings. Atticus states that it a sin to kill a mockingbird, as they only produce beautiful music for the community. We also gradually begin to uncover some of the people symbolising the mockingbird, in the Maycomb community. 'Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for to enjoy' (p.99-100). The mockingbird is a creature that does not harm and destroy anybody's garden. They just simply 'sing their hearts out for us' (p.100). It is a sin to kill a mockingbird because you can not murder something that has done no wrong, committed no harm and simply minds their own business. Mockingbirds sing beautiful melodies that fill the neighbourhood. Mockingbirds commit no harm to anyone or anything, therefore it is only sensible that we do not harm the mockingbird in any way, just like the mockingbird has done us no harm. That is why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. In Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird there are many references to the mockingbird. Harper Lee also makes
