...of a novel is an important asset for the author to present their story in a way they see fit. By allowing the author to express their emotions, the title remains a significant feature. When examining the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the reader can see that the mockingbird is a metaphorical symbolization of the theme of innocence, or the loss of. Published in 1960 by Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird has become a literary classic. This essay will explore the significance of the title “To Kill a Mockingbird” and will endeavor to explain to the reader why Harper Lee’s novel is called To Kill a Mockingbird while also touching on some of the themes that are connected to the title, such as the loss of innocence and injustice. Revolving...
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...This process of maturity can often be examined from fictional characters, such as Scout and Jem from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, and Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsb by Scott Fitzgerald. Each of these characters encounters different processes of coming of age. When these characters process of maturation and coming of age are compared, the most relevant coming of age best exhibited by Holden from The Catcher in the Rye, following with Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird and Mr. Gatsby from The Great Gatsby; however, differences in coming of age are apparent in the different time periods of each novel setting, practicality, and present social issues. Holden Caulfield, the main character in The Catcher in the...
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...Birds of Innocence Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is an exceptional story of cowardice and courage, of prejudice and acceptance. Most obviously, it is a story of maturity and innocence. In the novel, Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley are all metaphorically portrayed as mockingbirds because of their observable innocence with others in their community and their evident kindness. While each character has noticeably different storylines and symbolic references to the mockingbird, all three have their inculpability in common. Atticus Finch is depicted as a mockingbird, not only because of his incorruption, but also because of his fatherly instincts and his unmistakable courage. In chapter twenty-nine and thirty we see Atticus’s righteousness in full light. As they sauntered home from the school pageant, Jem and Scout were attacked. Atticus, knowing that Bob Ewell has threatened him and what he loves, does not outright blame Bob for his children’s wounds and injuries. Mockingbirds are extremely territorial and protective of their young. In chapter ten we see Atticus’s shooting skills as he protects his children from a rabid dog. Another trait shown by mockingbirds is their courage when defending their...
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...Every individual matures throughout his or her life, some much quicker than others. Maturity greatly relies on the environment children are raised in and the people around them, every aspect affecting their development. As children mature they typically learn about negative traits and how to develop good ones. They learn from others and create a pathway for their own individuality in order to become an adult. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, Scout begins as an innocent child protected from the evils of society, but later matures and develops to become an understanding individual. Innocence from the world’s evils is usually interpreted as a positive trait, however, the opposite occurs in To Kill a Mockingbird because...
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...Ivey Honors English 9 2\8\15 To Kill A Mockingbird was one of the best books of the twentieth century. It has lots of good morals and shows how people learn lessons. In this book there are many instances where people follow Atticus’ advice. When he says you need to walk in someone’s shoes before you can judge their lives. Throughout the book people learn about this lesson more and more. One example is when Scout walks in Boo’s shoes. During the story Scout was on Boo’s porch and was finally getting a view from Boo’s eyes. She said this is as close as you can get to walking in somebody’s shoes. She realizes Boo isn’t really the bad person everybody thinks he is. She realizes he really has a good heart and is a really kind person. She realized how it would have affected him if Atticus would not have lied. She saw how he saw the town and the people in it. Another example is Atticus and Heck walking in Boo’s shoes. They both realize that they have to lie to protect Boo. They realize Boo doesn’t want all the attention of being a hero. They both see he is a really good man. They see he’s never done anything wrong and doesn’t deserve to be brought out of his comfort zone. They compared it to killing a mockingbird, because a mockingbird does nothing but make pretty music and never hurts anyone, so why kill it? They walked in Boo’s shoes and saw why they should protect him from the attention and everything he doesn’t want. The next example is Jem walking in Ms. Dubose’s shoes...
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...com). Courage appears all around us in all different types, such as in tv shows, movies, books, and in real life. For example, there are many controversial types of courage shown in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. To Kill A Mockingbird is about the people who live in an imaginary town in Alabama, called Maycomb, during the Great Depression. When racism and justice collide head on in Atticus’s courtroom, it is important to be courageous and brave no matter what the circumstances. Three examples of courage from the book are, when Jem stands up to save Atticus at the jailhouse, Boo Radley secretly laying the blanket over Scout, and Mrs. Dubose quitting her morphine addiction. The first...
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... Scout’s Development Essay In the book “To Kill a Mockingbird” Jean Louise Finch or better known as Scout develops over the course of the book, her development is paralleled by her view and opinion on Boo Radley. Throughout the book she changes her views on Boo from an unsightly monster to a kindhearted gentle man. While scout starts to understand Boo over the course of the book, her maturity also develops and she starts growing into an adult. In the very beginning of the book when Scout and Jem first meet dill, Scout says this to Dill about the Radley residence, “Inside the house lived a malevolent phantom. People said he existed, but Jem and I had never seen him” (Lee 7.) As the quote shows Scout views Boo Radley as a monster who has no care for anyone. At this point in the book Scout is six years old. When scout is at school she picks fights with teachers and other kids. One of the best examples of this in the beginning of the book is when Miss Caroline tries to give Walter Cunningham a quarter to buy lunch when he forgets his lunch. Scout tries to explain to Miss caroline that his family is poor and cannot pay her back. After Scout is punished she goes home and whines to Atticus about what happened. This situation is a representation of her immaturity at the beginning of the book. The rest of the year goes by, Scout and Jem both finish up their school year, but Scout’s developments in her maturity and her understanding of Boo Radley don't show until the...
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...To Kill a Mockingbird was a great and unique novel about two children that were the main character and this essay is to explain why the point of view and the characters of To Kill a Mockingbird would affect the plot and overall structure of the novel. The point of view affects the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird because the characters are all different, they are of all ages, and the people of Maycomb all have different aspects of the Tom Robinson case. These two literary terms really effect the novel and the plot of the whole story especially because of how a lot of the people of Maycomb are intriguingly different. Children in the novel and adults are of all ages and that would really effect the plot of the novel. Many reasons would effect the novel and it could’ve had many outcomes but the people of Maycomb’s aspects on the Tom Robinson case was a big one....
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...One theme that stood out in Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird was the theme of courage. "I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what (Lee 93).” Courage is a quality that permits one to face danger with confidence and control. Many of the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird show courage in their own way. Courage can come in many different forms, it can come both in a physical and mental form. Through the eyes of Scout Finch, a bright and intelligent little girl, the theme of courage is explored in a great sense. Courage plays a big part in To Kill a Mockingbird, and evidently, Atticus Finch displays this theme by encountering threatening incidents and protecting his family and the people he cares about. Atticus illustrates courage many times throughout the book and taught numerous lessons on it. He shows true bravery when he went against Maycomb to defend Tom Robinson. He...
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...Gaining new perspectives and seeing the world in a different way is an important part of life. Coming-of-age involves recognizing different perspectives. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout is an example of a character whose coming-of-age process involves gaining a different perspective. Scout’s maturity can be proven when To Kill a Mockingbird says, “I carefully picked up the tray and watched myself walk to Mrs. Merriweather. With my best company manners, I asked her if she would have some” (Lee 318). Scout is coming-of-age when realizing how to appropriately react to certain...
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...providing content through different mediums within diverse and similar perceptions. Although some ideas may appear alike, differences are inevitable. Lawyers for example. Both lawyers in a criminal case appear to defend their defendant in court. They both occur reflecting on the same situation or problem, but the two have complete diverse interpretations on the committed actions according to their defendant. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, and film adaption,...
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...Virgil A. Craft made a claim that “one sign of maturity is the ability to be comfortable with people who are not like us” (Coolnsmart). Jem and Scout Finch are two children who pass their time with friends, playing games, and making mistakes, as all children do, but recognizing mistakes and learning from them is all part of growing up and becoming mature. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird shows how Jem and Scout Finch change over the course of the novel for the better, as shown by contrast through Jem and other adults, allusion when speaking about J. Grimes Everett, and similes when Scout finally understands the meaning of not killing a mockingbird. Jem indicates that he has bettered himself when he feels sympathy for people being treated deceitfully unlike the other adults in the novel. For example, when Boo Radley, a neighbor, couldn’t leave the kids gifts in the tree any longer because the hole in the tree was concealed, Scout states “When we went in the house I saw [Jem] had been crying…I thought it odd I had...
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...To Kill a Mockingbird: Essay Explore the growth to maturity of Scout in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Maturation is one of the most important themes in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, and one of the characters to whom this theme applies the most is Scout Finch, the narrator. Starting out as a young, tomboy character who is naïve and immature, over the years in which the novel is set a change in her behaviour becomes prominent, as she acquires more grown up behaviours and beliefs. Arguably the most important change in Scout’s character is her learning to understand other people and their desires and needs, rather than just her own. A notable example of this is her treatment of Boo Radley. At the beginning of the novel, the children’s games concerning his lifestyle and family history demonstrated childish and immature fantasies and, ultimately, a selfish obsession with him, revealing no thought of Boo’s feelings or point of view. Atticus advises them against this habit, telling the children to “stop tormenting that man”. The Radley games is also the one of the first times in the novel when Atticus uses one of his commonest pieces of advice: to “climb into his skin and walk around in it”. However, as the novel progresses, it is obvious that Scout and Jem do become more thoughtful of Boo Radley, stopping their constant annoyance of him, and starting to realise Boo’s sentiments as well. This is shown when Jem has an epiphany that the reason “Boo Radley’s stayed shut...
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... “That’s what it takes to be a hero, a little gem of innocence inside you that makes you want to believe that there still exists a right and wrong, that decency will somehow triumph in the end.” Harper Lee's novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” shows how courage can be shown in different ways and that even the most subtle act of courage makes a difference. According to Atticus Finch, an honest lawyer in Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" teaches the children that courage can be portrayed as both physical bravery and strength, but fighting for what is right regardless of whether you win or lose takes more strength in character, and that is ultimately more courageous. Many characters show real courage in Maycomb, such as Scout, Atticus, and Tom Robinson. Courage is shown in different ways. Early in the novel, Scout illustrates the courage she is full with. On her first day of school, Scout acts as a leader for the entire class and takes the duty of informing Miss Caroline of Walter Cunningham's situation. Miss Caroline had just scolded Scout for her ability to read, however, Scout still feels the class is in need of leadership. This is courageous because most children at her age would fear speaking to the teacher is such a bold fashion. A very good example of courage is when Atticus asked Scout not to fight anymore. "When I committed myself to a policy of cowardice. Word got around that Scout Finch wouldn't fight anymore, her daddy wouldn't let her." The fact that Scout quit...
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... of Heroism Do you have the strength to protect and serve for the cause of freedom, safety, and liberty? Would you sacrifice yourself for others? You may think you know, giving your only piece of pizza to your friend is an act of bravery to sacrifice. Each Individual including you; can make choices. It depends on where the mind and heart set is. In the Novel by Harper Lee, “To Kill a Mockingbird”, she brings us in the 1960s, it took place in Maycomb Alabama where the narrator Scout illustrate her two years of events that took place during her childhood. Throughout the novel, It talked about the hierarchy between “White” and “Black” people. “White” people are superior while the “black” people are the inferior or the servants. These two race cannot be integrated and unfortunately, the inferior population suffers. However, they are some people in the story that shows courage. An example of Tom Robinson, Atticus Finch and Dolphus Raymond which I am going to explicate their concept of courage. Among by the novel, Tom Robinson is one of the black people who undergo the test of Maycomb’s racism. Tom was accused of raping Mayella Ewell. Mayella is lonely and unhappy. She has never had any friends, nor any love or affection in her life, and the only person who has been...
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