ipl-logo

Literary Analysis Essay On To Kill A Mockingbird

938 Words4 Pages

Literary Analysis Essay Wanna know what values Jem and/or Scout learned in the book How to Kill a Mockingbird? Well if you read this essay you will find out. Some examples of values they learned that I will use for this essay are when Calpurnia teaches Jem and Scout how to be nice to others. Another example is when Atticus teaches them that people have their opinions and they shouldn’t get mad about it. The last example I'm gonna use is when Atticus teaches Jem and Scout to protect the innocent.

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is not the only adult who teaches values and morals to his children, Scout and Jem. Calpurnia, the family cook teaches Scout to be nice to others. Jem invites Walter over for Lunch at their house. Once they get there Walter asked for molasses and put it all over his meat and vegetables. After Scout saw that he did that she went to ask him “What the sam hill are you doing” ( Lee 24) and started to criticize Walter for doing that. Then Atticus …show more content…

For christmas Atticus gifted Jem and Scout air riffles. Atticus wouldn’t teach Jem and Scout how to shoot their air rifles. Instead uncle Jack taught Jem and Scout how to shoot because uncle Jack said Atticus wasn’t interested in guns. Atticus gave them one warning which is “Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you cant hit’em but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” Then after atticus said this Scout asked Miss Maudie about it and she said “Your father’s right, Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 93). The quote realtes to Atticus helping Tom Robinson and trying to protect him because he’s innocent. Atticus knows that Tom didn’t rape Mayella and he will try to do everything to protect Tom

Show More
Related
499 Words | 2 Pages

The development of characters throughout the book, and what children learn puts it in perspective how children lack a complete comprehension of the world surrounding them. In the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout learns about respecting other’s views and that everybody else does not understand how she mentally puts her learnings into context. The characters of Atticus as well Miss Maudie reveals to the reader a theme that is being shown by Harper Lee; maturation; Scout as well Jem mature throughout the short time that’s elapsed in the book, helped by the models listed previously. Atticus’ character is evident in this chapter. We see him teaching Jem and Scout about respect and other’s views.

Read More
1029 Words | 5 Pages

Scout later shares that she and her brother Jem awaken to see stovewood, hickory nuts, smilax, and holly, all left by Mr. Cunningham as a token of his appreciation to Atticus. When Mr. Walter Cunningham’s son, Walter is invited over to the Finches for lunch, Atticus plays the role of an outstanding host. Knowing that Scout is one of young Walter’s bullies at school, he makes sure that Scout doesn’t pick on the poor boy and make him feel any sort of

Read More
1941 Words | 8 Pages

He says, “ shoot all of the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (pg 90) Saying this shows that Atticus has empathy for the birds. The children's first reactions are confused, but their neighbor later explains to them how mockingbirds do no harm, and why they shouldn't kill them. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy”(pg 90). When Miss Maudie said this, the kids felt empathy for the bird.

Read More
839 Words | 4 Pages

In Harper Lee’s classic novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, two characters change because of experiences they witness first hand. These characters, Scout and Jem, morally developed throughout the story by watching what happens with Tom Robinson’s trial, and by watching their father face the discrimination and hate because of the trial. Jem is a kind, young boy. He sees the world as a little kid would. Jem was bewildered when his dad, Atticus, shot and killed a dog in one shot.

Read More
827 Words | 4 Pages

This quote is Scout talking to her teacher and explaining why Walter doesn’t have lunch, and won’t accept her offer of a quarter. She recalled a conversation she had with Atticus last winter, where she figured out that they were poor, but not as poor as the Cunninghams. Scout hadn’t yet grasped the concept that some people don't grow up with equal opportunities. This is why the perspective of a little child narrating really adds a component to the story that keeps readers interested. Another way Scout has impacted the text is by helping us learn important lessons throughout the

Read More
1247 Words | 5 Pages

Many children have adults in their lives who influence the way they turn out in the future. These people can affect the children in negative or positive ways. Scout learns the importance of respect from Calpurnia, the ways of the world, how to live life to the fullest, and walking in someone else’s shoes to understand them throughout the entirety of To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee truly portrays Scout ’s coming of age by using the character’s Calpurnia, Miss Maudie, and Atticus as very important role models in Scout’s life.

Read More
2048 Words | 9 Pages

Mockingbirds are whom Atticus are defending for, not only Tom Robinson, but also people in town who are the same innocent as the insect Scout has been asked

Read More
691 Words | 3 Pages

To Kill A Mockingbird Literary Analysis Throughout To Kill A MockingBird, by Harper Lee there are many acts of courage. This is shown in Atticus Finch, Jem Finch, and Boo Radley. Atticus shows the most courage in the book but all three of these characters show true courage in some way, shape, or form. Boo Radley showed a lot of courage, but he was not in the storyline as much as Atticus. Throughout To Kill A Mockingbird, courage is defined as standing up for people and doing what’s right.

Read More
1634 Words | 7 Pages

They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (Lee 103). From this, Miss Maudie is directly saying that we shouldn’t harm someone who has done nothing to be harmed for. We can connect this to Tom Robinson, who is an innocent black man who has been wrongfully convicted of a crime he did not commit.

Read More
794 Words | 4 Pages

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.

Read More
753 Words | 4 Pages

Although he is appointed to defend Tom Robinson, Atticus does his best to prove Tom’s innocence, despite the ridicule imposed on him and his family. When Scout asks why Atticus is defending Tom he responds with, “For a number of reasons… The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this country in legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again” (Lee 100). This shows that Atticus has a strong sense of righteousness and will affirm to what is right.

Read More
865 Words | 4 Pages

The story To Kill a Mockingbird was written by Harper Lee to express how the changes in the lives of children are based on those around them. Little kids always look up to those older than them as role models. However, sometimes children choose the wrong role models which leads them to struggle to make good choices for themselves. Throughout this novel, Lee provides many examples of how good and bad situations in the world will teach children morals in their lives. Jem is a great example of development in characteristics because of the way he treats those younger and older than him, how he sees his future, and how he tries to act maturely toward those around him.

Read More
915 Words | 4 Pages

Option 2 Literary Analysis To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a novel set during the 1930s in a small town in Southern Alabama called Maycomb. The story is told through the narrator, Scout, a young girl who lives with her father, a lawyer, and her older brother Jem. As a child, Scout is portrayed as a stubborn and obnoxious little girl who loves to read, play with her brother Jem, and fantasize about her mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley. However, her life gets turned upside down when Scout’s father agrees to do something that is deemed unacceptable in the south; he agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black man who is accused of raping a white girl. Instantly, Atticus and his family go from being respected and beloved by their town, to being

Read More
710 Words | 3 Pages

Specifically, Atticus teaches Scout this lesson when he tells her not to shoot mockingbirds because they didn’t do anything except bring music to the world. Atticus first says, “‘Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird’”(Lee 93). Next Mrs. Maudie says, ‘“Your father’s right,’ she said. ‘Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy...but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird’”(Lee 94).

Read More
1542 Words | 7 Pages

Through all of the opposition, most of the characters follow the majority filled with hostility and prejudices, but the remaining few who hold on to their personal values help to influence other characters positively for the rest of their lives. Through the many contrasting characters, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird teaches the values of courage, loyalty, and honesty. The first value expressed through many characters throughout the novel is courage.

Read More

More about Literary Analysis Essay On To Kill A Mockingbird

Related Topics

Open Document