To Kill A Mockingbird Point Of View
Pub. Date: 1960 Genre: Fiction
Setting: Maycomb County, Alabama 1930’s
Pint of View: First person
Plot Summary: The story is about two children, Scout and Jem Finch, and their father Atticus, a lawyer, as they live through three tough summers. They reside in Maycomb County, Alabama, a town that discriminates people based on what they look like and/or what their social status is. The children face many difficult situations where they have to decide what is right or wrong (Main situation where the kids must decide this: Tom Robinson Case). By the end of the story both Scout and Jem (and even their summer friend Dill) realize that discriminating people in such a way is unjust.
Themes:
1. Social Inequality: The book is full of racism.
People are treated good/bad depending on their skin color and last names. 2. Loss of innocence: Scout, Jem, and Dill lose their innocence through the many situations in the book.
Major Symbols and What They Represent: 1. Tree: Life and friendship. Boo Radley re-lives his childhood through the short-lived friendship with Scout, Jem, and Dill. 2. Tim Johnson: Racism 3. Mrs. Dubose: The old ways of the South 4. Mockingbird: Innocence
Motif and Other Interesting Literary Devices: 1. Reading: Education is the best weapon against innocence. Scout learns to read early on in her life, her dad reads a lot, etc. 2. Boundaries: Jem and Scout have summer boundaries. The children are learning to respect others’ boundaries.
Quotes and Their Significance: 1. “…but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” a. Hurting someone who is innocent is a terrible thing to do and here Atticus is telling them so. 2. “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” b. This is when Scout finally starts to mature and tries to understand people more. 3. “I do my best to love everybody.” c. No matter what they look like or how they act you should try to love everyone the way they are. 4. “I there’s just one kind of folks. Folks.” d. This is when Scout realizes that racism is wrong. 5. “So it took an eight-year-old child to bring ‘em to their senses…” e. A child’s innocence sometimes brings up the most obvious of facts. In this case, Scout has fixed everything with her innocent facts. 6. “I wanted to you see what real courage is… You rarely win but sometimes you do.” f. Harper Lee is telling us that courage is not just a man with a gun, but also a person who sticks to what they believe in.
Major Characters: 1. Atticus Finch a. Scout and Jem’s dad (mentor) b. External: Tom Robinson Case; Internal: teaches Scout and Jem many things about life. c. Positive: he is always helping people. NO MATTER WHAT! 2. Scout Finch d. The protagonist e. External: plays with Jem and Dill and grows up; Internal: Deciding what is right and wrong. f. Positive: appreciates the goodness n everyone and loves them the way they are. 3. Jem Finch g. Scout’s brother h. External: plays with Scout and Dill and grows up; Internal: finds out early on the racism is wrong and must cope with it. i. Positive: wants everyone to be equal 4. Dill Harris j. Jem and Scout’s friend in the summer. Mrs. Rachel’s nephew. k. External: plays with Jem and Scout and grows up; Internal: deciding what is riht and what is wrong. l. Positive: he is the crazy kid who is Jem and Scout’s friend. 5. Calpurnia m. Jem and Scout’s caretaker. n. External: being treated unfairly by Aunt Alexandra and other. Working hard to take care of Jem and Scout. o. Positive: she teaches the children 6. Tom Robinson p. Black man convicted of crime he did not commit q. External: Fights for his rights! r. Positive: he did nothing wrong 7. Mrs. Dubose s. The rude old lady that lives down the street t. External: always being racist and believes in the old ways of the south u. Negative: racist 8. Miss Maudie v. Old family friend w. External: always positive and wants justice x. Positive: wants justice 9. Aunt Alexandra: y. Jem and Scout’s aunt z. External: tries to control everything so that her surroundings fit society’s view of perfection.
Setting: Maycomb County, Alabama 1930’s
Pint of View: First person
Plot Summary: The story is about two children, Scout and Jem Finch, and their father Atticus, a lawyer, as they live through three tough summers. They reside in Maycomb County, Alabama, a town that discriminates people based on what they look like and/or what their social status is. The children face many difficult situations where they have to decide what is right or wrong (Main situation where the kids must decide this: Tom Robinson Case). By the end of the story both Scout and Jem (and even their summer friend Dill) realize that discriminating people in such a way is unjust.
Themes:
1. Social Inequality: The book is full of racism.
People are treated good/bad depending on their skin color and last names. 2. Loss of innocence: Scout, Jem, and Dill lose their innocence through the many situations in the book.
Major Symbols and What They Represent: 1. Tree: Life and friendship. Boo Radley re-lives his childhood through the short-lived friendship with Scout, Jem, and Dill. 2. Tim Johnson: Racism 3. Mrs. Dubose: The old ways of the South 4. Mockingbird: Innocence
Motif and Other Interesting Literary Devices: 1. Reading: Education is the best weapon against innocence. Scout learns to read early on in her life, her dad reads a lot, etc. 2. Boundaries: Jem and Scout have summer boundaries. The children are learning to respect others’ boundaries.
Quotes and Their Significance: 1. “…but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” a. Hurting someone who is innocent is a terrible thing to do and here Atticus is telling them so. 2. “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” b. This is when Scout finally starts to mature and tries to understand people more. 3. “I do my best to love everybody.” c. No matter what they look like or how they act you should try to love everyone the way they are. 4. “I there’s just one kind of folks. Folks.” d. This is when Scout realizes that racism is wrong. 5. “So it took an eight-year-old child to bring ‘em to their senses…” e. A child’s innocence sometimes brings up the most obvious of facts. In this case, Scout has fixed everything with her innocent facts. 6. “I wanted to you see what real courage is… You rarely win but sometimes you do.” f. Harper Lee is telling us that courage is not just a man with a gun, but also a person who sticks to what they believe in.
Major Characters: 1. Atticus Finch a. Scout and Jem’s dad (mentor) b. External: Tom Robinson Case; Internal: teaches Scout and Jem many things about life. c. Positive: he is always helping people. NO MATTER WHAT! 2. Scout Finch d. The protagonist e. External: plays with Jem and Dill and grows up; Internal: Deciding what is right and wrong. f. Positive: appreciates the goodness n everyone and loves them the way they are. 3. Jem Finch g. Scout’s brother h. External: plays with Scout and Dill and grows up; Internal: finds out early on the racism is wrong and must cope with it. i. Positive: wants everyone to be equal 4. Dill Harris j. Jem and Scout’s friend in the summer. Mrs. Rachel’s nephew. k. External: plays with Jem and Scout and grows up; Internal: deciding what is riht and what is wrong. l. Positive: he is the crazy kid who is Jem and Scout’s friend. 5. Calpurnia m. Jem and Scout’s caretaker. n. External: being treated unfairly by Aunt Alexandra and other. Working hard to take care of Jem and Scout. o. Positive: she teaches the children 6. Tom Robinson p. Black man convicted of crime he did not commit q. External: Fights for his rights! r. Positive: he did nothing wrong 7. Mrs. Dubose s. The rude old lady that lives down the street t. External: always being racist and believes in the old ways of the south u. Negative: racist 8. Miss Maudie v. Old family friend w. External: always positive and wants justice x. Positive: wants justice 9. Aunt Alexandra: y. Jem and Scout’s aunt z. External: tries to control everything so that her surroundings fit society’s view of perfection.