CHILD PERSPECTIVE

With reference to two specific instances in the novel, how does Lee use the child’s perspective to make a social point?

The childish perspective is used throughout the novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee. Lee uses this to make satirical points about the community that Scout lives in and more general points about the society as a whole. Lee is able to make extremely powerful points and comments on the society of the time in the seemingly innocent and obvious way by speaking and observing life through the eyes and ears of a child, apparently free from political agenda or adult bias and therefore is so much more powerful. As well as effective in literacy terms, it would also leave the author more free from criticism by the society of the time, which was divided by race, social class and disability. Lee uses the innocence and misunderstandings of Scout (Jean Louise Finch) to enable the reader to read between the lines permitting them to become actively involved in the progression of the novel. This adds a dramatic effect and makes the reader sympathise with the children’s misunderstandings.

The first instance when Lee uses the child's perspective to make a social point is when Tom dies. Lee uses free indirect discourse as Scout narrates the thoughts of society. Lee uses this to condemn the society and show how brutal it is through Scout's reaction . Scout hears all of Maycomb commenting on how black people are 'easy come, easy go' but that 'when it comes down to it,the veneer's mighty thin'. The use of the word 'veneer' is interesting in this context, as it implies a thin covering, which can be scratched away. This shows that despite all the good that a black person can do, it is always forgotten because the 'Nigger always comes out in 'em.' This then implies that a black person, at heart, can never really be a good person – this is simply a layer on top and that they can never avoid the 'nigger' within. This suggests that black people's ability to absorb and mimic their white “betters” is not within them but is a thin surface on top of their true selves.

Lee makes the social point that mob rule is dangerous and can cause humans and individuals to forget who they are and what they stand for. She shows how they lose their individuality and uses Scout in this situation to remind Mr Cunningham who he is. She does not understand the situation and so innocently decides to say ‘Hey’ to ‘Mr Cunningham’ and when he does not acknowledge her she says ‘Don’t you remember me’. Mr Cunningham pretends not to remember her but by appealing to the human side of him, Scout forces him to remember the connections between the two of them, which he tries very hard to suppress. Scout brings up Mr Cunningham’s son, ‘Walter’ and slowly starts to reveal his true self again, as he ‘was moved to a faint nod’. The ‘faint nod’ shows how he is moved as Scout is appealing to his emotional side. The word ‘faint’ shows how this is only a small shift but it is still definitely happening. The ‘nod’ shows he is finally starting to agree with her. Scout then furthers the conversation to his ‘entailments’ and how ‘bad’ they are. This brings him back into civilisation again, through Scout's persistence and constantly trying to talk politely to him in a civilised conversation. He ‘squatted down’ to her level and said ‘I’ll tell him you said hey little lady’. Scout inadvertently reminds him that he is a human being and what he is about to do and thinking about doing will make him lose his identity. The emphasis on memory brings him back to humanity and reminds him to the connection between himself and other humans. By reminding Mr Cunningham that he has children, just like Atticus, and many problems, just like Atticus, and how Atticus helped him with his ‘entailments’ he realises that he is a man just like Atticus and that they should not be doing this to Atticus. Therefore, this sudden relationship, makes him feel compelled to reply to Scout and then ‘clear out’ and ‘get going’.

Outside the jail, Scout does not realise how dangerous the Lynch mob is and acts normally through ‘living room talk’. By using simple ‘talk’ Scout puts Mr Cunningham into a polite social situation with the expectations of having a civilised and mannered conversation, instead of being in a mob. By treating him like a human, she brings him back to these social conversations and he realises who he is. The juxtaposition between where they are outside the jail and the conventions talk of a house brings Mr Cunningham back to humanity. Lee is showing how dangerous mob rule is, even to young children. After Tom’s death, Lee shows how youth are exposed to harmful comments on a daily basis to the point that they are able to generalise the racist thoughts and views of society into one phrase. By forcing us to read between the lines, Lee facilitates our engagement with the novel, she gives additional force to her satirical comments, and thus Lee makes her social point through the child’s perspective.

WORD COUNT (WITHOUT QUOTES) – 1,194
WORD COUNT (WITH QUOTES) – 1,298

I HAVE EDITED IF FROM FIRST DRAFT BUT SHE SAID OVERALL AFTER DRAFT 1