“To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee is a perfect example of how the plot progression of the story was closely related to the character development. Lee used Jean Louise, also known as “Scout” as a main model of character development, as she grows through her understandings of racism, how to handle social situations and her intelligence . The plot progression throughout the novel was very close in relationship of bildungsroman in the characters personal stories. This book being fiction is not true but it depicts how life was during the time period of the 1930’s. The characters also are very close to portraying common people of the time in Macon County of Alabama.…
Courage is characterized as mental or moral strength to surpass notions of fear. As demonstrated by Atticus Finch and Mrs Dubose in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the development of courage gives the character’s strength and courage to hold their heads high, while fearing none. Harper Lee depicts the theme of courage incalculable amount of times, detailing courage as “ when you know you’re licked before you being, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.” (Chapter 11, Page 124) All of the characters have an alternate kind of perspective of what courage is exactly, which will be examined in depth.…
Atticus Finch is a smart man worthy of being lawyer. In the fictional novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee that tells the story of a young girl Scout Finch, who is coming of age. Scout in the beginning of the novel did not have much tolerance and soon as the novel progressed she came to decide that not everyone will agree with her. Scout who is always around Atticus makes up a part of that impact in her life. The advice given for Scout help to build her to be good well being. To being told that everyone is equal. Atticus is a brave, intelligent, and responsible man.…
Analyse how a significant event illustrated one or more key theme(s) in the written text.…
In the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Mr. Shelby’s slaves lived together in a cabin. Of these slaves living in the cabin is Shelby’s most reliable, Tom. He aids the slaves in keeping their values. Much of this novel takes place outside of Mr. Shelby’s plantation. Throughout this novel, the cabin travels with Tom. This cabin is a place of faith, hope, love, and forgiveness. Tom’s personality helps recreate the atmosphere originally found in the cabin in the new places to which he is transported. One can see how these valued principles travel with Tom in the events of him finding that he is to be sold, helping a woman with her cotton, and his convincing Cassy of God.…
A characteristic that Scout has is that she is curious. This curiosity stems from her being young, talked down to and not knowing much about the people around her. Scout is interested in knowing more about her mother, so she can feel closer to her. She asks about how her mother looked, how she acted and if she loved her mother. Noticeably, she is curious about her mother and she is looking for a connection between her and herself. Along with being curious scout can also be described as a tough person.…
In Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” racism is a common thread in the community and is never more apparent than in this chapter. Tom Robinson is subjected to an unfair disadvantage throughout this novel, from the mob that comes after him at the Maycomb county jail to the results of his trial. Atticus states in chapter 10, “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird,” this comes back into play as Tom’s innocence is constantly ignored because of his skin color. Tom Robinson may be the minority but it should not make him any less innocent than any white man on the witness stand. It is a distinct aura throughout Tom’s trial that he is not innocent until proven guilty, solely because of he is black. Across the plot Atticus is constantly…
Scout is by far an interesting and unordinary child in the novel of To Kill a Mockingbird. She is the main character and narrator of the story. She is the youngest child of Atticus Finch who is a lawyer and Scout also has an older brother named Jem. What makes Scouts character so special is that she changes her qualities throughout the novel. In the beginning of the novel Scout is an innocent and kind-hearted six-year old girl, only because she has not encountered the true evils of the world. As the novel progresses Scout starts to face evil encounters such as racism, and townspeople wanting to hurt her and her family. These evil encounters and Atticus’s wisdom are the reasons to why Scout has unique character traits. Scout is a fascinating character in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird because she possesses traits of intelligence, courage, and compassion.…
However, after Tom Robinson is convicted for a crime that he clearly did not commit, Atticus’ mercy for humanity begins to waver. Even though he knows that this case was inherently against Robinson, he still feels distraught that the jury was prejudiced enough to declare a man guilty, only because of the color of his skin. After the verdict, Atticus “... left the courtroom, but not by his usual exit. He must have wanted to go home the short way, because he walked quickly down the middle aisle toward the south exit… He did not look up.” (Lee, 215). Throughout the novel, Lee has created Atticus as the wise figure who seeks the goodness in everything.. He teaches Jem and Scout to walk in one’s shoes before judging them and that the surface of one's life does not accurately portray what is within. This scene shows that human malevolence can change Atticus’ attitude, despite how strongly he feels that every human has a part of them that is pure. Lee’s juxtaposition of Atticus’ character gives the reader insight on how an incident that involves the abuse of human virtue can change one’s attitude and…
The book “To Kill a Mockingbird” shows the reader that life can be unfair. Some people get blamed for things they did not do. Unfortunately, one of those people was Tom Robinson. Tom was an innocent negro man accused for raping Mayella, although he did not do it. His character ties in with the book because a mockingbird symbolizes innocence. The ways that Tom was symbolized as a mockingbird was through his obliging ways, compassion, and innocence.…
For example, the character I would feel the most sympathy for is Tom because he has been accused of rape and the evidence isn’t strong enough for anyone to believe it, but the majority of people do because of their racist views. Tom Robison is a well-intentioned and kind person and doesn’t seem to deserve all of the hatred he is given. He has a crippled arm, yet very few people realize that and how it was extremely unlikely for him to have beat Mayella in the first place. During the trial, he is treated like dirt by everyone except for Atticus and is viewed as inferior in the Jim Crow era. Also, he is in trouble for doing kind actions and trying to help someone. The next person I’d feel sympathy for is Mayella Ewell because she has no friends and her family is viewed as less than human by the entire city of Maycomb. She was constantly raped and abused by her father, who forces her into possibly lying on trial. Mayella is also uneducated because she is responsible for chores and taking care of her siblings because her father is never there, too intoxicated to do anything, or beats her. The third person I feel sorry for is Heck Tate because he’s been completely lied to by Bob Ewell and doesn’t have an accurate testimony. He’s using Bob’s and Mayella’s because of his racist views and wants to believe Tom is guilty because if he isn’t, Heck will appear foolish to Maycomb. He…
I believe in judging someone by their actions and character rather than by the color of their skin and sexuality. This I believe because there is good and bad in all of us. The color of our skin does not depict the flaws we have. In the second amendment it states that all men are created equal, but we still do not treat each other equally. Defending Tom Robinson was not easy because I knew that from the minute Mayella opened her mouth Tom was a dead man. But everyone including a black man deserves a second chance. How could I ever tell my own children “You never really understand a person until you consider things from their point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” if I didn’t pick up Tom’s case because I was afraid of what people would think of me. When people say things about me like “Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets” why would I prove them wrong? You are only as good as you portray yourself to be. But when you are a black man in the town of Maycomb, Alabama you were never dealt the good hand to begin with. Sadly Tom never got a second chance. Tom was a good man but because of the color of his skin he was not treated as fairly as the rest of us.…
While Scout and Francis are talking Francis says in direction to Atticus “He’s nothing’ but a n***** lover.” (110). Francis is portrayed as a bully, yet boring when he is first introduced, and Scout in order to save her father's reputation challenges him. She gets in a fight, because she knows that Atticus is doing the right thing. Jem doesn’t understand why Atticus would take the case and asks him, “If you shouldn’t be defendin him, then why are you doing it.” (105). Atticus is known as honest, and willing to do anything he deems just. He shows his bravery very modestly, and stands up for Tom against the racism of the county. In addition, when Aunt Alexandra is talking to Atticus about his mood after the case, he says, “There’ll be an appeal, you can count on that.” (284). Atticus will show his courage in the way he mentions with Jem, and he promises he will go back to court to free Tom. He is fighting a lost battle again, and shows his courage because of this. Using the characters ideas that come along with them, and the author uses this to show the courage in the characters.…
An example of a character pitying Tom Robinson is Mr. B. B. Underwood, who, when referring to Tom Robinson, claimed that it is a “sin to kill cripples” and said that Tom Robinson’s death was like “senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children.” Scout comments that Atticus “had no case” for Tom Robinson because in the “secret courts of men’s hearts” prejudice against and presumptions about blacks overruled reason and apathy in the men of the court. Another example of characters influencing the reader’s reaction is when Atticus informed Scout and Calpurnia that Tom Robinson had been killed and the reader learns that Tom Robinson had a family. Lee included Robinson’s family to make him more human and relatable, creating a stronger bond between the character and the reader. This “bond” is what makes the situation so powerful; by learning of Robinson’s death, the reader feels like they learned that somebody familiar died. This incurs a more vigorous reaction from the reader and in turn makes the story especially…
The character that I admire the most in To Kill A Mockingbird is Atticus Finch. I admire and look up to him the most because he is very honourable and unselfish. Atticus Finch, is appointed by a local judge to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white girl. Friends and neighbos objected when Atticus puts up a strong and spirited defense of behalf of the accused black man. Atticus renounces violence but stands up for what he believes in. He decides to defend Tom Robinson because if he did not, he would not only lose the respect of his children and the townspeople, but himself as well.…