...“Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it” (George Bernard Shaw). In the early nineteen hundreds, To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, takes place. This novel shed light on racism and prejudice situated in a beautiful small town called Maycomb. Directed by Robert Mulligan, To Kill a Mockingbird was created to have a similar feel to the novel, but missed vital scenes and characters. Christmas at Finch’s Landing was a scene not shown in the movie, missing Atticus’s own relatives calling him names and what Scout and Jem had to go through. “‘Scout’s got to learn to keep her head and learn soon with what’s in store for her these next few months’’’ (Lee 116). Reading To Kill a Mockingbird shows how Atticus taking Tom Robinson’s case has changed people, solely because Atticus is defending a black man. Also, people are feeding false information to the idea that black people are bad. In contrast, nothing was shown about this during the movie. Therefore, Christmas was not spent at Finch’s Landing and Scout never punched Francis. Scout, Jem, and Atticus have to...
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...Mara Arisman 8A Literature March 06,18 To Kill A Mockingbird Essay To Kill a Mockingbird was written by Harper Lee. This novel is set in Maycomb, Alabama around 1933. Scout, the narrator, Jem, her brother, and her father, Atticus Finch, have to help a black man, Tom Robinson, who was convicted of rape. Along the way, they meet many new people and learn a lot of valuable lessons like never kill a mockingbird. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in a “sleepy town” called Maycomb, Alabama around 1933 during the Great Depression. Scout said that Maycomb is a “tired old town” where “people seem to move slower” (6 Lee). This is s small town so everyone knows everything about everybody. Southern Alabama has “summers that drift into autumn, and autumn...
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...Truth in Equality The idea of equality throughout all men and races plays a major role in Atticus Finch’s ideology. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch is portrayed as a trusted, respected, high integrity person who will always do the right thing to keep a moral authority over others in his County, state, or even to the whole world. In the defense for Tom Robinson, Atticus summarizes his case by creating a strong sense of equality in hopes to sway the jury for a hope of Robinson’s innocence. Atticus tries to instill fairness into the bigoted courtroom, “ There is one way in this country in which all men are created equal - there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any...
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...Dehumanization is being shown in the book through Mr. Tom Robinson. Atticus Finch’s wise words oppose the harsh effects or dehumanization. This is done through Atticus’s actions and responses to situations presented in the book. For example, when Atticus is asked whether or not he should defend a black man. He tells them, "Before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience" (Lee 105). Atticus explains that this is the reason that he MUST defend Mr. Tom Robinson, a negro man. Atticus wants to show his kids that all people are the same. That skin color does not mean anything. Atticus Finch is a man that people can compare to Muhammad Ali because he was not afraid to start dialogue against dehumanization. Just like Ali was not afraid to speak his opposition to the Vietnam war because they denied basic rights of black citizens. Another piece of advice that Atticus gives the children discusses how they should react or act with other people and peers. Atticus said, “you might hear some ugly talk about it at school, but do one thing for me if you will: you just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don’t let ‘em get your goat” (Lee 76). He tells Scout that she needs...
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...In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the public heavily influences the development of some character’s personalities. Characters such as Tom Robinson, Boo Radley and Atticus Finch are judged by the public purely by their associated stereotypes and outward appearance. Although the public’s opinion contributed to the interpretation of each man, the misjudgement the characters face daily impacts their lives internally, socially and emotionally. Due to family playing a paramount role throughout the novel, influencing the internal workings of the family dynamic, it begins destroying the Finch’s family mentality. This is heavily noted as Jem progresses through puberty. Illustrated clearly when Scout begins seeing her and Jem’s relationship slowly...
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...the town that socially determined their worth. In the story the setting of Maycomb is the true antagonist. Skin color makes a man in society. Atticus, a lawyer and probably the fairest man in Maycomb, defends black man Tom Robinson. Atticus is a true rarity, because he’s a white man who’s intelligent and has money, who respects blacks fairly. In court Atticus makes a bold move by saying,”But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal..” (Lee, 27). Atticus stands up for Tom Robinson, which makes him hated by racist white men. White men like Bob Ewell, Bob Ewell has Maycomb’s ‘disease’. Bob is a lazy and insane drunk poor man who accuses Tom Robinson of raping his daughter. Tom Robinson is a disabled black man who’s affected by Maycomb’s disease. Tom gets wrongly accused, and ends up dead because of it,Tom was innocent, but because of his skin color he was found guilty. Racism is a big social issue, which affects everyone’s lives....
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...Throughout Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, family is used to set extreme examples of how families react during times of incredible hardship. In doing this, Harper Lee solidifies the important role that family has to play in the story of ‘To Kill A Mockingbird.’ By making each family represent a quality, whether it be positive or negative, Harper Lee creates a world with feels real to the reader, and hammers home all the points that she is trying to make. Specifically, Lee uses the Finch family, the Ewelle Family, and the Black Community, to emphasize the importance of family within the novel. In ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ the Finch family is used as a pillar for how to be an exemplary American in the town of Maycomb. The Finch family represents...
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...To Kill a Mockingbird Tiffin University Lisa Caskey September 28, 2012 Degree Completion Program English 365 Issues in Literature Discrimination and prejudice were very common in the 1900’s. Prejudice is defined in the Webster’s dictionary as “preconceived judgment; or opinion; an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge”. (http://www.merriam-webster.com/). Discrimination is defined as “prejudiced or prejudicial outlook, action, and or treatment” (http://www.merriam-webster.com/). Discrimination and Prejudice run rampant in Maycomb County, Alabama. To Kill a Mockingbird is a story based in time of the Great Depression. The book displayed acts of hate based on the color of someone’s skin. Colored people were the main ones discriminated against. But there were instances where poverty stricken families were also discriminated against. The story begins in the summer in a small town called Maycomb County. The story is told from a child’s perspective. The child’s name is Scout finch. She is retelling the story of her and her brother Jem’s childhood. Their summer consists of playing games and acting out scenarios from different books. They also act out stories made up about people residing within their neighborhood. They do this along with “Dill” Miss Rachel’s nephew who comes to Maycomb for the summer. These stories are based on assumptions and judgments of what they believe...
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...Throughout the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee discusses the effects of discrimination and the toll it takes on people. Through examples of sexism, prejudice, and racism, from the townsfolk of a small town in Alabama, she shows the readers the injustice of many. The victims of discrimination serve as the ‘mockingbirds’ of the story, as said by Atticus,“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (Lee, 94). In essence, this story demonstrates the loss of innocence of many, especially Scout who is affected by sexism and racism most of all. By far, one of the most evident forms of discrimination present in To Kill a Mockingbird is racism. It impacts the actions of every single character in the book and formulates...
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...Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel centered around a few years in Jean Louise “Scout” Finch’s childhood, featuring her experiences and the lessons that she learns growing up in the 1930s. Scout and her brother, Jeremy “Jem” Finch, mature in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, in a one-parent home. Their father and aunt, Atticus and Alexandra, raise them with help from Calpurnia, their African American maid. Harper Lee weaves several different themes throughout the novel, but some are more prominent than others. Lee develops the main themes of growth, protection of innocence, and perception throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, disguised in the form of lessons learned during the narrator’s childhood. Harper Lee reveals her theme of growth...
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...Faisal Amjad 11/01/15 Film Appreciation The Film and novel I decided to do on is the classic To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), which had a legendary cast starring Gregory Peck as Atticus and Mary Badham as Scout, this adaption of the book is as much a classic as the novel itself in my opinion which can be backed up by any person who is in American theater. The film received eight Academy Awards nominations and netted awards for Best Actor, Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, and Best Art Direction — Set Decoration, Black and White. This film was a critical adaption of the book. Fans and critiques alike rank this among the best movies of all time, it is ranked #84 top rated movie of all time on IMDB.com, (rated by the people and critiques alike) the production was very extensive and expensive for its time, the budget for the film was about 2 million dollars and made well over $15 million at the box office and it was filmed on 35mm role of film. It was directed by Robert Mulligan, Written by Harper Lee (based on her novel "To Kill a Mockingbird"), and Horton Foote (screenplay) the movie was produced by universal international pictures....
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...Personal beliefs are shaped by perspective. In order to change a belief, a change in perspective has to occur. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Lee shows the change in Scout Finch’s beliefs as she matures and her perspective changes. We can see this when Scout evaluates Walter Cunningham’s way of life at her supper table, when she starts to witness the social inequalities in Maycomb, Alabama during Tom Robinson's trial, and when she learned the truth about her childhood monster, Boo Radley. As Walter Cunningham sat at the Finch’s table for Dinner, Scout who had previously beat him up that day, was furious because Walter’s way of life got her in trouble from her teacher, Miss Caroline. Atticus Finch, whose morals are strong believes in treating everyone equally says, “If you learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.” (Lee, page 39) As any six year old would, Scout has a temper but Atticus always reminding her that it is important to step in other people’s shoes. This especially carries over to the...
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...The Man in the Moon (1991) Review/Film; A New Boy In Town Captures Her Heart Everything about "The Man in the Moon," Robert Mulligan's effortlessly old-fashioned family drama set in a small Southern town, has a rosy glow. It's a reminder that Mr. Mulligan, a seasoned film maker whose credits include "To Kill a Mockingbird," "Summer of '42" and "The Other," can direct with real tenderness and without fake emotion. His latest film unfolds gently and gracefully, in a climate where the warmth isn't merely a matter of weather. Until its final reel, when it strains badly to accommodate an almost biblical stroke of retribution, "The Man in the Moon" is a small, fond film that achieves a kind of quiet perfection. The story concerns two sisters, and Mr. Mulligan can find something evocative even in the way the elder braids the younger one's hair. The latter, 14-year-old Dani (Reese Witherspoon), is just on the verge of real beauty, while the slightly older Maureen (Emily Warfield) has already gotten there. The girls' family, which is beautifully evoked, exists at all different stages of development, from their toddler sister to their pregnant mother (Tess Harper) and the father (Sam Waterston) who is wary of his daughters' prospective suitors. In his or her own way, each member of this family longs for a boy. When one arrives, in the form of a handsome teen-age neighbor named Court (Jason London), he affects the girls' family in powerful ways. The coltish Dani becomes smitten with...
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...conflict to the story, to make it more entertaining. In any story there will always be a stereotype involved. This holds true for To Kill a Mockingbird. Every element is affected by stereotypes. Every character and situation has a stereotype in the novel. The characters of To Kill a Mockingbird each have a stereotype about them that affects their lives and the stereotypes of the story is one of the main themes. Scout, Jean Louise Finch, is Atticus’s daughter, who is a tomboy. She is often told to be a young lady....
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...us. Atticus Finch, in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, does this in excess. Atticus has so much empathy for others that it actually clouds his judgement. Excessive empathy leads Atticus to make excuses for other’s behaviors, and to justify their wrongdoings. Atticus also lacks confidence to stand up for what and who...
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