...This essay is going to be about how Atticus is a hero. Atticus is a very nice guy. He help Scout read, and and he help defend Tom Robinson. Everyone in Maycomb Alabama didn’t want him to defend Tom Robinson. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the character of Atticus Finch represents Lee’s idea of social justice by demonstrating heroism, righteous. and compassion. In To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee present heroism, by teaching others to read even though the teacher condone it. For example the Novel says “Atticus has to been teaching Scout to read since she was little” (Lee, 25). Atticus still teaches Scout to read even though the teacher condone it. Lee show that Atticus does care about what the teacher says and does the...
Words: 356 - Pages: 2
...Atticus Finch is one of the most steadfastly honest and moral characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird“ by Harper Lee and his character remains, for the most part, unchanged throughout “To Kill a Mockingbird”. As any character analysis of Atticus Finch should note in terms of the plot of “To Kill a Mockingbird” he begins as an upstanding citizen who is respected and admired by his peers and even though he loses some ground during the trial, by the end of To Kill a Mockingbird he is still looked up to, both by his children and the community as whole—with all class levels included. As a lawyer in To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch represents everything that someone working in the justice system should. He is fair, does not hold grudges, and looks at every situation from a multitude of angles. As Miss Maude quite correctly puts it in one of the important quotes from “To Kill a Mockingbird”by Harper Lee, “Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets” (87) and this could also be said of how he behaves in the courtroom. He is a skilled lawyer and without making outright accusations in a harsh tone he effectively points out that Bob Ewell is lying. Even more importantly, the subject of this character analysis, Atticus Finch, is able to gracefully point out to the jury that there although there probably are a few black men who are capable of crimes, “this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of men” (208). His understanding of...
Words: 823 - Pages: 4
...THE GLENCOE LITERATURE LIBRARY Study Guide for To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee i Meet Harper Lee at the same university. In 1949, however, she withdrew and moved to New York City with the goal of becoming a writer. While working at other jobs, Lee submitted stories and essays to publishers. All were rejected. An agent, however, took an interest in one of her short stories and suggested she expand it into a novel. By 1957 she had finished a draft of To Kill a Mockingbird. A publisher to whom she sent the novel saw its potential but thought it needed reworking. With her editor, Lee spent two and a half more years revising the manuscript. By 1960 the novel was published. In a 1961 interview with Newsweek magazine, Lee commented: Writing is the hardest thing in the world, . . . but writing is the only thing that has made me completely happy. To Kill a Mockingbird was an immediate and widespread success. Within a year, the novel sold half a million copies and received the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Within two years, it was turned into a highly acclaimed film. Readers admire the novel’s sensitive and probing treatment of race relations. But, equally, they enjoy its vivid account of childhood in a small rural town. Summing up the novel’s enduring impact in a 1974 review, R. A. Dave called To Kill a Mockingbird . . . a movingly human drama of the jostling worlds—of children and adults, of innocence and experience, of kindness and cruelty, of love and hatred, of humor...
Words: 4484 - Pages: 18
...Search Type in your essay topic: ex. Vietnam War JOIN LOGIN CUSTOM ESSAYS HELP CONTACT A time to kill Essay Below is a free essay on "A time to kill" from Anti Essays, your source for free research papers, essays, and term paper examples. “JUSTICE CAN BE COLOR BLIND” “A Time to Kill” takes place in a small Mississippi town, where two white Men kidnap, rape, and nearly beat to death a young black girl. The men are caught, but the girl’s father, Carl Lee Hailey, takes justice into his own hands. The film, “A Time to Kill”, revolves around the trial of a black man accused of murdering the two men that raped his 10-year old daughter. Carl Lee is defended by up-and-coming white lawyer, Jake Brigance, with the help of a bright law student, Ellen Roark. Carl Lee’s trial triggers racial tensions which involve the Ku Klux Klan and the NAACP. Carl Lee faces an all-white jury, and a corrupt judge, while his attorney, and those who are close to him, face personal attacks on their lives. The courtroom battle is a father’s struggle for justice, and the question as to whether a black man can get a fair trial in the South. After the rape of 10-year old Tonya Hailey, her father, Carl Lee Hailey, is distraught. Carl Lee goes to visit attorney Jake Brigance, who had defended his brother, Lester, in a prior case. Carl Lee is worried that the two accused rapists might get off. He recounts to Jake a case from a bout a year ago, when four white men raped an African-American...
Words: 676 - Pages: 3
...Independent Study Project Othello, the Invisible Wound, To Kill a Mockingbird July 30th 2014 By Eileen Harford Everyone has had a time in their life when they have misjudged a situation. Whether it was assuming someone took your pencil when it is actually in behind you ear, or assuming which character is the killer in our favorite movie, we all have misjudgements all the time in our lives. When was the last time you have mistaken a situation? The theme of false judgement demonstrated in the play “Othello” by Shakespeare, the short story “The Invisible Wound” by Karoly Kisfaludi, and the film “To Kill a Mockingbird”. In these three storylines, the author exhibits the theme of false judgment through a character of innocence that is poorly misjudged and ends tragically for them. Othello accuses his wife, Desdemona of adultery, while the unnamed protagonist in “The Invisible Wound” also inaccurately assumes his wife is cheating. In “To Kill a Mockingbird”, the jury accuses Tom Robinson of a crime that he did not commit all because of the colour of his skin. Given the above, it is clear that these three story lines hold the same theme of an error in judgement occurring. Throughout the play, “Othello” by William Shakespeare, a few of the characters are condemned on untruthful information. Desdemona and Cassio are victims of poor judgement. Accusations towards Desdemona seem to be the most prominent to any reader – which all begin when Othello falls to Iago’s manipulation that...
Words: 1945 - Pages: 8
...Harper Lee’s book, To Kill A Mockingbird, speaks of a small town called Maycomb, where young Scout Finch lives. Scout’s father, Atticus, bears a striking resemblance to Harper Lee’s father. This is just one of the many parallels between Monroeville, where Lee grew...
Words: 1694 - Pages: 7
...Racism, Social Class, and Gender Issues: A Look Into 1930s Maycomb, Alabama. The film, To Kill A Mockingbird directed by Robert Mulligan, portrays a message of racism, social class, and gender issues faced by southern towns post Civil War era. The 1962 film adaptation of the classic book, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee was masterfully captured being placed on the American Film Institute’s list of greatest American movies of all time and taking home many countless awards. The black and white portrayal from text to film is exquisitely captured turning pages to picture while reveling a heartbreaking reality. Through camera, lighting, and sound Robert Mulligan creates a mood to communicate the vision of Harper Lee. The film takes place in Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s. Robert Mulligan illustrates the story of the lives of Scout and Jem, children growing up in this small town with their friend Dill who stays for the summer. The youngsters become infatuated with getting a glimpse of Boo Radley the unseen hermit of a neighbor. This summer also entails issues facing, their attorney father, Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch defends Tom Robinson, an African American man falsely accused of raping a white woman from town, Mayella Ewell. The children catch wind of the trial and for the first time witness evil realities of the world. Jem and Scout, Atticus’s children become the targets of Bob Ewell, the father of Mayella Ewell. Bob Ewell tries to kill them one Halloween...
Words: 1097 - Pages: 5
...To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel written by Harper Lee. It is set in the 1930s in the south of the United States, a time and place when the equality between African Americans and those of white America was non-existent. Atticus Finch, one of the main characters in the book, plays a single father of two young children, Scout and Jem. It is his loving care, reasoned approach, belief in justice and equality, and courage that make him a great father and a good role model for his children. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus shows a genuine love for his two children. It is clear from the way his youngest child, Scout refers to him, that he is affectionate and protective. The final sentence of the book confirms this. ‘He turned out the light and went into Jem’s room. He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning’ It is a relationship of mutual respect between the children and their father. He speaks to them on a mature level, is never condescending and explains patiently whenever they have questions. The children feel comfortable communicating openly with Atticus and he is never dismissive of their feeling or concerns. ‘Bit by bit I told him of the day’s misfortunes. - “And she said you taught me all wrong, so we can’t ever read anymore, ever. Please don’t send me back, please sir.”’ When Scout doesn’t want to go back to school, Atticus explains the importance of learning and offers gentle advice. Although Atticus struggles to maintain...
Words: 835 - Pages: 4
...To Kill a Mockingbird To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, is a critically acclaimed novel narrated by Scout FInch, following an important three years in her life. This novel became an instant best seller, an Academy Award-winning film, and a winner of the Pulitzer Prize. This book in some states are part of the English curriculum to be taught in high schools, while in other states it is banned from school libraries. This book arises much controversy because it is based around white supremacy in the South, and how African Americans were harshly treated. It reveals the ugly truth on how society handled cases in the court and the biased verdicts as the result. It also reveals the existence of good and evil in a small town, and how some adults...
Words: 1838 - Pages: 8
...The movie To Kill a Mockingbird is about a family that lives in a town called Maycomb, where the kids, Scout and Jem, attempt to figure out the mysterious story of their neighbor, Boo Radley. One day, their father, Atticus Finch, takes on a case involving a black man, Tom Robinson, who was falsely accused of raping a white woman. The Finch family dealt with an enormous amount of hatred from the other residents, because the movie took place during the time period of the Great Depression, where there were a lot of social issues regarding racism. Reacting to the unfair social racism against African Americans, To Kill a Mockingbird is trying to close the separation between different races and unite them. Given the time period, the white men and...
Words: 470 - Pages: 2
...Injustice is defined as “the lack of fairness or justice”, while boundaries are physical or social limitations which can lead to unfairness. For example, Harper Lee’s not-so talked about character, Tom Robinson faces a huge injustice in chapter 21 of To Kill a Mockingbird: He’s found guilty of raping Mayella Ewell. In The Untold Story of Emmett Till, Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam are found not guilty of the murder of Emmett Till even though there is some pretty damning evidence against them. In A Bronzeville Mother Loiters in Mississippi. Meanwhile, a Mississippi Mother Burns Bacon, Carolyn Bryant’s home life is riddled with little gender boundaries. The difference between boundaries and injustice aren't that different from each other when living down South. Being Black in the South, especially in Alabama, in 1935 is bad enough, but when you throw being accused of raping a White woman on top of it you’re already dead. Tom Robinson’s verdict is one of the biggest disappointments in the book, even though it’s known from the get-go. The jury chooses Bob and Mayella Ewell’s word over Tom’s even though they are seen as the scourge of the town, as implied when Atticus Finch tries to sell his...
Words: 526 - Pages: 3
...Society’s Impact On Growth And Understanding In her novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee demonstrates how society shapes our understandings of others, but that this can be mitigated by strong role models. Scout Finch is strongly impacted by the “old traditions of the south” during her growth into womanhood and when she pushes against the stereotypes placed on her as a southerner and a young lady to find her gender identity. The beliefs of Atticus Finch and his involvement in the courtroom have had a big impact on Scout’s growth. Atticus’ beliefs were different than the beliefs of most people of Maycomb and he “bestowed a benevolent order on the Finch household by his example” which slowly shifted Scout’s views on their society’s division....
Words: 1080 - Pages: 5
...To Kill a Mockingbird, by Nelle Haper Lee was published in 1960, after the 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education and during a time of increasing civil rights unrest (Johnson). It was also a time of great social change in the United States, and a novel about the racial injustices of 1930s Alabama carried a powerful message to its readers. After the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, literature and literacy were used to expose and educate on racial injustice (Prendergrast 2). The dominant theme of the novel is prejudice and ultimately the courage needed to overcome prejudice. There are three main types of prejudice that are explored in the novel; racial prejudice, social prejudice and fear of the unknown. Racial prejudice is present throughout the novel in the people of Maycomb’s everyday life, as it is a novel set in the ‘deep south’ of America in the 1930’s. This period is not so long after the American civil war, so slavery’s abolishment had occurred not all that long ago, and the horror of slavery was still on the mind of many black people at the time (Brundage 86). Because of this, most people’s attitudes towards black people had not changed very much. The situation that shows the best examples of racial prejudice is the trial of Tom Robinson. In his trial, Tom Robinson is misjudged and mistreated because he is black. One of the clearest examples of this is the way in which Mr. Gilmer, Tom’s prosecutor, calls Tom “boy.” He uses a tone of voice towards...
Words: 1526 - Pages: 7
...Lina Osmolovskaya Group 402 Analysis of the extract from novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” Hapter Lee was born in 1926 in the state of Alabama. In 1945-1949 she studied law at the University of Alabama. “To Kill a Mockingbird” is her first novel. It received almost unanimous critical acclaim and several awards, the Pulitzer Prize among them. The extract under study depicts a trial of Tom Robinson, a Negro, who is accused of assaulting a white girl. His defending counsel is Atticus Finch, experiences lawyer who is going his best to prove the innocence of the Negro. The main problem raised by the author is an issue of justice. The message of Hapter Lee is that in the face of court each and every human should be treated honestly, no matter what his social status, education or colour of skin is. The story is told by Jean Louise, seven years old daughter of Atticus who is watching the trial. It helps to make the narration much more vivid, emotional and real because she knows her father very well and therefore is able to see each and every unusual detail in his behavior. For example antisepsis “in public and private”, homogeneous parts of the sentence “he unbuttoned his vest, unbuttoned his collar, loosened his tie and took off his coat” and an epithet “stark naked” are employed to show how excited was Atticus on the trial. But despite his excitement, he did not lose his professionalism what is made clear by the use of simile “he was talking to the jury as if they were folks on the...
Words: 626 - Pages: 3
...Wise and the life of Scout Finch in Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, in which they highlight the difference in treatment between those of color and those who are white. Throughout the entirety...
Words: 859 - Pages: 4
