Danielle Chi
Miss Lafferty
HS English - Summer Assignment - C3
July 28, 2014
Literary Questions on To Kill a Mockingbird
In chapter 20, Mr. Raymond states that he acts drunk so that it can “give ‘em a reason” (Lee, 268). How do his actions relate to Atticus and his actions? Give examples to assist your claims. Mr. Raymond feigns a drunken demeanor so that Maycomb’s citizens can have a justification for his failed marriage and his divergent opinions (Lee, 267 - 269). While Atticus is criticized for his actions in defending Tom Robinson (Lee, 135 - 138). Though these characters seem to contrast in reactions, both men have similarities in terms of circumstances. Both Atticus and Mr. (Dolphus) Raymond come from wealthy and traditional families (5 - 6, 214 - 215). Furthermore, both men understand the injustice of racism and wish equality among the community, “‘Cry about the hell white people give to coloured folks, without even stopping to think that they’re people, too.’ / ‘Atticus says cheatin’ a colored man is ten times worse than cheatin’ a white man,’” (Lee, 269).
What does it mean to kill a mockingbird? How does a mockingbird relate to Tom Robinson and the court case?
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The case between Tom Robinson and his prosecutors portray one of the many examples Miss Lee wrote of “killing mockingbirds” throughout the plot. The mockingbird, during the case, represented an innocent being that has been wronged by another unjustly. Thus is the case for Tom Robinson, he had been wrongly indicted for an unforgivable felony and set through a futile attempt to redeem himself and the whole reason why his innocence was unattainable, was because his skin colour contrasted to his white neighbours (Lee, 248,
Leading up to the Civil Rights Movement, the black community was in a constant battle against law enforcement treating them unfair compared to the white community. The Scottsboro Boys and Emmett Till’s cases were one of the many times that the legal system showed to be unfair to blacks. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, the law enforcement and community were very racist against blacks and believed all blacks were criminals. In the story, Atticus Finch, who is a lawyer gets put into a very difficult situation and decides to defend a black man, who went by the name of Tom Robinson.
Atticus is a guy who once won a case for a black man in a rape trial, but now he attends the local Citizens ' Council, a patriarchal white organization dedicated to talking about the dangers of black people. These are the men who today would counter #blacklivesmatter with #whitelivesmatter, the men blind to their own privilege, the men threatened by anyone who isn 't a white male. It was also shocking for his daughter see his behavior , Scout states in Go Set A Watchman : “The one human being she had ever fully and wholeheartedly trusted had failed her , had betrayed her, publicly, grossly, and shamelessly”. Jean Louise immediately writes him off as a racist.
Atticus knows that the case is a matter of he-said, she-said, with a jury unlikely to acquit simply based on the color of Tom Robinson’s skin. Yet, despite this, Atticus took the case. He follows his conscience saying, “ This case, Tom Robinson’s case, is something that goes to the essence of a man’s conscience–Scout, I couldn’t go to church and worship God if I didn’t try to help that man.” (Lee 120) Even in the face of racism in the town of Maycomb, Atticus stands up for what he believes in.
Tom Robinson is accused of a crime he claims he did not do; yet the jury has a different opinion. To Kill a Mockingbird, a historical fiction novel by Harper Lee, is set in the 1930’s and the town they are in is Maycomb, Alabama which is based off of the town of Monroeville, Alabama. The book was written for young adults at the time, but was written over 50 years ago and i still relevant to modern readers today because of how school systems want to teach about The Great Depression, it read to or is being read by students because it teaches cultural and moral lessons. Throughout this novel you will meet many different type of people, with all kinds of personality. Harper Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird for readers to know more about what
In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird the author Harper Lee creates a strong theme showing how two of the main characters represent the innocence of a mockingbird. The two characters that are portrayed as sinners are accused of by men who are blinded by pride to the point where lives are taken. The virtue of Tom Robinson is displayed throughout the course of this story. For example, a witness from the audience at Tom Robinson’s trial speaks out and announces, “I just want the whole lot of you to know one thing right now.
Peter Baskerville, an Australian entrepreneur, once said “The ignorant are ignorant of their ignorance.” The idea of those that are ignorant not realizing they are uneducated on a certain topic is seen throughout To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The ignorance that is seen in the book regarding race, gender and social class is not seen within one person, but seen as a societal standard within the community. This societal standard is what allows the ignorant to not realize that their way of thought is not just or fair. To Kill a Mockingbird shows that ignorance is not something that defines a person, but defines and joins together a community.
I am reading the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Chapters 10-15 in the novel held multiple major events. One of the major events included explaining who Atticus was, and what he was like. Miss Maudie said to Scout that Atticus was good at countless concepts, he was good at playing the Jew's Harp and how he used to be the best shot in Maycomb. Another main event that happened in these chapters was, Jem got in trouble and then had to read to Mrs. Dubose for a whole month.
Lee uses Miss Gates’s ironic views of Hitler and Tom’s trial to show how racial prejudice causes crimes against African Americans to be considered less than crimes committed against white people. A mockingbird is then used to symbolize Tom Robinson as an innocent person wrongly convicted of a crime because of his skin color. The misunderstood characterization of Arthur Radley shows how society will let prejudice guide their imaginated view on the lives of people they don't understand. All three characters provide examples of how a preconceived opinion of one person or a whole race can cause drastic misunderstandings and
To Kill a Mockingbird Argumentative Essay Racial equality and discrimination is a founding issue that has been spread throughout every part of the world, To Kill A Mockingbird was written and published by Harper Lee in 1960, this time was dominated by civil rights protests and some of the first hippie movements following the crushing reality of the Vietnam War, the 60s also saw the struggle against segregation and racial equality. It is no surprise that the extreme political conflict affecting her life and world would greatly impact her writing and influence how she perceived the world during the writing of To Kill a Mockingbird. the influence of the fight for racial inequality is shown greatly in her book as she depicts the everyday life
To Kill a Mockingbird is famous for its controversy. In fact, it has been banned from being read at many schools for its use of racial, sexual, and political content, all of these aiding the book’s “big ideas”. To Kill a Mockingbird has many themes. For example, one is about racial injustice. You would think a jury would establish their final decision based upon the facts, but in this book, the jury had already made up its mind once it heard that the case was a white man versus a black man.
One of the major motifs that is displayed when this quote is examined extensively is the outrageous racism in this novel directed to negroes in the way they live in Maycomb. One example of this racism is the outcome of the Tom Robinson trial being guilty by the decision of the prejudiced jury whose members were a part of an atrocious group that goes by the name of “The Old Sarum Group”. Another one of the major motifs that is displayed is “Good and Evil”. An example of a “good” person is Atticus or Miss Maudie and an example of an “evil” person is Bob Ewell or Mr. Cunningham. Atticus would be considered a “good” person because he performs various acts of kindness and bravery every day such as defending Tom in his case against Bob and Mayella Ewell in hopes that racial equality will prevail and prove Tom's innocence.
To kill a mockingbird is to destroy innocence. Mockingbirds do not cause harm or trouble; in fact their only purpose is to convince others with beautiful music. Tom Robinson’s death can easily be compared to that of a mockingbird; it did no good but also prevented no evil. Mr. Underwood chooses to write an article that basically every citizen of Maycomb can understand, and this proves to the reader the obvious connection between Tom Robinson and the symbol of a mockingbird. Mr. Underwood chooses to ignore the prominent racial barrier that separated Tom Robinson from justice, and chooses to focus on his disability instead.
In our society, innocent people, known as mockingbirds, experience prejudice in their lives. A/T: In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Background: Tom Robinson is a black person who’s was accused of raping a white girl named Mayella Ewell which he has never done. For this reason, Atticus Finch was appointed to be his lawyer. As a result, Atticus takes a stand for him by approving his case and standing up for him, but Tom was still found guilty.
Many people in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper lee, isolate themselves. Sometimes Isolation turns out fine for them, but other time is can hurt them in the inside and make them feel lonely and sad. Mr. Raymond is a huge outsider in town and almost everyone takes pity on him and say it’s not his fault he's a drunk. The whole town thinks he's evil because he has a mixed colored child, in Maycomb you can only be white and be accepted.
As can be seen, Lee’s usage of Tom Robinson’s trial and the racial discrimination and prejudice seen throughout it helps reinforce the theme of social injustice throughout To Kill A Mockingbird. Another encounter that the