“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.…
In Annie Dillard’s book, An American Child; chapter two describes the fear she had as a child, of the night shadows that would appear on her walls. Dillard was five years old and shared a bedroom with her little sister Amy, who was two at the time. When Dillard describes her little sister sleeping, I can picture her clearly in my mind. Dillard writes; “even at two she composed herself attractively with her sheet folded tidily, under her outstretched arm, her head laid lightly on an unwrinkled pillow, her thick curls spread evenly.” (21) Another wonderful example of her descriptive writing is when she is telling of the “thing” that she is so afraid of at night…
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.…
“There are a few crimes, the town is…..” (Page 4). Earlier to the murder of the clutter family, Holcomb is known for its innocence and a place where farmers can achieve their American dream through hard work.…
Analyse how a significant event illustrated one or more key theme(s) in the written text.…
In the beginning, Mrs Miller had a normal bland schedule with not much emotion put into anything. Her activities were the same and she “rarely journeyed farther than the corner store”(Capote 1). Because her schedule was pretty much the same everyday, there was no reason to travel farther than her comfort zone. Plus she had to care for her canary, the only other living creature residing with her. Otherwise, she cleaned her apartment and cooked the meals by herself. She was like everyone else; did normal everyday stuff, but never put any thought or care into her tasks. She just did them, because they needed to be done. It was almost like she was a robot; programmed to do work and not put much attention towards it: “Her activities were seldom…
During the post-civil war era, most “colored people did not know how to be free” (Houston Hartsfield Holloway). The abolishment of slavery was a major event that led blacks to desire fulfillment in life. Zora Neale Hurston demonstrates this through Janie’s life and the people she encounters. Each character provides a different outlook on life and their values are distinct from Janie’s. The novel questions what true happiness is via Janie’s influences and her quest to find love.…
The chapter opens with the introduction of the narrator, Scout (Jean Louise) Finch, her older brother Jem (Jeremy), and their friend and neighbor, Dill (Charles Baker Harris). Next, Lee provides an overview of Finch family history. Their ancestor, a Methodist named Simon Finch, fled British persecution and eventually settled in Alabama, where he trapped animals for fur and practiced medicine. Having bought several slaves, he established a largely self-sufficient homestead and farm, Finch's Landing, near Saint Stephens. The family lost its wealth in the Civil War. Scout's father, Atticus Finch, studied law in Montgomery while supporting his brother, John "Jack" Hale Finch, who was in medical school in Boston. Their sister Alexandra remained at Finch's Landing. Atticus began his law practice in Maycomb, the county seat of Maycomb County, where his "office in the courthouse contained little more than a hat rack, a spittoon, a checkerboard, and an unsullied Code of Alabama." His first case entailed defending two men who refused to plead guilty for second-degree murder. They instead pled not guilty for first-degree murder, and were hanged, marking "probably the beginning of my father's profound distaste for criminal law." Scout then describes Depression-era Maycomb, "an old tired town when I first knew it", summer heat and slow pace of life. She notes, "There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County". Scout describes as her father as entirely "satisfactory," and her family's black cook, Calpurnia, as strict and "tyrannical." Scout and Jem's mother died of a heart attack when Scout was two and she has no memories of her. However, Jem can remember his mother and Scout notices that he is occasionally nostalgic about her. The novel takes begins during the summer. Scout is almost six, and Jem is almost ten. Once this background picture is complete, the real…
Everyone deals with resentment in his or her own way. More often than not harboring resentment can hold a person back from succeeding in life and achieving happiness. Resentment ends only when a person can completely forgive those they feel have wronged them. Resentment greatly affected the plot as well as the character development in the novel.…
Learning lessons is a very important part of growing up. Children learn new things every day of their life. Even adults learn something every once in a while. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the character Scout is very adventurous and loves to learn; she has many experiences that lead to her being taught many different things about life. On page 12 of Cliff Notes for this novel, John Sova writes “each experience is designed to give Scout a further understanding about certain things in life and about people. In one way or another, every episode leads to some type of learning experience for Scout”. Scout learns a lot of different things about her town’s views, the people who she’s heard about but never really knew, and how to treat others the proper way.…
“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” –Atticus Finch. Atticus, his daughter Scout, one of his neighbours Mrs. Dubose, an innocent man accused wrongfully of rape Tom Robinson, and his children’s guardian angel Boo Radley, are all characters in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird who demonstrate the quality of courage. They also make it clear that courage is not necessarily risking physical danger, but a dedication to principles first and acceptance of consequences second.…
In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee demonstrates how two very different men share very similar lifestyles. Maycomb county not only judges these two men, but they all possess prejudice. Both Tom Robinson and Boo Radley represent the title of this novel because they both carry good hearts, although rumors and myths go around Maycomb about them, and both men are judged by countless strangers who continue to treat them like outcasts, because one man is colored and another appears unusual to Maycomb’s lifestyle.…
In Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, courage is defined as "when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what" (149). This novel, which tells of the prejudice found in a small Alabama town, has many examples of courage. Two major characters who exemplify the theme of courage are Atticus and Jem Finch.…
“The witness of the state… have presented themselves to you… in cynical confidence that their testimonies won’t be doubted [because of]... the evil assumption - that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings.” (Lee 273). This was a line quoted from Atticus during Tom Robinson's court case in To Kill a Mockingbird. To Kill a Mockingbird took place in the early 1930’s in Maycomb County, Alabama, when many people were strongly prejudiced against blacks. Atticus said this line not only to save Tom Robinson, a black man, from the wrongful verdict of rape, but potentially even some of his town from the stifling grip of prejudice. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee demonstrated that prejudice causes lack of empathy and bias; this was shown through the words and reactions to conflicts of prejudiced characters.…
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, all of the evidence we have heard has come to a decision to ruin this Negro’s life for something he has not done. He is being separated from his family just because someone cannot speak up and say what truly happened. Can you, the jury, not see that the evidence given by Mr. Ewell, Ms. Mayella, and Mr. Heck Tate clearly does not match with Mr. Tom Robinson’s testimony? The accusations that have been made towards him are not possible, and they could not have been done by a person who only has the use of his right hand. I truly believe Ms. Mayella is a victim of poverty and ignorance. But my defendant is not guilty but someone in this courtroom is, and what they are doing to this Negro is inhumane. People, what kind of society do we live in? Where racism is being brought. Racism is a thing where people hate and despise a person different from them. Don’t let your prejudice ways get in the way of doing what is right.…