According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of revenge is “to inflict injury in return for.” In To Kill a Mockingbird (TKAM) by Harper Lee, Scout, and Jem explore Civil Rights and racism in the segregated Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s. Expressed through the eyes of 7-year-old, you learn about her father Atticus Finch, an attorney who desperately tries to prove the innocence of a black man falsely accused of rape; and about Boo Radley, a mysterious neighbor who saves Scout and Jem from being slaughtered by Bob Ewell. In the scene when Jem and Scout are attacked by Bob Ewell, Lee develops the theme, revenge brings consequences through external conflict, and symbolism. Seeking destructive revenge always creates a larger issue. …show more content…
Dubose, the cranky and socially impaired lady next door to the Finches, for being rude to his family in revenge. “He did not begin to calm down until he had cut the tops off every camellia bush Mrs. Dubose owned until the ground was littered with green buds and leaves.”(137). Jem is the one suffering when Atticus finds out and forces him to make up for it by reading to Mrs. Dubose every afternoon after school and Saturdays for two hours. In this passage, Lee uses symbolism to show how Mrs. Dubose’s flowers (camellias) represent racism, and that you can't get rid of it that easily. Even though Jem cuts the top off of all her camellias, the issue is not yet resolved because the flowers are rooted deeper than that. That’s how that single camellia was left for Jem after Mrs. Dubose died.
Lee helps establish the theme of revenge comes with consequences by using external conflict. An external conflict is a conflict between a character and an outside force. In a character vs. character conflict, it’s called an interpersonal conflict, a branch in the external conflict category. One example of Lee illustrating the theme is when Bob Ewell harrases Tom Robinson’s wife, Helen. After Tom's trial and death, Mr. Link Deas, who was
Lee uses the metaphors presented by Mrs.Dubose’s character to enact a loss of innocence. Mrs. Dubose was “vicious” (115) toward the Finch children every time they walked by her house. She would constantly blame them for performing misdeeds while “stationed on her porch”(116). During the time before the trail of Tom Robinson, Mrs. Dubose gives her opinion on Atticus Finch saying “You're no better than the [n-----] and trash he works for!” (117)
In the book, it says “He did not begin to calm down until he had cut the tops off of every camellia.” (pg 106) In this case, the camellias represent time, showing that after what Mrs. Dubose said about Atticus Jem had no more time/patience for her. This also foreshadowed that Mrs. Dubose was going to die because the Camellias were her life and once they died, so did
Although young boys aren't usually associated with flowers, after killing his neighbor, Mrs. Dubose’s, flowers in a fit of rage, she gifted him a white camellia, a symbolic transfer. According to the web blog ”Fresh Trimmings,” “White camellias symbolize purity and innocence.” The gift of the perfect white Camellia from Mrs. Dubose to Jem represents a transfer of the strength needed to face adversity and the purity of heart needed for Jem
“I want you to understand that courage isn’t a man with a gun in his hand,” (Lee 112). This is a quote spoken from a courageous man who put himself in other people’s positions and did not believe he was superior to African Americans like many in that time period. Atticus Finch is a lawyer, and also the father of Jem and Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The finches live in a small town called Maycomb during 1933, also known as the Great Depression era. Throughout the book, the town faces many racial discrimination issues, especially when an African American man named Tom Robinson is falsely accused of rape of a white female.
To Kill a Mockingbird is a book that deals with many current events during the 1930’s. A major event was the death punishment. The death punishment was used to punish criminals who committed a terrible crime. Tom Robinson was going to have to be given the death punishment.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Mrs. Dubose has a bush of camellias in her yard. These flowers represent racism and prejudice towards black people in Macomb County. She refers to her flowers as “Snow-on-the-Mountain” that have white petals. The white petals show favoritism towards the white people in Maycomb County. In Chapter 11, Jem cuts down all the flowers with Scout’s baton.
Everyone in their life has had a moment where they have shown courage and cowardice at least once. Courage and cowardice show what a person is like and how they act. It also shows what a person is willing to do. In To Kill a Mockingbird, courage and cowardice is shown throughout the book in different scenes and characters.
In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, some people do not recognize that someone wants to help them. The people mentioned had been given or received kindness from someone but they do not know that they are trying to help. The types of kindness that will be shown is kindness within the Finch family, kindness shown through neighbours, and kindness of acquaintances. It is shown that kindness is taken for granted.
To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel which takes place during the Great Depression, and if that isn’t bad enough, what’s worse is the amount of prejudice and injustice the Finch family will endure. Through the courage of the father, Atticus, and the teachings of the nanny, Calpurnia, Jem and Scout are able to fight this prejudice and injustice. Yet Scout is actually very young, the amount of knowledge that she has obtained from people around her about the poverty and racial differences has matured her emotionally and mentally. Atticus proves to be a truly important character in the novel.
In Harper Lee’s American classic, To Kill A Mockingbird (1962), dirty is used as a symbol of shame in the society of Maycomb, Alabama. When Jem ruins Mrs. Dubose’s yard he is punished by having to read to Mrs. Dubose for a month. When he is forced to do this, Scout joins him; however, Scout is not as gladly welcomed as Jem is into Mrs. Dubose’s home. Mrs. Dubose’s first words to Jem are, ‘“So you brought that dirty little sister of yours, did you?’ was her greeting” (Lee ).When
The novel To Kill a Mockingbird is so titled because there are several characters in the story which could be consisted mockingbirds. Tom Robinson and Boo Radley do not cause any harm, they go about their business without interfering in the lives of others, and however both of them are in turn harmed by the citizens of Maycomb. Harper Lee’s novel examines the dark side of human nature and explores the ramifications of prejudice, racism and bigotry in a time when people were openly hostile to anyone they considered different and inferior. Lee tells her story to highlight the injustices of the South during a time of inequality, discrimination, where the innocent are unfairly punished. Tom Robinson a character in the novel is accused of something
To Kill a Mockingbird is a book mainly about the coexistence of good and evil. The book stresses and emphasizes on the exploration of moral nature in humans. There are many themes in this novel including courage, innocence, racism, femininity, etc. However the most prevalent theme in the book is innocence. Not just innocence in itself but the danger and harm evil poses to the innocent.
Blue Jays and Mockingbirds Who are the blue jays and mockingbirds of To Kill A Mockingbird? Set in the early 1930’s of America, Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is a coming-of-age book that tells the story of an innocent, naive child becoming an adult through the experience and intake of racism, discrimination, and social injustice throughout the book. Harper Lee’s development, usage and characterization of her characters throughout To Kill A Mockingbird help establish two of her most important themes of the book, which are the presence of social injustice and the coexistence of good and evil. Social injustice is consistently seen throughout To Kill A Mockingbird.
The theme of law and justice is one of the most significant themes in To Kill A Mockingbird, as the setting of the novel is heavily segregated, which highlights the importance of order and equality. It starkly contrasts with the theme of racial segregation and social ranks, therefore bringing about the concepts of good and evil in Maycomb society. Although law and order is present throughout the novel, it is presented as the weaker force when compared to segregation and chaos. This is shown when Scout describes Tom, “If he had been whole, he would have been a fine specimen of a man”, the word “whole” meaning disabled literally. However, there is this symbolic meaning of “whole” describing Tom’s skin colour, making him not whole as a person.
Revenge can be a horrible emotion; it can sometimes lead people to do horrible things. By definition, Revenge means to get retribution for a wrongdoing done to you. In my opinion, revenge is mostly caused by fear and the overwhelming feeling of payback Throughout history, revenge, or vengeance, has been altered by several cultures and religions, and even the American culture. Though it often leads one to perform criminal acts, Howard argues that it is a necessary component in the functioning of society. He points out that revenge is a threat that acts as a disincentive to undeserved violence.