Preview

To Kill A Mockingbird Evaluation Essay

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
I watched To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, on Thursday, September 29th in OBU’s Verser Theater. To Kill a Mockingbird was completely new to me going into it. I haven’t read or seen the story in any way before, therefore I had no idea what to expect from this performance. Judging from the last performance I’ve seen at OBU (Lord of the Flies) my expectations going into this play were very high. The quality of the last play I saw was higher than I initially expected from a small school performance. I did expect more from the quality of the play going in, considering the fact that To Kill a Mockingbird was produced by both OBU and Henderson as a joint project. But given that this was the first enactment of the play at OBU it does make sense that there were some mistakes. From what I gathered To Kill a Mockingbird was set in a time period in which civil rights was a major issue for the U.S. It follows the story of a …show more content…

Atticus seemed to me like the most down to earth, reasonable character. His ideology seemed to be the most justified when it comes to the issue of civil rights. Then we have Bob, from what I could tell the most unstable character of the entire performance. It seemed to be similar to a battle of good and evil, in the sense that there was a right side and a wrong side that even the law couldn’t comprehend at the time. To me, the purpose of this play was simply to portray racism of the time period. It also seemed to be a portrayal of how corrupt the justice system was, where one truth is weighed more heavily than other truths just based on the color of someone’s skin. The play also allowed us to view the “childhood ignorance” of the younger characters and their inability to understand why all these things were happening around them. I can’t really say whether or not this play succeeded or failed in its portrayal. Due to the fact that I have never read or seen this play

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The play gets funny when Karl comes over and explain to Russ and Bev that the house was sold to a black family. Karl was like a civic leader and he wanted no black family living in a white neighborhood. Karl is actually my favorite character in the play as he goes on and on about why they shouldn't let a black family move into the neighborhood. The neighborhood in the 50s was for the middle class white folks, which had black maids.…

    • 835 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    To kill a mockingbird is an insightful novel that effectively educates its reader about the discrimination and prejudice against African Americans that was occurring at the time. Through the pity and intensity of Tom Robinson’s trial the reader learns how the rights of African Americans were very different than the white Americans at the time. To kill a mockingbird highlights the pure injustice that Tom Robinson faces, when accused of a crime that he didn’t commit. Due to these accusations Tom’s fate is put on the line and his dignity is robbed from him as the whole of Maycomb assumes that Mayella Ewell is right. Immediately the town people build a sense of hate and anger towards Tom Robinson and attempt to act on their thoughts and opinions. Throughout this text one will learn how not only Negro’s were affected by this prejudice and discrimination but how innocent white Americans, such as the finch family were too.…

    • 571 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, continues to be taught today and should continue, as the characterization of the story, although fictional, has a high resemblance to real life cases and issues of the time. It captures critical lessons and teachings that are imperative to modern-day schools and present-day society. To Kill A Mockingbird depicts the inequality between blacks and whites in the 1930s by telling a captivating story including the issues of rape and racism. Although the fictional novel To Kill A Mockingbird was set in the 1930s, it references Civil Rights cases involving discrimination, racism, and segregation that were part of the Civil Rights movement throughout the whole century.…

    • 618 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The lesson taught to Scout by Calpurnia was that you if you invite someone over, you let them eat however they want to eat. This arose from the scene where Walter was drowning his dinner with syrup. Scout can use this lesson to be more respectful to her guest. The lesson that Atticus taught Scout is that you must walk around in their skin to fully understand them. This arose from when Scout did not was to go to school and for Atticus to teach her just like how Atticus's father taught him and Uncle Jack. Scout could use this to be more empathic with other…

    • 686 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    To Kill a Mockingbird Essay

    • 5009 Words
    • 144 Pages

    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…

    • 5009 Words
    • 144 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    A child learns so much from interacting with its surroundings. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Jeremy Finch does a whole lot of learning. Jem and Scout witness some of the evils of man and learn important lessons from them. However, Jem understands most of the events going on around him than his younger sibling Scout. From roughly the age of 10 through 13 we see how much Jeremy (Jem) Finch has evolved from the point-of-view of his little sister, Jean-Louise (Scout) Finch, which gives an exceptional perspective on his growth.…

    • 730 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    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.…

    • 1407 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    “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.…

    • 1494 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    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.…

    • 669 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    “If you shouldn’t be defendin’ him, why are you doin’ it? To kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Atticus is a white attorney living in Alabama, who was appointed to defend Tom Robinson, a man accused of raping a white women. At the time there is inequality between whites and blacks. Despite Atticus's complexion, because he's an attorney & it’s his job is to fight justice, he is reasonable and determined to take a stand for Tom Robinson.…

    • 537 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    An important event in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee is the trial of Tom Robinson who was accused of raping a young white woman from the lower class. This event had a huge effect on Jem Finch’s life. It was what triggered him completely losing his already disappearing innocence. This happened because the trial exposed many new things to him. For example, he saw his father extremely disappointed. This was significant because he was used to seeing him always in control. Jem also saw racial injustice, which shattered his view of how the world worked, making him grow up from an oblivious child, changing his life forever.…

    • 722 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “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.…

    • 774 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “Racism has been an integral component of American culture since it’s founding upon the genocide of Native Americans, and the forced slavery of Africans and Afro-Americans.” (Vincent F. Rocchio). Although many white men supported segregation during the 1930’s, Atticus Finch displayed inner strength and courage despite what others thought about his beliefs towards black men.…

    • 724 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Morals generally make up a good person. To know all morals will make you great and wise. If what I say is true, then To Kill a Mockingbird could make you a much better person. In the book, the one who learns how to become mature, wise, have faith and learn life lessons and morals is Scout. She learns not to hurt the innocent, not to judge, and treat everyone as equals.…

    • 550 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen,” are the words of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, psychiatrist and author of On Death and Dying. In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, several characters have been able to accomplish this beauty of understanding. The aspect of understanding in these people do not appear without experience. It only flourishes in a person’s heart through…

    • 1826 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays