On July 11, 1960 Harper Lee published her first novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. To date over 40 million copies of this chart topper have been sold to the public. The story is told from a child’s point of view and how she survives the challenges of racism and growing up. To Kill a Mockingbird also illustrates that challenging the opinions of others can aid in one’s moral improvement; Jem Finch experiences the most developmental progress through expanding his moral ideas and beliefs. Coming from a strong moral figure like Atticus, Jem is expected to become a respectable young adult.
At the end of all three of these characters’ trails and tribulations, Atticus Finch and Thomas more, the characters whom followed moral principles and made their choices based on what is right, are the ones who are satisfied with themselves. Even though Atticus lost the trail and Thomas lost his life, they are happy and they know that they have done all they can to help other people and still abide to their own conscience. Alex, on the other hand, wants to change at the end of the novella. He isn’t happy with the way his life is, and he wants to make his life better for himself and also for the people around him. He is on the verge of adapting a moral lifestyle.
We are born ignorant, with no knowledge, for a reason. We need to earn it; we need to experience it. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a novel based around a 6 year-old girl named Scout. It takes place in the 1930’s right in the middle of the Great Depression. In the book, Scout turns from an inexperienced child to a mature young lady.
Without moral education, society will not be able to distinguish the difference between right and wrong. Morality is a large theme throughout the book, as Calpurnia and Atticus teach Jem and Scout what is acceptable to say and do, as well as what is not. Atticus repeatedly said to the children, “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” (39). To Kill a Mockingbird faces the issue of prejudice and racism, without first knowing the actual person, causing major damage, and in Tom Robinson’s case, death. Society needs to learn the importance of moral education and without To Kill a Mockingbird, a tough, concrete example will be
In Harper Lee's famous novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the themes of sin, understanding, empathy, and the complexities of human nature are prominent ideas that run throughout the story. This chapter helps us explore right and wrong. It also helps us to understand and have empathy for people. Chapter 11 is a crucial part of the book where these themes become more apparent. Lee skillfully portrays their presence both on the surface and in the larger perspective.
So·cial jus·tice, noun, 1. justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. 2."individuality gives way to the struggle for social justice.” (Google Search). Social Justice is a term used to justify the equality in the world; equality of race, equality of gender, equality of religion, of age, of background; equality of all people not dependent on any outside factor, but of the people themselves.
How is the racial problem of the southern states of USA in the 1930s portrayed in To Kill a Mockingbird? INTRO In the 1930s the Southern states of America suffered from a strong discrimination and racial hatred towards colored people. They had no rights, no respect and were not allowed to go places white people went. In other words they were segregated from the rest of the society.
Personal values and morals are instilled into children by their parents . Jem and Scout Finch, characters from Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, are open minded, educated, young children that have a father named Atticus Finch who tries to teach his children to have sound morals and personal values . The children have not been sheltered from life's hardships due to their father Atticus's views on parenting instead they have learned right from wrong. Atticus Finch believes that not sheltering his kids from the world allows them to form strong morals and values. Atticus Finch does what he believes will help make his children into strong citizens with outstanding values and morals.
Atticus lives by a code: let your conscience be your guide. That’s why he takes on the case at the heart of the story, the defense of a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. Scout tells Atticus that most people in the town think it’s wrong to defend the accused man. But Atticus explains that “they’re entitled to full respect for their opinions. But before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself.
As the book goes on and the characters change, ethical dilemmas about fear, and racism are seen. Additionally, what the book has to say about moral values and how things are done is mentioned in this essay. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee depicts the crude reality of Ethical Dilemmas in Maycomb, Alabama during the 1950s. One of the first Ethical Dilemmas presented in the book is what are the morals of the people in Maycomb. It is clear that Maycomb has differences in how people act, but that is different on what their moral values are.
To Kill a Mockingbird is a book written by Harper Lee about racism and justice during the Great Depression. In Maycomb County, most people still aren’t over the confederate days, but Atticus Finch, a very ethical lawyer, and his family have to undergo a case over a black man. The thematic statement found in this book is,”A person’s surroundings will affects their choices and disregard morals.” This tells how the people in this book disregard some base morals and make choices. In To Kill a MockingBird there are examples of people disregarding their morals in mob mentality and letting society influence them, but keeping to a strict line they wouldn’t cross like Atticus defending Tom.
Harper Lee once wrote that “Real courage is when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what”. Moral courage means doing the right thing despite the risk of any consequences. Anyone can have moral courage, no matter who you are. Many authors often use different literary elements to develop themes in their writings. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses the literary elements mood and imagery to teach her audience about doing the right thing or moral courage.
Reading Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird is crucial to the tenth grade English curriculum for the lessons it teaches students and the topics it brings forward for discussion that students must acknowledge and understand. The whole point of an education system is to provide students with the tools to become productive citizens. This idea fuels the curriculum for students as they begin with their primary education all the way until they conclude high school or even a higher level degree. It is crucial that the information taught to students includes social issues in societies of the past and the present, enabling them to be active members in discussions they may face in the future. To Kill a Mockingbird targets an issue that has stood
One lesson in the book that I feel Jem learns as a part of growing up is moral courage. Atticus once told Jem that “courage is [not] 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.” Jem had always seen bravery as important and often tried to show the courage in him but only learnt about what moral courage really was through a series events that took place in the book.
The novel To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in the segregated South of the 1930’s. The book is told in the eyes of an eight year old girl, Scout Finch. Her father, Atticus Finch, is an attorney who is struggling to prove the innocence of a black man incorrectly accused of rape. The historical context of the book lets one see the social status of different groups during the civil rights era. The story explores who fits into certain societies, who is respected in the community, written and unwritten rules concerning family, gender, age, and race, expectations of certain people, and what conflicts arise out of tension.
