When searching for optimism or pessimism in a novel‚ one of the first things taken into account is the title. "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee‚ is one of those books where the title gives nothing away‚ and is not understood until you have read the story. This book‚ first published in 1960‚ is in fact neither an optimistic‚ nor pessimistic novel. However‚ it shows detailed examples of each‚ shown in different parts of the storyline. One of the first optimistic points that can be found in this
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once said‚“It is better to risk saving a guilty man than to condemn an innocent one.” This quote relates to the main theme in the novel‚ To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee‚ since a major theme is not to deliberately harm people who are helpless and who don’t harm others in the society. In the book both Atticus and Miss Maudie agree that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because in society mockingbirds bring happiness and they don’t cause harm. In this book there are characters that could be symbolized
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to take moral education into their hands. In ¨To Kill a Mockingbird¨‚ Atticus has many of his own teachings for the children. Also in the novel‚ the neighbors and society had a big effect on the children. In today’s world‚ many children like
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The Stereotyping of women is common in literature and it is not any different in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The ladies of Maycomb are excellent examples of stereotypical roles women play in a "man’s world. Scout’s observation of the ladies of Maycomb is ..."Ladies seemed to live in faint horror of men‚ seemed unwilling to approve wholeheartedly of ...[men]." " ...There was something about...[men] that I instinctively liked...they weren’t---" "Hypocrites‚" page 234 The ladies of the missionary
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Innocence vs. Experience The book “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee perfectly portrays both innocence and experience in the characters as well as the theme of personal growth. The character Jean Louise Finch‚ otherwise known as Scout‚ has a very complicated development compared to the rest of the characters. Firstly‚ she talks almost like an adult all throughout the story. She learned how to read before going to school‚ which she takes some pride in‚ “ ‘Scout yonder’s been readin’ ever since
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require someone being completely evil‚ with absolutely no good. However‚ no one is actually all good or all bad‚ though you may be more of one than the other. Most people are neither good nor bad‚ which could be described as a “shade of gray”. In To Kill a Mockingbird‚ characters surprised readers by starting off bad and ending good and overall‚ in a shade of gray. One character that falls into the shade of gray is Aunt Alexandra. The first time she appears in the book‚ it is discovered that even
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Womanhood in the South was mainly composed by imposing heavy gender roles that in turn have heavily influenced the modern day society’s views on gender norms. In To Kill A Mockingbird‚ the high expectations of Alexandra making Scout grow up to be a perfect Southern belle were evident‚ some of them able to be transferred to today’s expectations of women. Alexandra “was fanatical on the subject” of Scout’s clothing‚ as she could “not possibly hope to be a lady” if she wore anything that did not have
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killed a mockingbird? "Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up other people’s gardens‚ don’t nest in corncribs‚ they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird" (Lee 94). Man believing in his superiority over other beings can easily defend killing a mockingbird as a just act. Hence‚ a mockingbird can be equated with an innocent person. White people then would always think that they are greater over the
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task of talking with Scout‚ which makes her cry. “For no reason I felt myself beginning to cry‚ but I could not stop. This was not my father. My father never thought these thoughts‚ My father never spoke so. Aunt Alexandra had put him up to this” (Lee 134). I think this shows that Alexandra will develop into a problem later in the book because her personality makes it seem like she is one that creates drama. The children have an unhealthy obsession with Boo Radley which Atticus condemns. Although
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Discuss the significance of the title to the novel. Include references to particular symbols‚ characters and situations. In the novel ‘To kill a Mockingbird’ Harper lee writes about many symbols‚ characters and situations. The title symbolizes the destroying of someone or something innocent. Tom Robinson‚ an innocent person at heart‚ but is being accused of rape. There is Atticus Finch‚ a man that everyone looks up to‚ but then some people think of him badly after the trial. Lastly there is Boo
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