To Kill a Mockingbird

It might be said: To Kill a Mockingbird 'To Kill a Mockingbird' is a novel by Harper Lee that teaches many essential and significant life lessons. During the story, the narrator of the story, who is a growing girl Scout Finch, is able to illustrate many reoccurring themes including prejudice, maturity and friendship. These three aspects manage to indicate to the reader life lessons and can make the reader a greater person, its themes teach us important lessons about the world around us. Additionally, Harper Lee has shown these themes by using language techniques. These themes will be branched from exclusively chapter 23, which is where a generous amount of the author’s thoughts on society are expressed. The author’s thoughts on these themes are very important as they show us what she values, and what she considers about everything, as she shows it through the characters. Prejudice is show in the novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird' severely. Prejudice is an on-going problem and difficulty in Maycomb County. The Cunningham's were mistreated because of their class and were 'different'. Families did not like other families and they despised each other. Prejudice was a very common thing in Maycomb, just as much as racism was. Each character in the text acknowledges prejudice in a different way. "The thing about it is, our kind of ‘folks’ don’t like the Cunningham’s, the Cunningham’s don't like the Ewells, and the Ewells hate and despise the coloured ‘folks’." In this quote Aunt Alexandra states how families look down at other families and races, she believes in it strongly. Although Scout thinks differently she states that she thinks her family are the same as the Cunninghams. She sees things in different perspectives than Aunt Alexandra. “Then that makes us like the Cunninghams.” This quote shows the readers that Scout see's differently, she views that everyone should be treated the same, and everybody is the same. Dialogue is used to show prejudice in these quotes; they are expressing what they think to each other and telling each other. Harper Lee has used dialogue to show how Aunt Alexandra thinks of the Cunninghams; it highlights the negative and expresses how she sincerely thinks of them. We see prejudice as wrong because we should not judge people because of who they are or because of their colour. It is wrong to do so, people should not be underestimated just because they are black or from an un-wealthy family. In the novel the Cunninghams are indicated to be equal as the black, just because of them being deprived of money. By seeing prejudice in the novel the reader should see that everyone is the same, no matter what class or how wealthy they are. It does not matter. Maturity has a major impact on the novel and establishing the characters of the novel. "That's what I thought, too, when I was your age." Jems maturity has an outcome on Scout as well, because he teaches her and helps her understand situations; he aids her into thinking the right things about society. The maturity of Jem allows him to understand why Boo Radley stays shut in his house. It opens his mind to what it really is. "If there’s just on kind of folds, why can't they get along it each other? If they're all alike, why do they go out of their way to despise each other? Scout, I think I'm beginning to understand something. I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in the house all this time… its because he wants to stay inside." Jem uses ellipsis in this quote because he pauses for a moment, because he realises the true reason why Boo is always at home. He is growing up and maturing, and comprehends that the myths about Boo are not true. Jem is also agonised by the loss of honour in society, and that’s when he realised that Boo would rather be always in his house then be part of the damaged society. Harper Lee has used ellipsis to show sudden understanding by Jem. By taking in the theme maturity, the reader should learn to not believe everything you hear, and rumours are most likely made up. Maturity should teach the reader that you should treat others with acceptance even if they are another colour. Additionally it can also teach to not judge people by what people have told you, but to judge them yourself. The final shown theme is family. In this novel family is an important thing. What family you come from represents you. Family bonding is shown a lot in the novel, especially between Atticus, Jem and Scout. To them keeping a close bond is very important. "Atticus says you can choose your friends but you sho' can't choose your family, an' they're still kin to you no matter whether you acknowledge 'em or not, and it makes you look right silly if you don't." This quote from Jem shows he thinks of family as something superior. Friends are not as important as friends are, and that family is the ones who are going to be there at the end. They are family whether you like them or you do not. In this segment Harper Lee has used dialogue for Jem to speak to Scout, and tell her that family is important. In the dialogue Jem believes in family strongly and the audience can see that by what Jem is saying to Scout. By understanding family in the novel, the reader may realise that family really is important. Even if you do not like them they still are family, and you would be silly not to like them. It is valuable to understand that without family you would truly have no one. It is logical that To Kill a Mockingbird can make you a better person by reading it. It has so many messages in it and morals that can impact on the reader. It is filled with life lessons about society, family, maturity, and prejudice it helps use open up our minds. It is a novel that teaches us not to judge from what we have heard, and not to question things we are told. It advises the importance of family to a person and not to underestimate them. It demonstrates how unfair prejudice is and cruel, and informs us the establishment of maturity. Hence, To Kill a Mockingbird can change a person and the whole world by simply reading it.