English 10 To Kill A Mocking Bird Study Guide Assignment
English 10-1
To Kill a Mockingbird: Study Guide
Antagonist:
The main antagonist in this novel is Bob Ewell, he represents the darkness and evil in the town of Maycomb, and causes the death of an innocent man. After this, he tries to find and hurt Scout and Jem as he is too cowardly to attack Atticus directly. His character is essentially a direct contrast to Atticus’s character, mean and evil, the epitome of the darkness in Racism. The character Bob Ewell stands in opposition to Atticus primarily, as he has such a strong role in the Tom Robinson case against Atticus. Although Mayella causes Tom trouble, Bob is the one who forces the incident to court, and pushes Tom to his eventual death. Even after this, he continues to bother Helen Robinson, and get revenge on anyone related to the case. Bob’s character is mean, nasty, and cowardly, he even disregards his family, leaving them to die unless he is provided with a severance check. Bob Ewell is the lowest of the low in Maycomb.
An antagonistic force in the novel would be racism; this is the driving force behind all of the bad things that happen in the novel. Nearly everyone in the town is racist to some degree or another, and the worst of which is Bob Ewell, a man who beat his own daughter, and accused an innocent man of rape. Characters which oppose racism are Atticus, Mr. Dolphhus Raymond, Link Deas, Miss Maudie Atkinson, Mr. Heck Tate, and Mr Underwood.
Antecedent action:
An antecedent action is a something which occurs before the novel is starts. The first example of this is when Scout discusses how the events of the novel began with Simon Finch moving to Alabama. The quote “If General Jackson hadn't run the Creeks up the creek, Simon Finch would never have paddled up the Alabama, and where would we be if he hadn't?" most clearly shows this and also provides an allusion with Andrew Jackson. This line introduces the topic of family pride that is later elaborated upon by Aunt Alexandra. Scout also talks about the family tradition of staying in a family established landing, a brief introduction of Methodist and gives a small amount of backstory on Simon Finch.
The Scout also introduces Atticus, his profession and the town of Maycomb with the lines “Yet the tradition of living on the land remained unbroken until well into the twentieth century, when my father, Atticus Finch, went to Montgomery to read law” and “When my father was admitted to the bar, he returned to Maycomb and began his practice. Maycomb, some twenty miles east of Finch's Landing, was the county seat of Maycomb County. These lines establish Atticus becoming a lawyer, and introduces the town of Maycomb in minor detail.
The first chapter also informs the reader of the death of Scout’s mother when scout was 2 years old. “Our mother died when I was two, so I never felt her absence.” This gives a little insight on the finch family.
The reclusive Radley household and the first opinion of Boo Radley is somewhat explained in the first chapter. With Boo Radley falling into a bad crowd, and the father of the household condemning Boo to the house for all of this teenage years.
Caricature:
I feel that the most clear caricature in the novel is Burris and Bob Ewell, their characteristics, their home and even their personality seems exaggerated. For example Burris Ewell is exaggerated as a dirty lice infected extremely rude boy, Bob Ewell is equally if not dirtier than his son, both characters lack the respect of others, and are the epitome of evil in the town. Both characters are extreme exaggerations of people filled with the hate prejudice, and ignorance to other people. Atticus’s quote about cheating a black man applies literally to the Ewells. "As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don't you forget it-whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash."-Atticus
Choleric Character:
A choleric character is a character, who has lots of energy and emotion, this type of character is active, they try to take charge. A choleric character may also be hot tempered and unstable, Bob Ewell is a clear example of a character whose anger is very easily ignited. After the trial, Bob is vengeful and angry, silently attacking Judge Taylor, menacing stalking Helen Robinson, spitting on Atticus, and attacking his defenseless children. Bob Ewells emotions also change and fluctuate from being satisfied of the verdict to vengeful and angry. All of these traits match that of a choleric character.
Melancholic Character: A melancholic character is a character who is introverted or thoughtful; this type of character keeps to him or herself and is generally considerate and is independent. Atticus is the clearest example of a melancholic character, he is polite, thoughtful and understanding. Atticus is also very independent, and thinks of others before he thinks of himself. This is shown with how Atticus acts after being spat on by Bob Ewell (he wipes his face and walks away) not wanting to cause trouble for the Ewell children. All of these traits match that of a Melancholic character.
Phlegmatic Character:
A phlegmatic character is a character who is relaxed and quiet, this type of character may be shy, and prefer stability over change. Boo Radley is an obvious example of this type of character, as he is extremely reclusive and shy. Boo Radley spends all of his days inside the Radley house, and watching the events in the town from a safe distance. At the beginning of the novel, Boo Radley only interacts with the town by giving gifts to Scout and Jem. All of these traits match that of a Phlegmatic character.
Sanguine Character:
A sanguine character is a character who is sociable and attention seeking, this type of characters enjoys large gatherings of people and making new friends. Saguine Characters are not at all shy, and they sometimes may be sensitive or compassionate. Aunt Alexandra may well be the most sociable character in the novel, she frequently holds or goes to meetings with other ladies. Upon coming to Maycomb, Aunt Alexandra is immediately popular. She shows the ideal lady like figure, and surrounds herself with large groups. All of these traits match that of a Phlegmatic character.
Climax:
I personally feel that the most climactic moment in the trial plot the reveal of the guilty verdict and Jem’s reaction to this. The entire trial builds up to Jem’s self-assurance in Atticus’s victory. The verdict leaves Jem heart broken and disillusions him of his previously ideal perception of the town.
I feel that the most climactic moment in the Boo Radley plot is when Boo and Scout finally meet each other. Throughout the first half of the novel, the reader only gains small glimpses of Boo`s personality through the gifts he gives, and minor acts of care (Boo placing a blanket on Scout), and despite all the attempts to get Boo out of his house, he is never seen by the children until the aftermath of the trial. The first half of the novel establishes Boo as a mysterious kindred spirit, and all of the events slowly build up to the meeting with Boo.
Complication:
A complication in the trial plot is that the entire town is racist, meaning that Atticus has little to no hope of proving Tom Robinson`s innocence.
A complication in the Boo Radley plot is when Nathan Radley fills up the only communication Boo has with the children, the knot hole in the tree.
Conflict:
Scout: The main conflict Scout faces in the novel is maintaining her childlike innocence after experiencing the evil of the Tom Robinson trial and Bob Ewells anger. Throughout the novel, Scout sees many things that make her question her morals and understanding. The most prominent of which are the Tom Robinson trial and the attack from Bob Ewell, both showing the side of human evil. Using the lessons that Atticus teaches her about understanding, Scout finally begins to see the world clearly.
Jem: The main conflict Jem faces in the novel is the aftermath of the Tom Robinson trial. Jem cries as his childlike opinion on good and evil cannot deal with the verdict of the trial, Jem’s ideal vision of the town is completely shattered, by the cruelty of the real world. It is plain to see Jem’s perspective of good and evil with the example of Mrs. Dubose, after Mrs. Dubose’s death, and Atticus’s description of her bravery, Jem is still blind to the brave side of Mrs. Dubose. The conflict resolves as Jem realizes that both good and evil qualities can co-exist in the same person.
Atticus: The main conflict Atticus faces in the novel is Tom Robinson trial. Atticus is placed in charge of defending Tom Robinson, a black man in a world where nearly everyone is racist to some degree. It becomes clear to the reader that this is hopeless. Despite this, Atticus gives the Case his all, and in the end he still loses, but the results are better than what he had expected. One member of the jury supports Atticus, and the town makes a small step towards equality.
Dill: The main conflict Dill faces in the novel is his struggle for attention. The reader finds out early on that Dill likes to exaggerates the truth, this is because Dill strives for attention. When Dill returns to his home town in Median, the reader finds out that dill has a new father. Dill’s new family however does not satisfy his need of attention, and Dill runs away from home. Through Dill’s exaggerated story, it is discovered that Dill ran away from home out of neglect from his new father.
Crisis:
Crisis Points are small conflicts that lead up to the major conflict in the novel. Events in both the Boo Radley plot and the trial plot slowly lead up to Boo revealing himself, and Bob Ewell`s death. The trial leaves Bob restless and vengeful, he slowly attacks each character who were against him in the trial. First Judge Taylor and Helen Robinson are victims of Bob`s blind rage, he then spits on Atticus and declares his revenge. As crisis points, each of these events lead up to Bob eventually stalking the children and attacking them in the night. In the Boo Radley Plot. Each of the gifts they gain, and the small acts of kindness he shows reflect Boo`s character and help lead up to his eventual appearance when saving the children.
Deus Ex Machina:
Deus Ex Machina is an unexpected force which saves the character in a desperate situation. Boo Radley`s unexpected appearance when the children are attacked by Bob is in my opinion a Deus Ex Machina. Boo Radley seemingly appears out of nowhere when the children are in a truly hopeless situation.
Dialogue:
The dialogue between the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird is generally well done. The conversations between the characters are convincing, the way the character’s speak is consistent, and some lines do evoke mood and emotion, such as Atticus’s final statements to the jury in the Tom Robinson Trial.
Direct Characterization:
“Calpurnia was something else again. She was all angles and bones; she was near-sighted; she squinted; her hand was wide as a bed slat and twice as hard. She was always ordering me out of the kitchen, asking me why I couldn't behave as well as Jem when she knew he was older, and calling me home when I wasn't ready to come. Our battles were epic and one-sided. Calpurnia always won, mainly because Atticus always took her side. She had been with us ever since Jem was born, and I had felt her tyrannical presence as long as I could remember.” – This passage is a clear example of direct characterization, as the reader is told who Calpurnia is, and how she is involved with the finch family.
“Miss Maudie hated her house: time spent indoors was time wasted. She was a widow, a chameleon lady who worked in her flower-beds in an old straw hat and men’s coveralls, but after her five o’clock bath she would appear on the porch and reign over the street in magisterial beauty.” This passage directly explains a bit of Miss Maudie’s character, such as her love of nature and her beauty.
“Mr Underwood had no use for any organization but The Maycomb Tribune, of which he was the sole owner, editor and printer. His days were spent at his linotype, where he refreshed himself occasionally from an ever-present gallon jug of cherry wine. He rarely gathered news; people brought it to him. It was said that he made up every edition of The Maycomb Tribune out of his own head and wrote it down on the linotype. This was believable.” This passage describes Mr. Underwood, the owner of the Macomb tribune, the reader directly learns from this passage that Mr. Underwood writes edits and owns the Maycomb Tribune himself, and spends his days in front of his type writer printing the news.
Indirect Characterization:
“He had discarded the abominable blue shorts that were buttoned to his shirts and wore real short pants with a belt; he was somewhat heavier, no taller, and said he had seen his father. Dill’s father was taller than ours, he had a black beard (pointed), and he was president of the L. & N. Railroad. ‘I helped the engineer for a while,’ said Dill, yawning.” This passage allows the reader to infer what Dill is like by showing Dill’s tendency to lie or exaggerate to get the attention of others.
“She brought me something to put on, and had I thought about it then, I would have never let her forget it: in her distraction, Aunty Broughtme my overalls. “put these on darling,” she said handing me the garments she most despised.” This passage shows that Aunt Alexandra does truly care about Scout’s wellbeing, possibly even so more than her ideas of family pride.
“By the time he had reached our front steps, Walter had forgotten he was a Cunningham. Jem ran to the kitchen and asked Calpurnia to set an extra plate, we had company. Atticus began a discussion about crops neither Jem Nor I could follow.” From this passage, the reader can infer that both Atticus and Jem are respectful to others and treat them the same way regardless of social caste. From this, the reader can take that Jem and Atticus are two characters who are truly devoted to equality.
Dynamic Character:
A dynamic character is a character who undergoes change in either their understanding or with physical characteristics. Atticus is not a dynamic character since although he is an integral part of the story, he does not change at all. Atticus`s constancy and understanding is a key part of his character. Scout however is a dynamic characters, as she mature in their understanding, and she learns key lessons from Atticus.
Exposition:
“According to neighbourhood legend, when the younger Radley boy was in his teens he became acquainted with some of the Cunninghams from Old Sarum, an enormous and confusing tribe domiciled in the northern part of the country, and they formed the nearest thing to a gang ever seen in Maycomb. They did little, but enough to be discussed by the town and publicly warned from three pulpits: they hung around the barber-shop; they rode the bus to Abbotsville on Sundays and went to the picture show; they attended dances at the county's riverside gambling hell, the Dew-Drop Inn and Fishing Camp; they experimented with stumphole whisky. Nobody in Maycomb had nerve enough to tell Mr Radley that his boy was in with the wrong crowd.” This passage is a good example of an exposition, as it does not necessarily contribute to the plot of the novel, but provides important background information regarding Boo Radley.
“When my father was admitted to the bar, he returned to Maycomb and began his practice. Maycomb, some twenty miles east of Finch's Landing, was the county seat of Maycomb County. Atticus's office in the court-house contained little more than a hat rack, a spittoon, a checker-board and an unsullied Code of Alabama. His first two clients were the last two persons hanged in the Maycomb County jail. Atticus had urged them to accept the state's generosity in allowing them to plead Guilty to second-degree murder and escape with their lives, but they were Haverfords, in Maycomb County a name synonymous with jackass.” This passage explains Atticus and occupation in the town of Maycomb.
“Cecil Jacobs, who lived at the far end of our street next door to the post office, walked a total of one mile per school day to avoid the Radley Place and old Mrs Henry Lafayette Dubose. Mrs Dubose lived two doors up the street from us; neighbourhood opinion was unanimous that Mrs Dubose was the meanest old woman who ever lived. Jem wouldn’t go by her place without Atticus beside him.” This passage explains the character of Mrs Dubose to the reader.
Fable:
There once was a little snake he was nice to all of the other animals in the forest, but due to his diet, and his inability to digest large foods, the snake had to eat all of the other poor defenseless animal eggs. All of the animals in the forest saw this as something horrible, eating small and defenseless animals and eggs, and began to say that the snake was a merciless animal who lacked remorse. All of the other animals isolated him from their animal games, and the snake was sad. Feeling alone, the snake slithered away from the forest. As the snake left, the rats that the snake used to eat began to overpopulate the forest. Since none of the other animals could eat rats, the food supply of the other animals began to deteriorate. Realizing that the forest needed him, and still caring about the animals, the snake slithered back to the forest and heroically saved the animals. The animals were grateful, and realized that snake had a heroic spirit and was nice and caring, despite his diet of eating eggs.
The moral of the story is that even though someone may seem evil and mean, there are good qualities that exist in their heart.
First Person Point of View:
“Then I saw the shadow. It was the shadow of a man with a hat on. AT first I thought it was a tree, but there was no wind blowing, and the tree-trunks never walked. The back porch was bathed in Moonlight, and the shadow as crisp as toast, moved across the porch towards Jem, Dill saw it next He put his hands to his face. When It crossed Jem, Jem saw it. He put his arms over his head and went rigid. The shadow stopped about a foot beyond Jem. Its arm came out from its side, dropped and was still. Then it turned and moved back across Jem, walked along the porch, and off to the side of the house, returning as it had come.”
Limited Omniscient Point of View:
As the children move ever closer to the Radley place, a shadow appears. Scout begins to see a shadow, it first seems to be that of a tree, but she notices it moving, and it seems to where a hat. The shadow Illuminated in moonlight, was clear enough to reveal nothing but a man whose shadow inched nearer and nearer. As Dill sees the shadow, and his hands immediately touch his face, his mouth slowly opening, shocked and scared for Jem’s life. It Inched ever closer to Jem, Jem’s body froze filled with fear, the shadow’s arm lifted towards Jem’s limp body. As it came, the man slowly wandered back to where it came, and Jem released a hopeful sigh of relief.
Objective Point of View:
As the children move ever closer to the Radley place, a shadow slowly appears. First Scout notices, she seems to think that the shadow may be a tree, except it moves closer and closer and she suspects that it is a man. The clear shining moonlight confirms Scouts thoughts, and Dill starts to notice the man. His face instantly changes to one of surprise and horror. The man inches closer, Jem starts to notice him, and immediately freezes with a look of terror. The shadow stops about a foot from Jem, its arm coming to the side and dropping. The figure then moves back to where it came. The children are instantly relieved.
Omniscient Point of View:
As the children move ever closer to the Radley place, a shadow appeared. Scout is the first to see the shadow, she sees it as a tree, but she shadow moves and her fear slowly begins to develop. With the shining moonlight, a man is revealed moving closer and closer to Jem’s location. Dill sees the man, and he is immediately scared for Jem’s life, his arms moving to his face depicting a look of terrified surprise. The man means no harm, he only notices that the son of Atticus Finch is on his porch. The man moves closer to Jem, and Jem realizes his situation, he body is frozen from the fear of death or worse. The man moves closer, and lifts his arm over Jem’s limp body. Realizing the reason for the children appearing on his property, the man goes back to his house, giving them a false sense of security.
Flashback:
The entire story is told in the form of a flashback scene, the older Scout reflects on the events of her childhood.
Foil:
Miss Maudie has the foil pair of Miss Stephanie, as both characters have contrasting traits of gossiping, and acting in a group. Miss Stephanie gossips and spreads rumours and superstitions to the children about Boo Radley, while Miss Maudie is more understanding, and sees Boo for who he really is, a shy quiet individual imprisoned by his Baptist father. Miss Maudie is more understanding, not laughing and Scout when she does not mean to be funny, and protecting her from uncomfortable situations. Miss Stephanie however is the sheer opposite, she gossips and gossips, does not respect and understand Scout, and occasionally places her in awkward situations. An example of this is when Scout is bombarded with questions by Miss Stephanie regarding her presence at the Tom Robinson trial, feeling that Scout is uncomfortable, Miss Maudie immediately invites Scout to eat cake, saving her from an uncomfortable situation.
Both Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are the examples of characters who contrast each other and reflect the society they live in. For example, both Tom Robinson and Boo are the story’s so-called Mockingbirds, as in a way they are both helpless and innocent souls harmed by the way society acts. At first glance these characters may seem as different as can be, but it is only when the reader looks past general appearances that they begin to see similarities. Both characters have a disability or handicap, such as Tom’s unusable left hand and the crippling racism of the town, as well as Boo’s reclusiveness due to childhood mistakes. Both characters are also scapegoats, as they are blamed for things they did not do to conform to modern society. These two characters also end up reflecting the town of Maycomb itself, and showing the dark racist underbelly. As Tom’s conviction shows the ture extent of evil in the town, and Boo’s reclusiveness showing the towns quick assumptions and easy superstition.
Foreshadowing:
The Mad Dog shot by Atticus foreshadows the coming of the Tom Robinson’s trial and death. The incident with the mad dog shows that the town truly needs Atticus, and also shows the courage that Atticus bears. In a way, this situation is a defining moment of Atticus, as it shows the towns dependence on him in both the situation of a mad dog and to represent the true goodness and equality in the town. It also shows Atticus’s responsibility to the town (to protect or try to protect it from evil) and it also shows Atticus’s courage. The Mad Dog represents the evil or madness that he and his family will have to face, such as with the Tom Robinson case, and Atticus shooting the dog represents his will to protect his values and his family.
Jem’s destruction of Mrs. Dubose’s gift foreshadows his reaction to the verdict of the Tom Robinson trial. When Jem is given a pure white camellia as a gift for reading to Mrs. Dubose, he immediately destroys it. Mrs. Dubose represents all that is wrong with the town (her extremely racist and distasteful characteristics), her bravery when facing death shows that good and co-exist with evil. The fact that Jem destroys his gift implies that Jem cannot yet see that goodness can co-exist with evil, and he still sees Mrs Dubose as evil character. This foreshadows his reaction to the Tom Robinson case, as Jem’s vision of the town is a naïve one of goodness and equality.
Our first glimpses of the personality and character of the Ewells is when Burris Ewell is shown. Burris Ewell is introduced a rude and dirty child who only goes to school once a year in order to not break the law. It is shown that Burris Ewell is poor, uneducated, simpleminded, and is frankly barbaric. This foreshadows the personality of Bob Ewell and an even darker and ruder character.
Hero:
I feel that Atticus is the true hero of the novel, he is willing to fight face the entire town to defend Tom Robinson, and in doing this represent the side of equality and pure understanding. Atticus’s commitment to justice and equality is so strong that he is even willing to place his own family in the evil face of the Maycomb. Atticus is truly courageous, and willing to stand by his views and protect his family no matter the cost.
Indeterminate Resolution:
I feel that the resolution in the Boo Plot is somewhat uncertain, as the reader is still left with feelings of ambiguity. Boo Radley only appears once, and he is never seen from again, questions are left in the readers mind. The reader will never know if Boo Radley appears to the children again, what his personality is like, what life was like just observing the events of the novel and dozens of other questions. The trial plot on the other hand is left more determinate, as Tom Robinson and Bob Ewell die, making the trial plot more clear.
Initial Incident:
The initial incident in the trial plot is the event of Mayella tricking and trying to seduce Tom Robinson, it is the combination of Mayella’s loneliness and Tom’s compassion which truly starts the trial. These events are what sets the events of the trial plot in motion.
Meeting Dill is the initial incident in the Boo Radley plot, as it is Dill’s curiosity and childlike personality that cause the children to pursue the goal of eventually meeting Boo. This starts the Boo Radley plot, as meeting Dill is what sparks the interest of Boo Radley and sets the Boo Radley plot in motion.
In medias res:
The story of To Kill A Mockingbird begins in medias res, when Scout begins the story, the first line is "When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow." This event happens at the end of the novel, and scout describes how this happens.
Motivation:
Throughout the course of the novel, Scout is motivated by many guiding characters and figures to act the way she does. Atticus first motivates Scout to be understanding, co-operative, this shown when Atticus tells Scout about truly understanding a person by looking at the world in their eyes, and to not get in fights on his behalf. Scouts curiosity motivates her to pursue Boo Radley. Aunt Alexandra also provides motivation for Scout to be strong during the events of the dinner party, in which she had been affected by the Tom Robinson trial. These motivations allow Scout to advance through the novel.
Discovery:
Over the course of the novel, Scout discovers many things, both about human nature and about her community. One of the primary things she discovers is Boo Radley’s more caring and gentle side, near the beginning, Scout believes that Boo is like a creepy ghost, and she fails to see his the sense of kindness. As the novel progresses, scout finally realizes that Boo is a nice person when she finally sees him. From Aunt Alexandra, Scout learns what it really imeans to be a lady, the passage in which Aunt Alexandra is distressed by Atticus’s responsibilities. Aunt Alexandra retains her lady like qualities, despite the sorrowful emotion she feels, and acts like a perfect hostess. Through this example, Scout learns of the strength that Aunt Alexandra has, and follows in her example. Scout also discovers more about the evil and goodness in human nature, although the extent of this is inferred by the reader. Through Mrs. Dubose, the mad dog attack and the Tom Robinson trial, Scout begins to see real courage. Like a line said by Atticus, “courage is not a man with a gun in his hand, Real courage is when you know you're licked before you begin. You begin anyway and see it through no matter what”. The bravery of Mrs. Dubose is shown to Scout through Atticus’s words, and she begins to see the goodness in Mrs. Dubose, Jem on the other hand does not. Scout also learns that life is unfair, and people are biased through the Tom Robinson case. Despite Atticus’s excellent defense, Tom is still guilty, not because the Jury believes he did the dastardly deed however but because he is black. The understanding of all of these lessons and discoveries contribute to the overall maturity and loss of innocence in Scouts Character.
Naïve Narrator, Reliable Narrator, and Unreliable Narrator:
I feel that the type of narrator of scout is a combination of all of these qualities. Scout is shown to be naïve as she is a little girl, and she lacks the understanding of more adult concepts and words. Throughout the novel however she grows less naïve and this shown in her newer understanding of the world. Scout shown to be a Reliable narrator in some cases, as she does not lie or exaggerate the truth in the novel, Scout tells the story for what it is, and what happens. Scout is shown to be an Unreliable narrator, not because she lies and changes the story on her own accord, but because it is seen that not all of the events in the novel are perfectly clear and visible to her. Such as the event of Bob Ewell’s attack, as she does not see what is going on and can only slightly infer, with simple observations such as the smell of stale whiskey.
Plot:
The story begins when two siblings Jem and Scout meet of Dill, a curious attention-seeking child. Hoping to see the true face of the mysterious Boo Radley, the children spend their summer attempting to lure him out. But soon morals and understanding of the children is put into question as they see the true face of injustice in their seemingly boring town.
Protagonist:
Scout is the novel’s protagonist, as she not only tells the story but really experiences feels what happens in the novel. The major events revolve around her and how she continues the process of growing up, and maturing.
Realism:
I feel that To Kill A Mockingbird is generally realistic novel, the setting, the characters, and the series of events are all generally believable. There are some exaggerations of details that somewhat limit the credibility such as the description of the Ewells and the Ewell home. The element of racism and the unhappy verdict of the trial however enhances the realism in the novel, as racism is an unfortunate reality that still exists today.
Realistic Character:
I feel that Atticus is a good example of a realistic character in this novel. Atticus is treats each of the characters realistically, meaning he treats his children different than how he treats his clients. Atticus’s responses and attitude are all realistic and believable, such as Atticus’s conversations with the children. Atticus’s response and attitude to the Tom Robinson trial is also realistic, as he is fully aware of the racism in Maycomb and realizes that he has lost from the start. There are however, certain details about Atticus that seem unrealistic, Atticus’s good qualities and understanding make him seem like the ideal human being. It seems also strange that the children never call Atticus dad. Atticus is not a perfectly realistic character, but his reaction and character traits are generally believable and contribute to the overall realism of the novel.
Resolution:
The resolution ends not on a happy one, but it ends giving the reader a sense of safety, (with Jem safe and sound). I think that this resolution is not entirely satisfying, as there are still questions unanswered. The novel comes full circle in the last few chapters, relating to how Jem’s arm was broken, and light is shed on the mysterious Boo Radley, but there are little snippets of ambiguity left behind by his quick appearance and retreat back into his house. I myself was left wondering if Scout or Jem would ever come face to face with Boo again. We are also left to wonder what becomes of some characters like the lovable Dill.
Setting
“First Purchase African M.E. Church was in the Quarters out- side the southern town limits, across the old sawmill tracks. It was an ancient paint-peeled frame building, the only church in Maycomb with a steeple and bell, called First Purchase because it was paid for from the first earnings of freed slaves. Negroes worshipped in it on Sundays and white men gambled in it on weekdays.” This passage describes the first purchase African Church, a church that is attended by Black people. The physical description of the church, with the words “an ancient paint-peeled frame building” suggest that the building is old and poor, the lines “Negroes worshipped in it on Sundays and white men gambled in it on weekdays.” Suggests the differences between the black people and the white people in the town of Maycomb, as a church is supposed to be a sacred place of worship, yet white people play simple games of luck in it. This means that a black person’s church is only equal to a white person’s place of recreation. This relates to the theme of prejudice, and the poor situation in the town, as the church is old and poor as black people cannot gain a sufficient amount of money to restore it, and white people disgrace it by gambling.
“The Radley Place jutted into a sharp curve beyond our house. Walking south, one faced its porch; the sidewalk turned and ran beside the lot. The house was low, was once white with a deep front porch and green shutters, but had long ago darkened to the colour of the slate-grey yard around it. Rain-rotten shingles drooped over the eaves of the veranda; oak trees kept the sun away. The remains of a picket drunkenly guarded the front yard - a `swept' yard that was never swept - where johnson grass and rabbit-tobacco grew in abundance”
“Inside the house lived a malevolent phantom. People said he existed but Jem and I had never seen him. People said he went out at night when the moon was high, and peeped in windows. When people's azaleas froze in a cold snap, it was because he had breathed on them. Any stealthy crimes committed in Maycomb were his work." -This passage describes the Radley Place and the sense of fear it casts on the neighbourhood. The descriptions of the setting using line “The house was low, was once white with a deep front porch and green shutters, but had long ago darkened to the colour of the slate-grey yard around it” suggest that the house is not regularly taken care of and seems abandoned. The lines “Inside the house lived a malevolent phantom” suggest the sense of fear and superstition held by many members of the community. This setting evokes a sense of fear and mystery, not unlike that of a haunted house.
Static Character:
Atticus, Dill, Calpurnia, Boo Radley, and Aunt Alexandra are all static characters, as they do not really undergo change throughout the entire course of the entire novel. For example, although Atticus to one of the more primary and significant characters, he is not necessarily changed by any of the events in the novel. After the Tom Robinson case, everything returns to normal for him, he goes to work just the same as any other day.
Stock Character:
I feel that Bob Ewell is a stock character, as is a stereotype or represents what becomes of a man if their minds are corrupted by Racism and hate. He is a stereotype of people who take advantage of black people. He is poor, dirty disgusting, and filled with hate.
Subplot:
I feel that both plots are equally important and go hand in hand with the lesson of mockingbirds. The trial plot is crucial to the story, as it introduces the children to the evil in the town of Maycomb, and establishes a clear example of a mockingbird in the novel. The Boo Radley plot seems to be just childhood fun and games, but Boo’s character slowly evolves and develops to a represent a Mockingbird to Scout upon meeting him. Both plots are equally as crucial to the story, and both stand as marking points of Scouts maturity. The guilty verdict of the trial plot introduces Scout to the evil in the town of Maycomb, and inequality, and the discovery and realization of Boo’s kind nature free of biased misconceptions and prejudgements establishes her final change in character and concludes the novel.
Suspense:
The trial is suspenseful, as the reader is still left uncertain about the verdict. It is seen that Atticus knows he will lose, but his argument and defense along with the untrustworthy witnesses of the Ewells convinces the reader of his victory. The thought of racial inequality and prejudice however still linger in the back of the readers mind. The reader is torn between Jem’s sure answer that Atticus will win, and the racial inequality of the town.
Suspense is created with the fact that Bob Ewell may or may not attack Atticus, after Atticus is spat on by the embodiment of chaos in the novel, it is uncertain whether or not he will still get his revenge on Atticus. It seems as though attacking other characters linked to the trial will be enough to vent Bob Ewell’s hate towards Atticus, but knowing Bob Ewells character and what he represents, it is also a likely possibility that he will strike at Atticus again.
Suspense is created when Jem and Scout walk home together after the Halloween pageant. The atmosphere created during this is common to that of a suspenseful moment; It is dark and dreary, as the children are slowly making their way home. Jem hears footsteps in the distance, silently tapping in the distance and stopping when he stops. The children make their way to the Radley place uncertain with what will happen, thinking it is Cecil Jacobs, a playful schoolmate of Scouts, the characters are somewhat relieved. At this point the reader is left uncertain of what may happen, and are anxious to see what is following them.
Symbol:
Mockingbirds, mockingbirds represent the weak and innocent, to kill a mockingbird refers to harming someone defenceless. This originates from the fact that Mockingbirds do not harm anyone or anything, they just make music.
The mad dog, the mad dog that Atticus shoots and kills represents the madness and evil. This symbol also foreshadows the prejudice that the Finch family must face during the Tom Robinson trial.
The white camellia given to Jem represents the goodness in even the most ugly or evil people, the white camellia shows that good traits and bad traits can be share by the same person, and Jem’s reaction towards this gift shows his lack of understanding, and inability to see that good and evil can co-exist.
Theme:
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird informs the reader that isolation and lonliness can cause pain to oneself as well as other. This is explained through Jem’s isolation of Scout as he matures, and Boo Radley’s reclusiveness.
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird tells the reader that risk-taking is crucial if one wants to find success or change. This is shown through Atticus’s decision to defend Tom Robinson despite the town’s racism.
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird shows the reader that it is important stand by and defend our values even in the face of adversity. This is shown through Atticus’s commitment to justice and equality in the Tom Robinson trial.
Tone
“People moved slowly then. They ambled across the square, shuffled in and out of the stores around it, took their time about everything. A day was twenty-four hours long but seemed longer. There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County. But it was a time of vague optimism for some of the people; Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself.” In this passage, the town of Maycomb is introduced and described. This passage conveys an uninteresting tone, one that the town is boring and nothing out of the ordinary.
“Another fire truck appeared and stopped in front of Miss Stephanie Crawford’s. There was no hydrant for another hose, and the men tried to soak her house with hand-extinguishers. Miss Maudie’s tin roof quelled the flames. Roaring, the house collapsed; fire gushed everywhere, followed by a flurry of blankets from men on top of the adjacent houses, beating out sparks and burning chunks of wood.” In this passage, firemen are fighting the fire in Miss Maudie’s home during the cold winter. This passage evokes a sense of action, and conveys an intense exciting tone.
“We could do nothing to please her. If I said as sunnilly as I could, 'Hey, Mrs Dubose, I would receive for an answer, 'Don't you say hey to me, you ugly girl! You say good afternoon, Mrs Dubose!”. This passage depicts an innocent conversation between Scout and Mrs. Dubose. This conversation gives the reader an annoyed or repulsive tone at the way Mrs. Dubose responds to Scouts simple greeting.
Verisimilitude:
“I shut my eyes. Judge Taylor was polling the jury. “Guilty… guilty… guilty… guilty…” I peeked at Jem; his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each “guilty” was a separate stab between them.” This reveals to the reader the ugly truth of Maycomb, no matter what anyone says or does, racism is always present, it can never be truly stopped.
To Kill a Mockingbird: Study Guide
Antagonist:
The main antagonist in this novel is Bob Ewell, he represents the darkness and evil in the town of Maycomb, and causes the death of an innocent man. After this, he tries to find and hurt Scout and Jem as he is too cowardly to attack Atticus directly. His character is essentially a direct contrast to Atticus’s character, mean and evil, the epitome of the darkness in Racism. The character Bob Ewell stands in opposition to Atticus primarily, as he has such a strong role in the Tom Robinson case against Atticus. Although Mayella causes Tom trouble, Bob is the one who forces the incident to court, and pushes Tom to his eventual death. Even after this, he continues to bother Helen Robinson, and get revenge on anyone related to the case. Bob’s character is mean, nasty, and cowardly, he even disregards his family, leaving them to die unless he is provided with a severance check. Bob Ewell is the lowest of the low in Maycomb.
An antagonistic force in the novel would be racism; this is the driving force behind all of the bad things that happen in the novel. Nearly everyone in the town is racist to some degree or another, and the worst of which is Bob Ewell, a man who beat his own daughter, and accused an innocent man of rape. Characters which oppose racism are Atticus, Mr. Dolphhus Raymond, Link Deas, Miss Maudie Atkinson, Mr. Heck Tate, and Mr Underwood.
Antecedent action:
An antecedent action is a something which occurs before the novel is starts. The first example of this is when Scout discusses how the events of the novel began with Simon Finch moving to Alabama. The quote “If General Jackson hadn't run the Creeks up the creek, Simon Finch would never have paddled up the Alabama, and where would we be if he hadn't?" most clearly shows this and also provides an allusion with Andrew Jackson. This line introduces the topic of family pride that is later elaborated upon by Aunt Alexandra. Scout also talks about the family tradition of staying in a family established landing, a brief introduction of Methodist and gives a small amount of backstory on Simon Finch.
The Scout also introduces Atticus, his profession and the town of Maycomb with the lines “Yet the tradition of living on the land remained unbroken until well into the twentieth century, when my father, Atticus Finch, went to Montgomery to read law” and “When my father was admitted to the bar, he returned to Maycomb and began his practice. Maycomb, some twenty miles east of Finch's Landing, was the county seat of Maycomb County. These lines establish Atticus becoming a lawyer, and introduces the town of Maycomb in minor detail.
The first chapter also informs the reader of the death of Scout’s mother when scout was 2 years old. “Our mother died when I was two, so I never felt her absence.” This gives a little insight on the finch family.
The reclusive Radley household and the first opinion of Boo Radley is somewhat explained in the first chapter. With Boo Radley falling into a bad crowd, and the father of the household condemning Boo to the house for all of this teenage years.
Caricature:
I feel that the most clear caricature in the novel is Burris and Bob Ewell, their characteristics, their home and even their personality seems exaggerated. For example Burris Ewell is exaggerated as a dirty lice infected extremely rude boy, Bob Ewell is equally if not dirtier than his son, both characters lack the respect of others, and are the epitome of evil in the town. Both characters are extreme exaggerations of people filled with the hate prejudice, and ignorance to other people. Atticus’s quote about cheating a black man applies literally to the Ewells. "As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don't you forget it-whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash."-Atticus
Choleric Character:
A choleric character is a character, who has lots of energy and emotion, this type of character is active, they try to take charge. A choleric character may also be hot tempered and unstable, Bob Ewell is a clear example of a character whose anger is very easily ignited. After the trial, Bob is vengeful and angry, silently attacking Judge Taylor, menacing stalking Helen Robinson, spitting on Atticus, and attacking his defenseless children. Bob Ewells emotions also change and fluctuate from being satisfied of the verdict to vengeful and angry. All of these traits match that of a choleric character.
Melancholic Character: A melancholic character is a character who is introverted or thoughtful; this type of character keeps to him or herself and is generally considerate and is independent. Atticus is the clearest example of a melancholic character, he is polite, thoughtful and understanding. Atticus is also very independent, and thinks of others before he thinks of himself. This is shown with how Atticus acts after being spat on by Bob Ewell (he wipes his face and walks away) not wanting to cause trouble for the Ewell children. All of these traits match that of a Melancholic character.
Phlegmatic Character:
A phlegmatic character is a character who is relaxed and quiet, this type of character may be shy, and prefer stability over change. Boo Radley is an obvious example of this type of character, as he is extremely reclusive and shy. Boo Radley spends all of his days inside the Radley house, and watching the events in the town from a safe distance. At the beginning of the novel, Boo Radley only interacts with the town by giving gifts to Scout and Jem. All of these traits match that of a Phlegmatic character.
Sanguine Character:
A sanguine character is a character who is sociable and attention seeking, this type of characters enjoys large gatherings of people and making new friends. Saguine Characters are not at all shy, and they sometimes may be sensitive or compassionate. Aunt Alexandra may well be the most sociable character in the novel, she frequently holds or goes to meetings with other ladies. Upon coming to Maycomb, Aunt Alexandra is immediately popular. She shows the ideal lady like figure, and surrounds herself with large groups. All of these traits match that of a Phlegmatic character.
Climax:
I personally feel that the most climactic moment in the trial plot the reveal of the guilty verdict and Jem’s reaction to this. The entire trial builds up to Jem’s self-assurance in Atticus’s victory. The verdict leaves Jem heart broken and disillusions him of his previously ideal perception of the town.
I feel that the most climactic moment in the Boo Radley plot is when Boo and Scout finally meet each other. Throughout the first half of the novel, the reader only gains small glimpses of Boo`s personality through the gifts he gives, and minor acts of care (Boo placing a blanket on Scout), and despite all the attempts to get Boo out of his house, he is never seen by the children until the aftermath of the trial. The first half of the novel establishes Boo as a mysterious kindred spirit, and all of the events slowly build up to the meeting with Boo.
Complication:
A complication in the trial plot is that the entire town is racist, meaning that Atticus has little to no hope of proving Tom Robinson`s innocence.
A complication in the Boo Radley plot is when Nathan Radley fills up the only communication Boo has with the children, the knot hole in the tree.
Conflict:
Scout: The main conflict Scout faces in the novel is maintaining her childlike innocence after experiencing the evil of the Tom Robinson trial and Bob Ewells anger. Throughout the novel, Scout sees many things that make her question her morals and understanding. The most prominent of which are the Tom Robinson trial and the attack from Bob Ewell, both showing the side of human evil. Using the lessons that Atticus teaches her about understanding, Scout finally begins to see the world clearly.
Jem: The main conflict Jem faces in the novel is the aftermath of the Tom Robinson trial. Jem cries as his childlike opinion on good and evil cannot deal with the verdict of the trial, Jem’s ideal vision of the town is completely shattered, by the cruelty of the real world. It is plain to see Jem’s perspective of good and evil with the example of Mrs. Dubose, after Mrs. Dubose’s death, and Atticus’s description of her bravery, Jem is still blind to the brave side of Mrs. Dubose. The conflict resolves as Jem realizes that both good and evil qualities can co-exist in the same person.
Atticus: The main conflict Atticus faces in the novel is Tom Robinson trial. Atticus is placed in charge of defending Tom Robinson, a black man in a world where nearly everyone is racist to some degree. It becomes clear to the reader that this is hopeless. Despite this, Atticus gives the Case his all, and in the end he still loses, but the results are better than what he had expected. One member of the jury supports Atticus, and the town makes a small step towards equality.
Dill: The main conflict Dill faces in the novel is his struggle for attention. The reader finds out early on that Dill likes to exaggerates the truth, this is because Dill strives for attention. When Dill returns to his home town in Median, the reader finds out that dill has a new father. Dill’s new family however does not satisfy his need of attention, and Dill runs away from home. Through Dill’s exaggerated story, it is discovered that Dill ran away from home out of neglect from his new father.
Crisis:
Crisis Points are small conflicts that lead up to the major conflict in the novel. Events in both the Boo Radley plot and the trial plot slowly lead up to Boo revealing himself, and Bob Ewell`s death. The trial leaves Bob restless and vengeful, he slowly attacks each character who were against him in the trial. First Judge Taylor and Helen Robinson are victims of Bob`s blind rage, he then spits on Atticus and declares his revenge. As crisis points, each of these events lead up to Bob eventually stalking the children and attacking them in the night. In the Boo Radley Plot. Each of the gifts they gain, and the small acts of kindness he shows reflect Boo`s character and help lead up to his eventual appearance when saving the children.
Deus Ex Machina:
Deus Ex Machina is an unexpected force which saves the character in a desperate situation. Boo Radley`s unexpected appearance when the children are attacked by Bob is in my opinion a Deus Ex Machina. Boo Radley seemingly appears out of nowhere when the children are in a truly hopeless situation.
Dialogue:
The dialogue between the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird is generally well done. The conversations between the characters are convincing, the way the character’s speak is consistent, and some lines do evoke mood and emotion, such as Atticus’s final statements to the jury in the Tom Robinson Trial.
Direct Characterization:
“Calpurnia was something else again. She was all angles and bones; she was near-sighted; she squinted; her hand was wide as a bed slat and twice as hard. She was always ordering me out of the kitchen, asking me why I couldn't behave as well as Jem when she knew he was older, and calling me home when I wasn't ready to come. Our battles were epic and one-sided. Calpurnia always won, mainly because Atticus always took her side. She had been with us ever since Jem was born, and I had felt her tyrannical presence as long as I could remember.” – This passage is a clear example of direct characterization, as the reader is told who Calpurnia is, and how she is involved with the finch family.
“Miss Maudie hated her house: time spent indoors was time wasted. She was a widow, a chameleon lady who worked in her flower-beds in an old straw hat and men’s coveralls, but after her five o’clock bath she would appear on the porch and reign over the street in magisterial beauty.” This passage directly explains a bit of Miss Maudie’s character, such as her love of nature and her beauty.
“Mr Underwood had no use for any organization but The Maycomb Tribune, of which he was the sole owner, editor and printer. His days were spent at his linotype, where he refreshed himself occasionally from an ever-present gallon jug of cherry wine. He rarely gathered news; people brought it to him. It was said that he made up every edition of The Maycomb Tribune out of his own head and wrote it down on the linotype. This was believable.” This passage describes Mr. Underwood, the owner of the Macomb tribune, the reader directly learns from this passage that Mr. Underwood writes edits and owns the Maycomb Tribune himself, and spends his days in front of his type writer printing the news.
Indirect Characterization:
“He had discarded the abominable blue shorts that were buttoned to his shirts and wore real short pants with a belt; he was somewhat heavier, no taller, and said he had seen his father. Dill’s father was taller than ours, he had a black beard (pointed), and he was president of the L. & N. Railroad. ‘I helped the engineer for a while,’ said Dill, yawning.” This passage allows the reader to infer what Dill is like by showing Dill’s tendency to lie or exaggerate to get the attention of others.
“She brought me something to put on, and had I thought about it then, I would have never let her forget it: in her distraction, Aunty Broughtme my overalls. “put these on darling,” she said handing me the garments she most despised.” This passage shows that Aunt Alexandra does truly care about Scout’s wellbeing, possibly even so more than her ideas of family pride.
“By the time he had reached our front steps, Walter had forgotten he was a Cunningham. Jem ran to the kitchen and asked Calpurnia to set an extra plate, we had company. Atticus began a discussion about crops neither Jem Nor I could follow.” From this passage, the reader can infer that both Atticus and Jem are respectful to others and treat them the same way regardless of social caste. From this, the reader can take that Jem and Atticus are two characters who are truly devoted to equality.
Dynamic Character:
A dynamic character is a character who undergoes change in either their understanding or with physical characteristics. Atticus is not a dynamic character since although he is an integral part of the story, he does not change at all. Atticus`s constancy and understanding is a key part of his character. Scout however is a dynamic characters, as she mature in their understanding, and she learns key lessons from Atticus.
Exposition:
“According to neighbourhood legend, when the younger Radley boy was in his teens he became acquainted with some of the Cunninghams from Old Sarum, an enormous and confusing tribe domiciled in the northern part of the country, and they formed the nearest thing to a gang ever seen in Maycomb. They did little, but enough to be discussed by the town and publicly warned from three pulpits: they hung around the barber-shop; they rode the bus to Abbotsville on Sundays and went to the picture show; they attended dances at the county's riverside gambling hell, the Dew-Drop Inn and Fishing Camp; they experimented with stumphole whisky. Nobody in Maycomb had nerve enough to tell Mr Radley that his boy was in with the wrong crowd.” This passage is a good example of an exposition, as it does not necessarily contribute to the plot of the novel, but provides important background information regarding Boo Radley.
“When my father was admitted to the bar, he returned to Maycomb and began his practice. Maycomb, some twenty miles east of Finch's Landing, was the county seat of Maycomb County. Atticus's office in the court-house contained little more than a hat rack, a spittoon, a checker-board and an unsullied Code of Alabama. His first two clients were the last two persons hanged in the Maycomb County jail. Atticus had urged them to accept the state's generosity in allowing them to plead Guilty to second-degree murder and escape with their lives, but they were Haverfords, in Maycomb County a name synonymous with jackass.” This passage explains Atticus and occupation in the town of Maycomb.
“Cecil Jacobs, who lived at the far end of our street next door to the post office, walked a total of one mile per school day to avoid the Radley Place and old Mrs Henry Lafayette Dubose. Mrs Dubose lived two doors up the street from us; neighbourhood opinion was unanimous that Mrs Dubose was the meanest old woman who ever lived. Jem wouldn’t go by her place without Atticus beside him.” This passage explains the character of Mrs Dubose to the reader.
Fable:
There once was a little snake he was nice to all of the other animals in the forest, but due to his diet, and his inability to digest large foods, the snake had to eat all of the other poor defenseless animal eggs. All of the animals in the forest saw this as something horrible, eating small and defenseless animals and eggs, and began to say that the snake was a merciless animal who lacked remorse. All of the other animals isolated him from their animal games, and the snake was sad. Feeling alone, the snake slithered away from the forest. As the snake left, the rats that the snake used to eat began to overpopulate the forest. Since none of the other animals could eat rats, the food supply of the other animals began to deteriorate. Realizing that the forest needed him, and still caring about the animals, the snake slithered back to the forest and heroically saved the animals. The animals were grateful, and realized that snake had a heroic spirit and was nice and caring, despite his diet of eating eggs.
The moral of the story is that even though someone may seem evil and mean, there are good qualities that exist in their heart.
First Person Point of View:
“Then I saw the shadow. It was the shadow of a man with a hat on. AT first I thought it was a tree, but there was no wind blowing, and the tree-trunks never walked. The back porch was bathed in Moonlight, and the shadow as crisp as toast, moved across the porch towards Jem, Dill saw it next He put his hands to his face. When It crossed Jem, Jem saw it. He put his arms over his head and went rigid. The shadow stopped about a foot beyond Jem. Its arm came out from its side, dropped and was still. Then it turned and moved back across Jem, walked along the porch, and off to the side of the house, returning as it had come.”
Limited Omniscient Point of View:
As the children move ever closer to the Radley place, a shadow appears. Scout begins to see a shadow, it first seems to be that of a tree, but she notices it moving, and it seems to where a hat. The shadow Illuminated in moonlight, was clear enough to reveal nothing but a man whose shadow inched nearer and nearer. As Dill sees the shadow, and his hands immediately touch his face, his mouth slowly opening, shocked and scared for Jem’s life. It Inched ever closer to Jem, Jem’s body froze filled with fear, the shadow’s arm lifted towards Jem’s limp body. As it came, the man slowly wandered back to where it came, and Jem released a hopeful sigh of relief.
Objective Point of View:
As the children move ever closer to the Radley place, a shadow slowly appears. First Scout notices, she seems to think that the shadow may be a tree, except it moves closer and closer and she suspects that it is a man. The clear shining moonlight confirms Scouts thoughts, and Dill starts to notice the man. His face instantly changes to one of surprise and horror. The man inches closer, Jem starts to notice him, and immediately freezes with a look of terror. The shadow stops about a foot from Jem, its arm coming to the side and dropping. The figure then moves back to where it came. The children are instantly relieved.
Omniscient Point of View:
As the children move ever closer to the Radley place, a shadow appeared. Scout is the first to see the shadow, she sees it as a tree, but she shadow moves and her fear slowly begins to develop. With the shining moonlight, a man is revealed moving closer and closer to Jem’s location. Dill sees the man, and he is immediately scared for Jem’s life, his arms moving to his face depicting a look of terrified surprise. The man means no harm, he only notices that the son of Atticus Finch is on his porch. The man moves closer to Jem, and Jem realizes his situation, he body is frozen from the fear of death or worse. The man moves closer, and lifts his arm over Jem’s limp body. Realizing the reason for the children appearing on his property, the man goes back to his house, giving them a false sense of security.
Flashback:
The entire story is told in the form of a flashback scene, the older Scout reflects on the events of her childhood.
Foil:
Miss Maudie has the foil pair of Miss Stephanie, as both characters have contrasting traits of gossiping, and acting in a group. Miss Stephanie gossips and spreads rumours and superstitions to the children about Boo Radley, while Miss Maudie is more understanding, and sees Boo for who he really is, a shy quiet individual imprisoned by his Baptist father. Miss Maudie is more understanding, not laughing and Scout when she does not mean to be funny, and protecting her from uncomfortable situations. Miss Stephanie however is the sheer opposite, she gossips and gossips, does not respect and understand Scout, and occasionally places her in awkward situations. An example of this is when Scout is bombarded with questions by Miss Stephanie regarding her presence at the Tom Robinson trial, feeling that Scout is uncomfortable, Miss Maudie immediately invites Scout to eat cake, saving her from an uncomfortable situation.
Both Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are the examples of characters who contrast each other and reflect the society they live in. For example, both Tom Robinson and Boo are the story’s so-called Mockingbirds, as in a way they are both helpless and innocent souls harmed by the way society acts. At first glance these characters may seem as different as can be, but it is only when the reader looks past general appearances that they begin to see similarities. Both characters have a disability or handicap, such as Tom’s unusable left hand and the crippling racism of the town, as well as Boo’s reclusiveness due to childhood mistakes. Both characters are also scapegoats, as they are blamed for things they did not do to conform to modern society. These two characters also end up reflecting the town of Maycomb itself, and showing the dark racist underbelly. As Tom’s conviction shows the ture extent of evil in the town, and Boo’s reclusiveness showing the towns quick assumptions and easy superstition.
Foreshadowing:
The Mad Dog shot by Atticus foreshadows the coming of the Tom Robinson’s trial and death. The incident with the mad dog shows that the town truly needs Atticus, and also shows the courage that Atticus bears. In a way, this situation is a defining moment of Atticus, as it shows the towns dependence on him in both the situation of a mad dog and to represent the true goodness and equality in the town. It also shows Atticus’s responsibility to the town (to protect or try to protect it from evil) and it also shows Atticus’s courage. The Mad Dog represents the evil or madness that he and his family will have to face, such as with the Tom Robinson case, and Atticus shooting the dog represents his will to protect his values and his family.
Jem’s destruction of Mrs. Dubose’s gift foreshadows his reaction to the verdict of the Tom Robinson trial. When Jem is given a pure white camellia as a gift for reading to Mrs. Dubose, he immediately destroys it. Mrs. Dubose represents all that is wrong with the town (her extremely racist and distasteful characteristics), her bravery when facing death shows that good and co-exist with evil. The fact that Jem destroys his gift implies that Jem cannot yet see that goodness can co-exist with evil, and he still sees Mrs Dubose as evil character. This foreshadows his reaction to the Tom Robinson case, as Jem’s vision of the town is a naïve one of goodness and equality.
Our first glimpses of the personality and character of the Ewells is when Burris Ewell is shown. Burris Ewell is introduced a rude and dirty child who only goes to school once a year in order to not break the law. It is shown that Burris Ewell is poor, uneducated, simpleminded, and is frankly barbaric. This foreshadows the personality of Bob Ewell and an even darker and ruder character.
Hero:
I feel that Atticus is the true hero of the novel, he is willing to fight face the entire town to defend Tom Robinson, and in doing this represent the side of equality and pure understanding. Atticus’s commitment to justice and equality is so strong that he is even willing to place his own family in the evil face of the Maycomb. Atticus is truly courageous, and willing to stand by his views and protect his family no matter the cost.
Indeterminate Resolution:
I feel that the resolution in the Boo Plot is somewhat uncertain, as the reader is still left with feelings of ambiguity. Boo Radley only appears once, and he is never seen from again, questions are left in the readers mind. The reader will never know if Boo Radley appears to the children again, what his personality is like, what life was like just observing the events of the novel and dozens of other questions. The trial plot on the other hand is left more determinate, as Tom Robinson and Bob Ewell die, making the trial plot more clear.
Initial Incident:
The initial incident in the trial plot is the event of Mayella tricking and trying to seduce Tom Robinson, it is the combination of Mayella’s loneliness and Tom’s compassion which truly starts the trial. These events are what sets the events of the trial plot in motion.
Meeting Dill is the initial incident in the Boo Radley plot, as it is Dill’s curiosity and childlike personality that cause the children to pursue the goal of eventually meeting Boo. This starts the Boo Radley plot, as meeting Dill is what sparks the interest of Boo Radley and sets the Boo Radley plot in motion.
In medias res:
The story of To Kill A Mockingbird begins in medias res, when Scout begins the story, the first line is "When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow." This event happens at the end of the novel, and scout describes how this happens.
Motivation:
Throughout the course of the novel, Scout is motivated by many guiding characters and figures to act the way she does. Atticus first motivates Scout to be understanding, co-operative, this shown when Atticus tells Scout about truly understanding a person by looking at the world in their eyes, and to not get in fights on his behalf. Scouts curiosity motivates her to pursue Boo Radley. Aunt Alexandra also provides motivation for Scout to be strong during the events of the dinner party, in which she had been affected by the Tom Robinson trial. These motivations allow Scout to advance through the novel.
Discovery:
Over the course of the novel, Scout discovers many things, both about human nature and about her community. One of the primary things she discovers is Boo Radley’s more caring and gentle side, near the beginning, Scout believes that Boo is like a creepy ghost, and she fails to see his the sense of kindness. As the novel progresses, scout finally realizes that Boo is a nice person when she finally sees him. From Aunt Alexandra, Scout learns what it really imeans to be a lady, the passage in which Aunt Alexandra is distressed by Atticus’s responsibilities. Aunt Alexandra retains her lady like qualities, despite the sorrowful emotion she feels, and acts like a perfect hostess. Through this example, Scout learns of the strength that Aunt Alexandra has, and follows in her example. Scout also discovers more about the evil and goodness in human nature, although the extent of this is inferred by the reader. Through Mrs. Dubose, the mad dog attack and the Tom Robinson trial, Scout begins to see real courage. Like a line said by Atticus, “courage is not a man with a gun in his hand, Real courage is when you know you're licked before you begin. You begin anyway and see it through no matter what”. The bravery of Mrs. Dubose is shown to Scout through Atticus’s words, and she begins to see the goodness in Mrs. Dubose, Jem on the other hand does not. Scout also learns that life is unfair, and people are biased through the Tom Robinson case. Despite Atticus’s excellent defense, Tom is still guilty, not because the Jury believes he did the dastardly deed however but because he is black. The understanding of all of these lessons and discoveries contribute to the overall maturity and loss of innocence in Scouts Character.
Naïve Narrator, Reliable Narrator, and Unreliable Narrator:
I feel that the type of narrator of scout is a combination of all of these qualities. Scout is shown to be naïve as she is a little girl, and she lacks the understanding of more adult concepts and words. Throughout the novel however she grows less naïve and this shown in her newer understanding of the world. Scout shown to be a Reliable narrator in some cases, as she does not lie or exaggerate the truth in the novel, Scout tells the story for what it is, and what happens. Scout is shown to be an Unreliable narrator, not because she lies and changes the story on her own accord, but because it is seen that not all of the events in the novel are perfectly clear and visible to her. Such as the event of Bob Ewell’s attack, as she does not see what is going on and can only slightly infer, with simple observations such as the smell of stale whiskey.
Plot:
The story begins when two siblings Jem and Scout meet of Dill, a curious attention-seeking child. Hoping to see the true face of the mysterious Boo Radley, the children spend their summer attempting to lure him out. But soon morals and understanding of the children is put into question as they see the true face of injustice in their seemingly boring town.
Protagonist:
Scout is the novel’s protagonist, as she not only tells the story but really experiences feels what happens in the novel. The major events revolve around her and how she continues the process of growing up, and maturing.
Realism:
I feel that To Kill A Mockingbird is generally realistic novel, the setting, the characters, and the series of events are all generally believable. There are some exaggerations of details that somewhat limit the credibility such as the description of the Ewells and the Ewell home. The element of racism and the unhappy verdict of the trial however enhances the realism in the novel, as racism is an unfortunate reality that still exists today.
Realistic Character:
I feel that Atticus is a good example of a realistic character in this novel. Atticus is treats each of the characters realistically, meaning he treats his children different than how he treats his clients. Atticus’s responses and attitude are all realistic and believable, such as Atticus’s conversations with the children. Atticus’s response and attitude to the Tom Robinson trial is also realistic, as he is fully aware of the racism in Maycomb and realizes that he has lost from the start. There are however, certain details about Atticus that seem unrealistic, Atticus’s good qualities and understanding make him seem like the ideal human being. It seems also strange that the children never call Atticus dad. Atticus is not a perfectly realistic character, but his reaction and character traits are generally believable and contribute to the overall realism of the novel.
Resolution:
The resolution ends not on a happy one, but it ends giving the reader a sense of safety, (with Jem safe and sound). I think that this resolution is not entirely satisfying, as there are still questions unanswered. The novel comes full circle in the last few chapters, relating to how Jem’s arm was broken, and light is shed on the mysterious Boo Radley, but there are little snippets of ambiguity left behind by his quick appearance and retreat back into his house. I myself was left wondering if Scout or Jem would ever come face to face with Boo again. We are also left to wonder what becomes of some characters like the lovable Dill.
Setting
“First Purchase African M.E. Church was in the Quarters out- side the southern town limits, across the old sawmill tracks. It was an ancient paint-peeled frame building, the only church in Maycomb with a steeple and bell, called First Purchase because it was paid for from the first earnings of freed slaves. Negroes worshipped in it on Sundays and white men gambled in it on weekdays.” This passage describes the first purchase African Church, a church that is attended by Black people. The physical description of the church, with the words “an ancient paint-peeled frame building” suggest that the building is old and poor, the lines “Negroes worshipped in it on Sundays and white men gambled in it on weekdays.” Suggests the differences between the black people and the white people in the town of Maycomb, as a church is supposed to be a sacred place of worship, yet white people play simple games of luck in it. This means that a black person’s church is only equal to a white person’s place of recreation. This relates to the theme of prejudice, and the poor situation in the town, as the church is old and poor as black people cannot gain a sufficient amount of money to restore it, and white people disgrace it by gambling.
“The Radley Place jutted into a sharp curve beyond our house. Walking south, one faced its porch; the sidewalk turned and ran beside the lot. The house was low, was once white with a deep front porch and green shutters, but had long ago darkened to the colour of the slate-grey yard around it. Rain-rotten shingles drooped over the eaves of the veranda; oak trees kept the sun away. The remains of a picket drunkenly guarded the front yard - a `swept' yard that was never swept - where johnson grass and rabbit-tobacco grew in abundance”
“Inside the house lived a malevolent phantom. People said he existed but Jem and I had never seen him. People said he went out at night when the moon was high, and peeped in windows. When people's azaleas froze in a cold snap, it was because he had breathed on them. Any stealthy crimes committed in Maycomb were his work." -This passage describes the Radley Place and the sense of fear it casts on the neighbourhood. The descriptions of the setting using line “The house was low, was once white with a deep front porch and green shutters, but had long ago darkened to the colour of the slate-grey yard around it” suggest that the house is not regularly taken care of and seems abandoned. The lines “Inside the house lived a malevolent phantom” suggest the sense of fear and superstition held by many members of the community. This setting evokes a sense of fear and mystery, not unlike that of a haunted house.
Static Character:
Atticus, Dill, Calpurnia, Boo Radley, and Aunt Alexandra are all static characters, as they do not really undergo change throughout the entire course of the entire novel. For example, although Atticus to one of the more primary and significant characters, he is not necessarily changed by any of the events in the novel. After the Tom Robinson case, everything returns to normal for him, he goes to work just the same as any other day.
Stock Character:
I feel that Bob Ewell is a stock character, as is a stereotype or represents what becomes of a man if their minds are corrupted by Racism and hate. He is a stereotype of people who take advantage of black people. He is poor, dirty disgusting, and filled with hate.
Subplot:
I feel that both plots are equally important and go hand in hand with the lesson of mockingbirds. The trial plot is crucial to the story, as it introduces the children to the evil in the town of Maycomb, and establishes a clear example of a mockingbird in the novel. The Boo Radley plot seems to be just childhood fun and games, but Boo’s character slowly evolves and develops to a represent a Mockingbird to Scout upon meeting him. Both plots are equally as crucial to the story, and both stand as marking points of Scouts maturity. The guilty verdict of the trial plot introduces Scout to the evil in the town of Maycomb, and inequality, and the discovery and realization of Boo’s kind nature free of biased misconceptions and prejudgements establishes her final change in character and concludes the novel.
Suspense:
The trial is suspenseful, as the reader is still left uncertain about the verdict. It is seen that Atticus knows he will lose, but his argument and defense along with the untrustworthy witnesses of the Ewells convinces the reader of his victory. The thought of racial inequality and prejudice however still linger in the back of the readers mind. The reader is torn between Jem’s sure answer that Atticus will win, and the racial inequality of the town.
Suspense is created with the fact that Bob Ewell may or may not attack Atticus, after Atticus is spat on by the embodiment of chaos in the novel, it is uncertain whether or not he will still get his revenge on Atticus. It seems as though attacking other characters linked to the trial will be enough to vent Bob Ewell’s hate towards Atticus, but knowing Bob Ewells character and what he represents, it is also a likely possibility that he will strike at Atticus again.
Suspense is created when Jem and Scout walk home together after the Halloween pageant. The atmosphere created during this is common to that of a suspenseful moment; It is dark and dreary, as the children are slowly making their way home. Jem hears footsteps in the distance, silently tapping in the distance and stopping when he stops. The children make their way to the Radley place uncertain with what will happen, thinking it is Cecil Jacobs, a playful schoolmate of Scouts, the characters are somewhat relieved. At this point the reader is left uncertain of what may happen, and are anxious to see what is following them.
Symbol:
Mockingbirds, mockingbirds represent the weak and innocent, to kill a mockingbird refers to harming someone defenceless. This originates from the fact that Mockingbirds do not harm anyone or anything, they just make music.
The mad dog, the mad dog that Atticus shoots and kills represents the madness and evil. This symbol also foreshadows the prejudice that the Finch family must face during the Tom Robinson trial.
The white camellia given to Jem represents the goodness in even the most ugly or evil people, the white camellia shows that good traits and bad traits can be share by the same person, and Jem’s reaction towards this gift shows his lack of understanding, and inability to see that good and evil can co-exist.
Theme:
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird informs the reader that isolation and lonliness can cause pain to oneself as well as other. This is explained through Jem’s isolation of Scout as he matures, and Boo Radley’s reclusiveness.
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird tells the reader that risk-taking is crucial if one wants to find success or change. This is shown through Atticus’s decision to defend Tom Robinson despite the town’s racism.
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird shows the reader that it is important stand by and defend our values even in the face of adversity. This is shown through Atticus’s commitment to justice and equality in the Tom Robinson trial.
Tone
“People moved slowly then. They ambled across the square, shuffled in and out of the stores around it, took their time about everything. A day was twenty-four hours long but seemed longer. There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of Maycomb County. But it was a time of vague optimism for some of the people; Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself.” In this passage, the town of Maycomb is introduced and described. This passage conveys an uninteresting tone, one that the town is boring and nothing out of the ordinary.
“Another fire truck appeared and stopped in front of Miss Stephanie Crawford’s. There was no hydrant for another hose, and the men tried to soak her house with hand-extinguishers. Miss Maudie’s tin roof quelled the flames. Roaring, the house collapsed; fire gushed everywhere, followed by a flurry of blankets from men on top of the adjacent houses, beating out sparks and burning chunks of wood.” In this passage, firemen are fighting the fire in Miss Maudie’s home during the cold winter. This passage evokes a sense of action, and conveys an intense exciting tone.
“We could do nothing to please her. If I said as sunnilly as I could, 'Hey, Mrs Dubose, I would receive for an answer, 'Don't you say hey to me, you ugly girl! You say good afternoon, Mrs Dubose!”. This passage depicts an innocent conversation between Scout and Mrs. Dubose. This conversation gives the reader an annoyed or repulsive tone at the way Mrs. Dubose responds to Scouts simple greeting.
Verisimilitude:
“I shut my eyes. Judge Taylor was polling the jury. “Guilty… guilty… guilty… guilty…” I peeked at Jem; his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each “guilty” was a separate stab between them.” This reveals to the reader the ugly truth of Maycomb, no matter what anyone says or does, racism is always present, it can never be truly stopped.
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