To Kill a Mockingbird was published right as the Civil Rights Movement peaked in the 1960s. Lee 's interest in the subject of civil injustices in the south began when she was just five years old. At the time, nine black men were on trial for raping two white women. This was a highly controversial and publicized trial. In the end, the nine men were sentenced to lengthy prison time. Many lawyers and American citizens claimed that the suspected motivation for the result of the case was racial prejudice. This case from Lee’s childhood drove her to create To Kill a Mockingbird. Her innocence when hearing about the rape case influenced how she portrays Scout 's innocence regarding the racial injustice and the court case in the novel. By using …show more content…
One of the prime symbols that this novel focused on is the mockingbird. The mockingbird was spoken about in a sacred manner. Atticus and Miss. Maudie both agreed that “it is a sin to kill a mockingbird,” (119). Miss. Maudie further explained that mockingbirds “don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy,” (119). The actions of a mockingbird are pure which relates to the purity of innocence. Killing a mockingbird was considered a sin because it was killing a part of who these characters were. For example, Scout “killed her mockingbird” when she witnessed the death of Bob Ewell. After the attack, Atticus and Heck were discussing the possible scenarios that may have caused the death to occur. They finally accept that “Bob Ewell fell on his knife.” Atticus then looked at Scout and said “it’s like shootin’ a mockingbird,” (370). Atticus was not referring to Bob Ewell as the mockingbird, rather to his daughter’s innocence. She was victim of an attack and observed a man’s death. She was no longer his ingenuous nine-year-old daughter; her mockingbird had been shot. Using the mockingbird as a symbol in the title of the book, as well as throughout the story, Lee’s purpose was evident to readers. It made the reader think about the mockingbird and its purpose from the front cover to the last page of the book which enhanced the purpose of the novel; the importance of childlike
To Kill a Mockingbird was written by Harper Lee in 1962 during the Civil Rights movement, but was set in Alabama in the 1930s. Lee’ father, who was a lawyer in the South during a time of racial prejudice paralleling Atticus, defended an innocent Black men in a case he later lost. Similar to Atticus, Lee’s father lost the case because his client was Black. Having experienced this racial prejudice first hand, Lee chose to write this novel to highlight the racial injustice that took place during the 1930s and the many effects that occured from the racism. Lee uses ethos and logos in Atticus’s speech to the jury, to inform the reader of the injustices of racism.
In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee tells a poignant coming-of-age story about the loss of innocence in the character of Scout. Three significant events illustrate this fact. The first example portrayed in the novel occurred when Scout went to the jail to find out what Atticus was up to, only to find that a mob had arrived to lynch Tom Robinson. This event left Scout with the notion of a mob mentality. Another event was the turning point of the story, the trial of Tom Robinson; this defining moment taught Scout of prejudice and injustice.
Have you ever wondered which event in your life made you see everything differently? Everybody faces various experiences with the realities of the world that eventually results in the loss of their innocence. The loss of innocence can be the outcome of an incident witnessed, a final conclusion about an issue, or an understanding of a situation. The loss of innocence is the same thing as maturity. Now, of course, you can’t go to sleep one night and wake up mature.
Lee's father was a southern lawyer, like Atticus. Lee never liked to play with dolls or anything girly. She was just like Scout and liked to do boy things. The authors purpose is to connect her life with the Scottsboro Trial but most importantly to show innocence and how Jem and Scout lose it as they get older. She is trying to perceive innocence because Scout and Jem are young and had to deal with their father that wasn't home and always had to deal with Tom's case.
The Mockingbird is originally brought up as the only thing Atticus has ever called a sin, which is why Scout remembers it. Atticus says, “Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a Mockingbird” (Lee 103). Later on, it is stated that it is a sin to kill a Mockingbird because they are innocent, and all they do is sing songs for other people to enjoy. As the plot thickens, we get introduced to a Mockingbird, Tom Robinson, someone who was innocent but got killed. Tom Robinson gets tried for rape and gets sentenced guilty, even though the story did not add up in the slightest, and quickly becomes a victim of overkill.
Harper Lee uses Characterization to show the reader of her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, how different people and events impact children as they grow up and shape the kind of adults they will turn out to be. She shows how the people of Maycomb influenced Jem and how Scout’s view was changed by a single person. Lee also makes it evident that one event can change children’s entire perception of the
Lee uses the mockingbird as a symbol of evoking empathy in the novel. She writes, “I’d rather you shoot a tin can in the backyard, but I know you’ll go after the birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit them, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee119). Atticus is explaining to Scout to not kill the mockingbird because it’s a sin. Lee evokes empathy by using the mockingbird to symbolize innocence.
Explaining to Jem and Scout that the mockingbird only sings its heart out for us. This also goes into the court case that Atticus is working on. Tom Robinson is convicted of rape when it is proven that he did nothing and it was Bob Ewell that gave Mayella Ewell, his own daughter all the injuries. Tom Robinson was later sentenced guilty and only because of the racism in the town, which is completely unfair in society and the only one that really seems to recognize it is Atticus.
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
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel that show the life of a southern state od Alabama during the “black racism” time period, where majority of the people had the mentality that (quote) with the exception of a few. To chosen to portray it from the eyes of Scout Finch, from a child’s point of view. Living in Maycomb, in the midst of a conservative society of the 1930’s and 20’s Southern America Scout Finch is an extra ordinary child.
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.
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
Even though Scout displayed innocence but still was excluded from games with Dill and Jem because of her gender, Harper Lee did not intend for her to be perceived as a Mockingbird. On the contrary, Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are portrayed as mockingbirds, birds recognized for their innocence but also targeted. Body Paragraph #1 Topic Sentence #1: Tom Robinson, a black man convicted of rape, was an example of à Mockingbird because he was targeted even though he was innocent. Integrated Evidence #1: After the town of Maycomb found out about the tragic killing of Tom Robinson, “[Mr. Underwood] likened Tom’s death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children”(Lee 323) in an editorial. Analysis 1: Tom Robinson was wrongfully accused of raping Mayella Ewell.
Innocence is a word used to describe someone 's purity. Children are prime examples of innocence, as they don’t have judgments and don’t understand mature topics. In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the reader can interpret innocence as the growing up of the children. Specifically, Jem Finch showed a loss of innocence as he grew up. He showed his loss of innocence by not playing games, his more mature use of words and body language, and his different view of the world around him.
The way the people and the town influence Jem and Scout make the characters more realistic and the overall story much more interesting. To Kill a Mockingbird is an exceptional novel that conveys many positive messages throughout. In her novel, Lee creates honest and relatable characters that take the reader on a journey through life in the south during the Great Depression. Readers are impressed by Lee’s eloquent writing and amazing characters, all of which make To