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Good Vs. Evil In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

985 Words4 Pages

Arabella Sorensen
Mrs. Rollins
Honors English 9-7
8 March 2023
Good vs. Evil in To Kill a Mockingbird In Harper Lee’s evolutionary novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, she features the protagonists Jem and Scout, who face the struggles of growing up as children in a Southern town where there is “nowhere to go” (5), “nothing to see” (5), and nothing to do. Scout and Jem are fairly standard children, except they see the world differently, based on the teaching of their father, Atticus. Throughout the story, the children face many conflicts and learn that life is not as simple or rewarding as they once thought, but rather challenging and bitter. Atticus helps them through many challenges, however, they also help him as well. Their father teaches them …show more content…

The subject of the “mad dog” (94), Tim Johnson is compared to the “invisible force” (95) that is racism. This is fitting because both racism and Tim Johnson are what Atticus has to face. Lee entwines the theme through Atticus being the only person willing to kill the rabid dog. The police officer is seen “shift[ing] his gun” (94) but not taking the shot even after being told he is “wast[ing] time” (95) he refuses to shoot the dog. This is significant because the person who is supposed to keep the people safe has refused to do what he is in attendance for. Lee establishes how Atticus initially didn’t want to kill the dog but felt obligated to “walk out into the middle of the street” (96) because the evil presence wasn’t going to go away unless something was done about it. He does this based on the morals that allow him to realize he needs to aid the people. Atticus is put into a complex situation and chooses to step up and do the right thing, even when the people who should, do …show more content…

Dubose. Harper Lee profiles Mrs. Dubose as a “vicious” (100) and “horrible” (106) person who has strong opinions and is unafraid to express them. Mrs. Dubose is also shown knowing when her “shot[s] ha[ve] gone home” (101) when she “ruthless[ly] interrogates” (99) the other characters. On the other hand, Jem is the son of a good man, Attticus. Lee crafts Atticus to be an exemplary person and is shown telling Mrs. Dubose that she looks “like a picture” (100), even though he knows of her unkind behavior towards his children; he still shows her kindness and respect. Especially when it may seem to others that she might not be deserving of it. Nonetheless, Lee puts Mrs. Dubose in a position of authority over the town even going as far as to mention that she may or may not carry a “CSA pistol” (99) and yells from her “station” (101) at her porch. However, Jem is unafraid to challenge Mrs. Dubose or question her authority. Even though he is just a boy he “forget[s] everything that Atticus had said” (102) after she offends his father, whom he loves, and is unafraid to show her that he disagrees. Lee includes this to show how Jem steps up to defend who he cares about and does not back down from the fight, and what he believes is

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Atticus sends Jem to go and talk to Ms Dubose after he cut all the flowers in her garden. Scout is worried for her brother so when her and Atticus were sitting on the couch he told her: This case, Tom Robinson’s case, it’s 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 this man.

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Dubose and how terribly she acts, but they also learn first hand her awful behavior, having been victims of Mrs. Dubose’s insults. Rumors about a “...CSA pistol concealed among her numerous shawls and wraps” (114) caused Jem much fear of Mrs. Dubose, but that did not prevent him from destroying Mrs. Dubose’s flowers when she criticized Atticus about defending an African-American. And as punishment, Atticus required Jem to go and read to Mrs. Dubose. During their reading trips to her house, Jem and Scout find out that Mrs. Dubose is a sick old lady with nothing to do. After Mrs. Dubose dies, Atticus explains that she had an addiction to morphine, and that Jem reading to her had helped her break that addiction.

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Atticus is able to admire Mrs. Dubose's courage even while she makes fun of Atticus for being a nigger lover. No matter how mean she could be to him he would still treat her with respect. Throughout the novel Scout changes from being a tom-boy to a girly-girl. She used to wear trousers now she wears pink dresses.

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This shows that even without his glasses, he is capable of seeing how awful racism and prejudice. The dog, Tims Johnson, Atticus is supposed to shoot represents the racism and prejudice spread throughout the town. When Atticus shoots him, he is trying to rid the town of their awful views. “Tim Johnson leaped, flopped over and crumpled on the sidewalk,” (Lee 127). Unfortunately, Atticus can not convince everyone to see without their prejudice

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To others, it is natural for him to do the deed because of his talent, however, it is very difficult for Atticus to shoot the dog because of his hatred of both guns and his natural talent because it gives “...him an unfair advantage over most living things” so he “...he decided he wouldn’t shoot until he had to” (130). For him to be able to finish the job means that he set aside his very strong sense of morals and his goal to teach his children morals in order to protect his town. Since the dog represents the racism of Maycomb, Atticus both symbolically rose up against racism by killing the dog and literally by defending a black man. When the rabid dog came to Maycomb, everyone in the town cowardly ran into the safety of their house and locked everything up, except for Atticus. No one stands up to the evilness of racism even if they do not agree with it, such as Mrs. Maudie, who had clear opposition to racism.

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The town’s sheriff, Heck Tate, is called to kill the dog. Even the town’s sheriff asked Atticus, who the town would describe as “...civilized in his heart,” to shoot the mad dog. Atticus is very clear that he doesn’t want to do it when he says, “don’t waste time, Heck,” after Mr. Tate hands him the rifle. The main reason that Atticus was so hesitant about killing the dog was that he didn’t want Jem and Scout to believe, “...that courage is a man with a gun in his hand.” In many ways, the mad dog in this chapter symbolizes racism in the community.

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In Jem and Scout's encounter with Mrs. Dubose, she said, “Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one is in the courthouse lawing for n-words”, (Lee, 135)! This quote demonstrates that not only were young kids harassing Jem and Scout but even people as old as Mrs. Dubose had something to say to them when you think an older person would be more mature. This quote shows that even though Mrs. Dubose lives with an African American woman she thinks that Tom Robinson is guilty just because of his skin color and it shows how people really thought during that time period. At the end of Chapter 11 Atticus said “Mrs. Dubose was a morphine addict,”(Lee,147). This quote shows how who once used to be a nice old lady got hooked on painkillers and let them take over her life which resembles innocence being destroyed by evil.

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The introduction of her character gives people an opportunity to empathize with her despite her racist views. Atticus wants Jem and Scout to consider the situations that may have shaped her perspective. In this chapter, Scout's interaction with Mrs. Dubose reveals a significant display of empathy. Despite Mrs. Dubose being bitter and racist, Atticus wants Scout to be kind and understanding towards her. Scout's visits to Mrs. Dubose's house make her realize she is struggling with addiction.

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It was then revealed she was a Morphine addict, and Jem was there to help her get rid of her addiction (him reading to her, kept her mind off of Morphine). Atticus just wanted Jem to see what “real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand.” (page number). Atticus didn’t want Jem to think that courage and power came from a gun or a weapon, and wanted him to see how courageous Mrs. Dubose was for trying to stop her addiction despite the fact that she was going to die

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Then Atticus and Heck Tate show up to kill the dog. When Heck is holding the gun this is when he says he can't shoots and he blames it on the reason that he can’t shoot that well. But the real reason Heck doesn’t shoot that dog because the dog is an example of racism. As the Sheriff in town Heck doesn’t stop racism so why stop by shooting the dog. Once Atticus shoots the dog this shows that only Atticus can fix the racism in

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Firstly, Lee depicts the mad dog to represent racism and foreshadows Atticus’ willingness to shoot it, which shows that he wants to abolish racism. As the dog, Tim Johnson, walks down the street, everybody runs inside and locks their doors, fearing the abomination that stands before them. But as everyone does so, Atticus “takes the gun and walks out into the middle of the street…” where no one will stand, facing this monstrosity of an animal. “The rifle cracked. Tim Johnson leaped, flopped over and crumpled on the sidewalk...

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So don’t let Mrs. Dubose get you down. She has enough troubles of her own” (pg. 124). Consequently, this short sentiment displays Atticus’ unfailing desire to find everyone agreeable despite the circumstances and does well as an example for his growing children. Furthermore, he presents his unconditional love by following, possibly unconsciously, the commandments of the Bible where it lies said, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Not once in the pages of the To Kill a Mockingbird novel does Atticus result into severe and unfair disciple toward Jem and Scout, rather he determinedly instructs them in the ways of tenderness.

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Dubose. Atticus explains to them that sometimes in life one has to do things one may not enjoy in order to serve others. Atticus then connects Jem and Scout’s struggle with Mrs. Dubose to himself and the trial. Atticus says to Scout and Jem “ ‘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’ ”

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