To Kill a Mockingbird Introductory Paragrapgh

Introduction Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a coming-of-age story that takes place in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama. Like any southern town of this time period, Maycomb is filled with scandals and other thieveries, prejudice, and gossip spreading news faster than wild fire. Because of this, many characters are considered outcasts just for being different than other members of society. Throughout the book, Lee recreates a world that segregates/divides black and white communities. This corrupt idea of society unjustly influences the lives of many, like Scout, the innocent protagonist. Amongst all of the misinformed citizens of Maycomb, Scout has an influential role model- her father, Atticus- who teaches her, as well as other town members, what it means to be a truly moral person. In her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee shows how Atticus is the moral compass of the town through his honesty, wisdom, beliefs in racial equality, and his teachings.
Body Paragraph #4 Throughout the book, Atticus teaches his children, Jem and Scout, and other members of the town different morally correct ideas. A key example is when he teaches Scout how to be more compassionate and empathetic. This advice, given at the beginning of the novel, reoccurs throughout the story countless times. He tells her, “‘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’” (32). It is this advice that Scout repeats to herself throughout many key moments in the novel and ultimately helps her along the road to maturity. This advice helps Scout deal with her ever-changing relationship with Jem as he himself matures, as well as with people like Boo Radley. It helps her to see that Boo Radley is more than just a myth living in a creepy house—she sees him for the kind person he really is: kind, innocent, protective, courageous, and