Preview

To Kill A Mockingbird, By Harper Lee

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1056 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
To Kill A Mockingbird, By Harper Lee
The novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee is a great work in American literature, and has been taught in schools for many years. The book is the story of two young children during part of their time growing up. In this book, readers see the adventures of Scout and Jem, and how they learn from them. Along with learning that racism is a big part in their society in this time, and the unfairness of it. The novel should be taught in schools because of the lessons taught to readers by Scout and Jem, as well as lessons about the effects and extremity of racism. The siblings Jem and Scout, Scout especially, teach readers important lessons and proves why this book should be in the high school curriculum. The book is narrated from the perspective of young Scout. Through …show more content…
She sees this and rather than going with society, Scout confronts the rules and does and believes what she knows is right. Readers in high school can learn from this to stand up for themselves and what they believe is right. Scout also learns maturity throughout this book. In the first part of the book Scout gets into a fight and Atticus later tells her this is not acceptable. Then later when she is challenged again she “walked away from a fight” (Lee 102). This shows Scout’s growing maturity as a young woman and how she has learn to listen and do what is right. This teaches readers to step back even when they feel like they can not or should not because it is the right and mature thing to do. Later on towards the end of the book, when Aunt Alexandra has her missionary circle over Scout comments “After all, if Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could I” (Lee 318). Scout notices that after just finding out that Tom has been killed, her Aunt still acts like a lady, and Scout plans to do the same. Scout teaches readers that it is possible to stay mature and collected even when going through

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Scout, a very unique girl, was taught many of the things she knew by her father, Atticus. Atticus in many cases nurtured her mind, conscience, and individuality. While most girls wore dresses and had proper manners, Scout wears overalls and climbs trees with Jem and Dill. Scout, meanwhile, prepares to go to school for the first time, an event that she has been eagerly anticipating. Once…

    • 487 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    To Kill a Mockingbird is a great book and a must read for all children. It had symbolism throughout the story that helped the readers know and understand the characters. Also, Scout and Jem Finch grow throughout the novel and they begin to realize what a cruel and unjust place the world really is. To Kill a Mockingbird shows the innocence of children and the troubles they are faced with in their daily…

    • 425 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    How Scout changes throughout the novel interests me as well. Scout is the young sister of Jem Finch, who is the narrator of the book To Kill a Mockingbird. As a young child, she is both the questioner and the observer because as a young child she still doesnt understand the full implication of what is happening around her.…

    • 635 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Atticus Finch Role Model

    • 779 Words
    • 4 Pages

    To Kill A Mockingbird was and still is one the first novels I read as a teenager, that led me to wonder about society and the judgement's we place on individuals. That it is easy to assume and believe the rumors, rather than being the template in pursuit of factuality. Scout was that person. She was a very small child and when you don't know or understand something due to your age, you have to believe what others do and say is in fact, acceptance. She had no choice but to accept what she was told. As the story goes on, Scout listens and learns, much more than she could have imagined.…

    • 779 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the beginning of the novel, Scout’s bold and candid personality reveals her drive to stand up for others and speak her mind, even toward authority figures.…

    • 468 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout the novel, Scout starts out as an ignorant boyish girl. She had no knowledge of the world and relied on her brother. At the end of the novel, she becomes more ladylike and less selfish. The lessons she learns are all in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. One of them is to judge a person, you have to look at things from their point of view.…

    • 489 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    ‘When Jem came home he asked me where I got such a wad. I told him I found it… You’ll get killed if you do!” (p. 37) Jem was very vigilant of his Scout, he is always worried about her safety and wellbeing. Being the youngest, Scout is often causing a lot of chaos. Though in a similar way, Scout always came to Jem’s defense. “I’ll send him home”, a burly man said, and grabbed Jem roughly by the collar. He yanked Jem nearly.. nobody gonna do Jem that way,” I said.’ (p.168) Scout is very protective of her brother. She doesn’t like to see him hurt or harmed by strangers. This emphasizes that Jem and Scout care a lot about each other and will always be there for each other. Jem and Scout’s inseparable siblings bond had helped each other though difficult…

    • 884 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Scout notices all her surroundings and the feeling of Atticus and starts to come of age. Scout learns many new things that change her lifestyle. They change Scout’s lifestyle because her promised not to fist fight any of her classmates. Many of the problems in our world today are caused by others not realizing their surroundings and feelings of others. If everyone would treat everyone with respect and not judge them of their looks and treat them how they would like to be treated we would not have so much problems. Treating everyone with respect is the solution to many of our problems today in Earth…

    • 1057 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    To Kill A Mockingbird is a book that deals with many of the harsh issues in society in the 1960s, and because it is written in the perspective of a six year old girl trying to understand this unfair world she lives in makes it a very unique perspective. "This is there home, sister,' said Atticus. 'We've made it this way for them they might as well learn to cope with it"(Lee 285). Atticus is talking to Aunt Alexandra after the trial of Tom Robinson. Aunt Alexandra was upset because the children went to the trial and she felt that they were too young to be at a trial of this subject. Even though Scout seems very mature at her age and she is growing up in this world and she is very curious about how the world works and she is trying to explore. "I climbed into the back seat of the car without saying good-bye to anyone, and at home I ran to my room and slammed the door"(Lee 112). Scout is upset because she was being yelled at for hitting her cousin. She was acting more like her own age in this chapter. Instead of her being very wise for her age like she is in the rest of the book she is immature…

    • 1248 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Atticus as a Role-Model

    • 515 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Scout is a curious, young, impressionable girl without a mother figure to look up to and needs Atticus more than anybody. When Atticus explains to his daughter Scout that he would be defending Tom Robinson, Scout asks her father “ Why are you defending a black man?”. Atticus replies with a direct answer; “For a number of reasons. The main one being is if I didn’t I couldn’t hold my head up in this town, I couldn’t represent this country in legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again.” (pg. 81). This shows Atticus to be a man with strong morals, and a great father to teach Scout important values at her impressionable age. Another example of this would be when Atticus makes Scout read to Ms. Dubose as a way of apologizing for damaging her flowers. This also teaches Scout true bravery, and the golden rule (treat everyone how you would like to be treated).…

    • 515 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    To Kill A Mockingbird

    • 540 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates determination through Atticus Finch’s ability to do what is right at all costs because he wants to set good examples. First of all, Atticus defends those who aren’t able to speak for themselves or for those who aren’t understood. Evidence of this assertion from the book is, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”- (pg. 39) Atticus defended Miss Caroline when Scout told him about Burris Ewell; Atticus told Scout to look at things from Miss Caroline’s perspective. Atticus knew that people shouldn’t tease Arthur Radley, so Atticus made sure his children didn’t make fun of Arthur. Atticus defended Mrs. Dubose and explained to Jem how she was the bravest person he ever knew. Second of all, Atticus accepts the trial of Tom Robinson even though the town is against him. Evidence of this second assertion is, “This case, Tom Robinson’s case, is something that goes to the essence of a man’s conscience-Scout, I couldn’t go to church and worship God if I didn’t try to help that man.”- (pg. 139) Although Atticus knew that Tom Robinson was going to be guilty, Atticus still wanted to defend him. If Atticus couldn’t hold up his head in town, Atticus couldn’t represent this county in the legislature. He couldn’t even tell Scout or Jem not to do something again because Atticus could never ask them to mind him again. The town was against Atticus for defending a black man, but Atticus didn’t cave into the negative comments they were saying about him. When taking the case of Tom Robinson, Atticus took the responsibilities of protecting Tom. One of the times when Atticus protected Tom was when Atticus sat outside the jail late at night with a gun to protect Tom. Last of all, Atticus makes wise choices in regards to his children. Here are two evidences of this last assertion. “You might hear some ugly talk about it at school, but do one…

    • 540 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is very well known and it’s also a modern classic. Many people love the book about a 10 year old girl narrating an event that happened in her town. Many people love the book and could read it over and over. Some people disagree, saying the book is racist and has an immoral plot. Schools have been banning amazing books like this one because of parents complaining and teachers disagreeing with it.…

    • 436 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    To Kill a Mockingbird

    • 1616 Words
    • 7 Pages

    In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, many characters are stereotyped into whom they are not, to emphasise the theme of the novel, as well as teach the audience of the moral lesson that is learned from this novel; to be a less judgemental society and to be willing to accept others of different cultures and races by creating moral education. This technique of using stereotypes gives the reader a first-hand knowledge of what it is like to be stereotyped; thus, creating the theme of the coexistence of good and evil. Throughout the novel, characters are stereotyped and the audience learns their true self as the novel goes on. These stereotyped characters are used to achieve the theme in the way Boo Radley represents how humankind is essentially good, how children view society and prejudice compared to adults, as well as the way minor characters in the novel prove that not everything is as others perceive them to be.…

    • 1616 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    To kill a mockingbird

    • 398 Words
    • 1 Page

    Even though Atticus is just seen as a lawyer in the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird", Jem and Scout, his kids, come to realize what kind of a great father he is. Many people think a gun is used to kill innocent people or animals. Atticus shot this mad dog because if he had not, the dog would have been danger towards others. Miss Maudie tells Scout and Jem "forgot to tell you the other day that besides playing the Jew’s harp, Atticus Finch was the deadest shot in Maycomb County in his time" (Lee 98). This demonstrates that Scout and Jem come to understand and value Atticus when they see him come and kill the dog. Before this innocent happened they thought that Atticus was just a man who solved cases, but they never knew about the other side of their father. Atticus in this story is a lawyer who defends a black male named Tom Robinson. One of Atticus’s reason to defend Tom Robinson was that if he didn’t then he couldn’t be able to hold up his head in town and couldn’t represent this county in the legislature. He also couldn’t even tell Scout or Jem not to do something again. Jem and Scout come to admire Atticus when they figure out that Atticus is standing up for what he believes in even though most of the whole county doesn’t. Finally Atticus speaks to Jem about courage. He tries to develop that relationship with Jem by making him see things the way he does. For instance he talks about Mrs. Dubose to Jem and says “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 see it through no matter what” (112). This proves that Jem comes to admire Atticus through his speech because Atticus is using another person as an example then himself. He is using Mrs. Dubose as an example and tried to make him understand that she died beholden to nothing and no one. The reason Atticus explained it this way was because, he wanted Jem to understand…

    • 398 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    To Kill a Mockingbird

    • 457 Words
    • 2 Pages

    To Kill a Mockingbird is more than just killing a mockingbird. “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee is a story about the struggle of one man’s effort to combat racism in the South during the Jim Crow Era. This book is also about Scout’s maturation. Scout is a tomboy who represents efforts to alter her behavior in order to make her more socially accepted. An archetype is an original pattern or model from which all things of the same land are copied or on which they are based. A character archetype is a personality trait of characters that we find in almost every story. Examples of character archetypes are the father, the other, the child, the wise-fool, the maiden, the hero and anti-hero, the deceiver, the scapegoat, the outcast, the temptress, and the best friend. There are many characters in this story, each whom fill a specific role and a specific purpose. One character named Calpurnia fills a very important role in the story; she is the maid for the Finch’s. Because Calpurnia is very stern and she tries her best to save people if they need it she falls into the father and hero archetypes. She also falls into the mother archetype because she is nurturing and comforting at times in the story.…

    • 457 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays