Lily Maisky Year 11
English Coursework: To Kill a Mockingbird:
-“The killing of Tim Johnson” (pg. 105-109) What makes this passage both effective in itself and significant to the rest of the novel.
The passage of the Atticus’s killing of the rabid dog is a very significant one in the thematic sense of the novel. Tim Johnson could be viewed as representing the prejudice in the novel, and how like a rabid dog it spreads through the Deep South. Atticus is clearly the saviour, the hero of the novel trying to kill and destroy all form of prejudice and racism in Maycomb, although this is very idealistic. However, in the case of the infected animal, Atticus proves Scout wrong and shows that he can achieve what he has to in this particular situation, although this is unfortunately not always the case in the novel. The passage is also very effective in the sense of excitement, suspense and meaningfulness of the relationships between the different characters of the novel.
This extract from Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” can indeed be related to several others in the book. Firstly, to the climax of the novel, the outcome of the court case when the jury announces that Tom Robinson has been committed guilty. Harper Lee compares the two passages herself during the trial through the narration of Scout, who seems to realise that the two moments in her life contain the same sort of suspenseful atmosphere. Both of the extracts are life-changing times for Scout concerning her personal point of view on life. Scout considers her father an old man too frail and incapable of anything more than sitting around and reading. He is older than her peers’ parents and does not participate in some of their more active occupations such as playing football… He has never mentioned anything to his children concerning the fact that he has perfect aim with a gun, in fact he has probably never touched a gun in their presence. Therefore Atticus’s shooting of Tim Johnson is a discovery to Jem and Scout as a new aspect to their father of which they are proud. Scout and Jem, in particular Scout who is younger and more affected by prejudice, have been going through a hard time at school ever since Atticus agreed to defend Tom Robinson in court. The shooting of the rabid dog is an event that will go round a small town like Maycomb quickly, probably giving some people a more respectful view of Atticus and his family.