To Kill a Mockingbird: How Harper Lee presents the character of Atticus Finch

To Kill a Mockingbird was a book written in 1960 to portray the corruption in the USA's southern states specifically the state of Alabama. The book is a microcosm reflecting a wider range of thought in America in the 1960's. The book is a 'Bildungsroman', it follows a girl called Scout Finch who tells us about growing up in Maycomb county, a fictional county in Alabama. A 'Bildungsroman' is usually a book written in an autobiographical style and follows a specific characters rite of passage. The book is told in circular narrative the author Lee uses this to emphasise certain themes throughout the book. The book is told from a mature Scout's perspective describing her life's events. In this essay I will further discuss how Lee represents Maycomb County and discuss the methods and techniques used by Harper Lee to present the character of Atticus Finch. Arguably the most important aspect of Atticus is his maxim. His maxim is that if you attempt to stand in another's shoes you will be able to understand their point of view, this eventually leads on to appreciation and tolerance rather than prejudice and discrimination. "Atticus, when they finally saw him... he was real nice."This quote shows that Scout realises when you get to know people without judging them beforehand they are nice people. This is also shown when the children discover Arthur Radley is a normal person the

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 1525
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Aftermath - creative writing.

Aftermath BANG! I woke. I opened my eyes but was unable to see. The dust had settled like concrete boulders into the corners of my eyes! Everything was deadly still. The wind fiercely gave a shout. A black cloud stood dominating the demolished town. I moved my hands to wipe my irritated eyes, boulders, brickwork, broken furniture and complete devastation stood before me. A ray of light appeared through cracks of the rubble. The boulders took on features like monsters and ogres - making my chest tighten with fear. I vociferated for help. No one was around. I was scared: Petrified. I managed to pull my achy bones out from the debris, the pain was horrific. I could feel the cold misty wind stroke my face. In the far distance I could hear low voices that became louder and louder: hysterical screams. I attempted to crawl my way towards the noise - in hope for help. Shards of glass dug into the palms of my hands. Warm blood trickled down my knees, my throat tightened with the dirty dense dust. I could taste the fear. Behind me I heard a crackle. I turned. The flames of fire danced before my eyes. The heat scorched my face like the hottest sauna could. The smoke was a ferocious lion ready to pounce. I moved as quickly as I could, using all the energy I had. Slowly crawling like a young baby. I felt hopeless: disconsolate! The further I crawled the louder the low voices

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 550
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Catholic discrimination in Northern Ireland in terms of Housing and Employment

There has been a long history of violence, prejudice, and discrimination between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, particularly highlighted throughout the 1960s, when Catholics were discriminated against by the Protestant Stormont Government in both employment and housing. Hence, in order to understand in what ways and how much it occurred, both these areas must be investigated. Firstly, one must look at how the Catholics were discriminated against in terms of employment, and to what extent this occurred. In the public sector, Catholics suffered great difficulties being employed, as there appears to have been some bias towards employing Protestants, especially in senior levels of the civil service. For example, in a report by the Cameron Commission in 1969, it is stated, "[As of October 1968] In County Fermanagh, no senior council posts, (and relatively few others) were held by Catholics" and according to the Sunday Times, in the same county, in 1961 "322 of the [370] posts, including the top ones, were filled with Protestants. This shows how during the 1960s, the Catholics in Fermanagh did not have many jobs at a high level in the public sector. This is particularly interesting because the majority of people in Fermanagh were Catholics, hence highlighting the extent of their discrimination. The Sunday Times also wrote that in Derry "of 177 salaried employees,

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 1152
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: History
Access this essay

Are Movie Stars' Weddings Too Extravagant?

2009 UE Section B Q.2 Dear Editor, Noticing the trickles of extravagant weddings sta+ged by movie stars in recent years, I cannot help suspiring how millions of dollars could have been better spent instead of being squandered on events that could have been just as beautiful and memorable if the budget was cut half. I am therefore writing this letter to express my serious concern over the despicable behaviour of these public figures who clearly have little idea of what it really takes to have an unforgettable wedding. It is not exactly inconceivable why movie stars tend to spend profusely - that they wish to garner media attention and show off their wealth and affluence to the world. But as often as we learn of star wedding news, equally frequently are we aware that they divorce a few years - or more outrageously a few months - after marriage. I have to say I am surprised at how marriage could be as disrespected as such. I am doubly surprised at how forgetful these people are, obviously having no memory of their vows and commitments on their lavish wedding day. It is henceforth a headache think of marriage being treated as a ridiculous game. With this in mind - that marriage is now nothing more than an empty concept that lacks respect and dignity - one comes to the conclusion that it is simply pointless in holding wedding parties at exorbitant prices. Name any loving

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 567
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Advertising in newspapers and magazines

Advertising in newspapers FLE's objective is to increase visitor numbers, so advertising in newspapers might be a good was to help achieve this FLE could consider advertising in magazines. There a number of advantages to advertising in newspapers, for example the advert might be publish is somewhat flexible in terms of size and colour; if they want a large advert this is doable in a newspaper spread rather than a small magazine, also, if they want a black and white picture, it will be more acceptable in a newspaper rather than a magazine. Also, it might be cheaper as the paper they use in newspapers is inexpensive compared to the glossy paper used in magazines. Newspapers have a wider circulation than magazines also, more people read newspapers than they do magazines; this is good for FLE and could lead to an increase of visitor numbers as more people would be exposed to FLE's advert. For example, 3,128,501copies of The Sun are bought daily. However, about 7,986,000 read the newspaper daily; this is because more than one person can read the one newspaper. Advertising in newspapers is quick; this is because they tend to be released daily. If one day, FLE see a promotion advert from their competition in a newspaper they are able to respond quickly with an advert of their own. Newspapers are also targeted, for example, The Sun is targeted at men and therefore had more male

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 1078
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Business Studies
Access this essay

How the structure of cells is related to their function.

How the structure of cells is related to their function. All living things are made up of cells, whether its plants, humans or even bacteria. There are two different types of cells one is the prokaryotic and the other is the eukaryotic. The name cell was used by an English man who in 1665 use the first microscope and reported seeing what he described looked like the sleeping chambers in the monasteries that were called cells, in a piece of cork.1 The first of the two types is the Prokaryotic cell, the pro meaning before the nucleus as this cell has no true nucleus.2 Prokaryotic cells are surrounded by a cell wall and a cells membrane, and in some ways this makes them similar to a plant cell which is eukaryotic, but they have no nucleus or organelles inside, but they do have flagella's and cilia on the outside. The flagellum is a long whip like tail attached to the end of the prokaryotic cell which helps with its movement. The cilia are small spiked hairs that help to transport fluid in and out of the cell and for protection against harmful substances. They are also found in abundance in the eukaryotic cells in the human trachea where they collect dirt, they either by moving it down into the stomach or push it back up into to the mouth to spit it out.3 One of the most common prokaryotic cells would be bacteria, they are the smallest cellular organism, and each human being

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 1693
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Science
Access this essay

George Orwell ResearchEric Arthur Blair was born in 1903 at Motihari in British-occupied India

George Orwell Research Eric Arthur Blair was born in 1903 at Motihari in British-occupied India. While growin up, he attended private schools in Sussex, Wellington and Eton. He worked at the Imperial Indian Police untill 1927 when he went to London to study the poverty stricken. He then moved to Paris where he wrote two lost novels. After he moved back to England he wrote Down and Out in Paris and London, Burmese Days, A Clergyman's Daughter and Keep the Apidistra Flying. He published all four under the psuedonym George Orwell. He then married Eileen O'Shaughnessy and wrote The Road to Wigan Pier. Orwell then joined the Army and fought in the Spanish civil war. He became a socialist revolutionary and wrote Homage to Catalonia, Coming Up for Air, and in 1943, he wrote Animal Farm. It's success ended Orwell's financial troubles forever. In 1947 and 48 despite Tuberculosis, he wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four. He died in 1950 (Williams 7-15). This essay will show and prove to you that George Orwell's life has influenced modern society a great deal. BIOGRAPHY In 1903, Eric Arthur Blair was born. Living in India until he was four, Blair and his family then moved to England and settled at Henley. At the age of eight, Blair was sent to a private school in Sussex, and he lived there, except on holidays, until he was thirteen. He went to two private secondary schools: Wellington(for one

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 2143
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

What is Free Will?

What is free will? To have free will we must be able to choose our behaviour- it is not determined by either the environment or our genetic inheritance or some form of soft determinism such as the Cognitive Perspective in Psychology would argue. Behaviourist argue that we do NOT have free will because our behaviour is determined by the environment, current or previous environmental experiences which will determine how we behave- we do not have a choice. To illustrate the behaviourist ideas we can consider the work or studies of firstly Pavlov. Pavlov showed how reflex behaviours could be conditioned by various neutral stimuli to become associated with an unconditioned stimulus to evoke a conditioned response such as salivation. This work was further supported by Watson's study on Little Albert which showed that humans could be conditioned to fear a previously 'un-scary' object which as a white rat. This study showed that Albert did not have free will, he was conditioned by the environment to fear the rat i.e. His behaviour was determined by the environment. However, often researchers such as Minoke found that it is easier to condition a fear in animals of snakes rather than flowers or guns... but this behaviour is still not free will rather it is genetic or biologically determined behaviour. In contrast to classical conditioning which appears to refute the idea of free

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 668
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: Psychology
Access this essay

A Foreboding Night. Ian sat on the curb, his hands buried deep inside the pocket of his jeans.

A Foreboding Night Ian sat on the curb, his hands buried deep inside the pocket of his jeans. Puddles of rain filled the gaps between the uneven concrete, reflecting the eerie glow of the streetlamps. The oppressive night air never failed to release its grasp on him. The hairs on his arm tingled as the chilling wind breathed into his face, whispering unnerving secrets into his ear. He glanced at his wristwatch. At last, with its headlights flashing, a taxi broke through the end of the street. Ian sprang up and waved frantically at the car. The tires screeched as it skidded to a halt. Ian opened the door and felt a rush of relief as he plopped himself onto the worn-out leather seat. A faint yellow glow emanated from the lights on the peeling ceiling. The taxi driver peered at him through the rearview mirror. His eyes were bloodshot, devoid of all emotions. "Where to?" he rasped. Ian glanced around uneasily. "Where do you want to go?" the driver repeated. The harshness of his tone struck Ian into silence. His throat felt tight as he struggled to think of a place. Sweat began to trickle down his neck. Something wasn't right. Trees, bushes, and streetlamps whirred by as the car sped along the streets, its headlights piercing through the wilderness of night like the eyes of a wolf. Spilling out its light onto the ribbon of slick concrete, the crescent moon followed the car and

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 656
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

"this dead butcher, and his fiend-like queen". Are these words by Malcolm an appropriate epitaph for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth?

"this dead butcher, and his fiend-like queen". Are these words by Malcolm an appropriate epitaph for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth? Malcolm says this epitaph after Macduff has severed Macbeth's head and walks into the castle. Macduff then informs his companions to proclaim "Hail, King of Scotland!" signifying he is King, which all of his companions declare. Then Malcolm states that he and everyone else will not waste their time. Malcolm also says to his Thanes and Kinsmen to be hereby known as Earls, which is what the British Thanes were called. In the same speech he exclaims that the people that fled to England (himself, Malcolm, and his brother, Donalbain) knew what Scotland had produced and he describes Macbeth as a "butcher" and Lady Macbeth as a "fiend-like Queen", but is this true? Macbeth Malcolm describes Macbeth as a "butcher" as he feels he mercilessly killed people. Below are some points that support Malcolm's view of Macbeth. The first sign of Macbeth becoming a "butcher" is when Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plan to murder King Duncan whilst he is sleeping; this occurs in Act 1 Scene 7, although it is Lady Macbeth that persuades him to do it. In Act 3 Scene 1, we can see the first steps that Macbeth is becoming a "butcher" as he plans the death of Banquo and Fleance whilst they travel on horseback. He tells the murderers to take revenge on Banquo because it is

  • Ranking:
  • Word count: 2215
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
Access this essay