As people grow in life, they mature and change in many different ways. Harper Lee is the author of To Kill a Mocking Bird. This book is about Scout Finch and her life in the 1930’s in Maycomb County, Alabama. Harpe, shows how Scout matures and progresses in this book along with many other things. For example Scout, the main character, realizes her town is racist after the Tom Robinson trial. Harper also informs the reader about things Scout does not understand throughout the book. One of the things she demonstrates is the reason why Jem, Scout’s brother, is acting different. She does not know what people act like at that age because she is a lot younger, so all of his behavior is new to her. One of the other examples Harper shows is the very unique relationship between Miss Caroline, Scout’s teacher, and Scout. They would like each other, but Miss Caroline’s teaching strategy is bad for Scout because she is able read.…
Some people find it difficult to show their affection for others. Calpurnia, in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, possesses this problem. The black cook loves the Finch children, but she has a hard time expressing that to them. In the beginning of the book, Calpurnia appears oppressive and harsh to the main character, Scout. As the story progresses, however, she reveals her other side. Slowly, Scout comes to realize that Calpurnia is actually protective, mannerly, and above all, an understanding friend.…
People are not always as they seem, is one of the many themes in Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Throughout the novel Jean Louise Finch (Scout) overhears countless rumors about certain folks in Maycomb County, such as Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose is a revolting old lady, Mr. Dolphus Raymond is an evil man, and Arthur Radley (Boo) is the most rebellious individual in Maycomb. However, truly in the end Scout comes to know the people she once feared; and she realizes that they are not as bad as Maycomb citizens make them out to be.…
During the 1930’s in Maycomb Alabama, prejudicial, preconceived and hypocritical views reigned over empathetic and open-minded attitudes, but by Harper Lee’s use of Scout as the protagonist in the novel, a sense of hope is created. Scout represents exploration and the need for knowledge and through using her as the protagonist, harper lee can convey that through having an educated and understanding generation, there is hope for the future. Scout, being the daughter of the most progressive thinking man in Maycomb, is able to empathise with many people and through using her optimism and developing views and opinions she is able to “finally see” that most people are “real nice” if you get to know them and prove that there is a real sense of hope carried throughout To Kill a mockingbird.…
Scout’s tolerant attitudes stem from many of her mentors- Atticus, Calpurnia, Jem and Miss Maudie. Many describe her as a child with an adult mind, and she often recognizes connections that others miss, such as the connection between her teacher’s blatant disgust for Hitler but racist notions of the colored population in Maycomb County. [“Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an’ then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home-” (pg. 331)] She combines a child’s perspective with the teachings of the valued adults around her and uses them to create a viewpoint that is all her own. “’Naw Jem, I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks.’” (pg. 304)…
Childhood innocence is fleeting—when the world is no longer simply teddy bears and rainbows, the mind of a child seeks guidance. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, a young girl by the name of Scout grows up in the narrow minded town of Maycomb, Alabama. While the Great Depression wreaks havoc on southern farmers, racism runs rampant as the poor white man attempts to assert his non-existent superiority over the black community. With her father defending a black man accused of rape in an upcoming trial, Scout becomes surrounded by more negativity and hate than ever before. Lost and confused, Scout finds herself looking up to the only parent she has—Atticus Finch. Through the admirable…
I am reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. In chapters 10 through 15 the trial becomes one of the main topics and causes many conflicts. Aunt Alexandra comes to stay with the Finch family, which leads to some quarrelling. In this journal I will be characterizing Atticus and questioning whether Calpurnia or Alexandra is an excellent mother to the children.…
Individuals are always taught that the golden rule is to treat others how we would like to be treated. But everyday people in society treat others differently or making judgments for how they look or what they believe in. Sometimes people don't realize they are treating these certain people that way or making those judgements . People in America are known to treat people very differently depending on the color of their skin or their certain beliefs. Although our society suggests to treat others how all would like to be treated, there is still a tendency where people treat others unfairly or differently for various reasons.…
Throughout the course of our lives, we learn valuable lessons that shape us into responsible young adults. In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Jean Louise Finch, better known as “Scout,” has many coming of age experiences. As the story progresses, Scout becomes more respectful, knowledgeable, and empathetic.…
Who have you learned the most about life from? Is it your father, mother, siblings or other significant figure in your life? In “To Kill a Mockingbird” (TKM) by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch was one of the most influential characters mentioned in the book. Atticus teaches his two children, Scout and Jem, then at the end of the book learns a valuable lesson himself. This essay will identify and explain key scenes that shows Atticus has helped others in coming of age.…
There are many people in To Kill a Mockingbird that have significant influences of Scout and Jem's actions. The two that stood out boldly to me, however, were Atticus and Calpurnia. Atticus, being the children's father, tought his kids many moral lessons. Calpurnia acted as a mother to Jem and Scout. Throughout every chapter these two characters…
Jean Louise Finch, also known as Scout, like most complex characters in fiction stories, changes in Harper Lee's “To Kill a Mockingbird.” In the beginning, Scout is a young kid that really doesn’t know what is the right thing and the wrong thing to do. When she is talking to Miss Maudie she mentions that Arthur Radley may have “died and they shoved him up the chimney.,” (Lee 43), and this irks Miss Maudie. This is because Scout really doesn’t understand what she can and can't say about people. In the middle of the story, Scout starts to realize what she is talking about and what her actions cause. By the end of the story, Scout sees what she has done and why it was a bad thing to do and she comprehends the concept of '''climbing into his skin and walking around in it.''' (Lee 30). This shows that Scout has changed from a wrongful thinking child into a wonderful, thoughtful child.…
The book To Kill A Mockingbird is written through the perspective of an older Scout, Jean Louise Finch, reflecting on her childhood. Scout develops the most as a character throughout the book. Scout experiences and witnesses events that most girls around her age do not. She faces the cruel reality of the world she lived in. Experiencing these things at such young age forces Scout to mature very quickly. We see throughout the book that Scout is innocent, investigative, and affectionate.…
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout Finch, a young girl, faces adversity throughout the story. As a result of her father’s defending the accused black man Tom Robinson, much of the town turns on the Finch family including the children Scout and Jem. At school, Scout encounters other schoolchildren who jeer and bait Scout. However, because of her father asking her to resist the temptation to throw punches at the bullies, she walks away with her head held high and acts as the bigger person. Through this incident, Scout found that she is able to control her impulses and check her emotions. Furthermore, she developed her…
Friends can be chosen, but they still have to be brought into a person’s life somehow. However, once they are there, they can make the biggest impact on a child. Friends are a more powerful influence on children than parents. This statement is no more true during any time in someone’s life than their childhood. Though people nearly always grow up with their families, they choose who they want to spend their extra time with, and these relationships are crucial to building who a person is. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout is influenced by many of her friends that live around her in Maycomb, some of whom are Dill, Miss Maudie, Jem, and Calpurnia.…