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Themes in the novel to kill a mockingbird
Themes in the novel to kill a mockingbird
The theme of racial discrimination and injustice in to kill a mockingbird
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She grew up never understanding what was going on around her, but as she grew older she understood the bad things that were happening around her. Scout grew up in a very racist town, surrounded by racists every day she had to know what was right and what was wrong. “There’s something in our world that makes men lose their heads—they couldn’t be fair if they tried. In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins. They’re ugly, but those are the facts of life”(Lee 330).
This quote illustrates the beginning of Scout’s loss of innocence, which essentially results in her gaining the knowledge of the racist society that she is living in. Scout begins to persecut by kids
Scout truly believed what her father
In Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ racism is a major issue seen in the everyday life in Maycomb, Alabama, which shapes the characters. The main part of the story is Tom Robinson’s trial. He is on trial for sexually assaulting a white woman. This is important to the story as it is a clear example of racism and its effects on society as Tom is misjudged. The story follows the experiences of the Finch family and shows the effects of racism on the younger members as they grow up and are exposed to the reality of life.
Think back to when you were little kid around 7 or so and you had no worries about life or anything. All you would think about is candy and toys and nothing about the world of adults. No worries of the weather or what the grown ups would talk about. Scout’s childhood innocence takes a turn from her care free days to the real world of racism and bad people. In To Kill a Mockingbird Scout witnesses the trial of Tom Robinson and how racism is taught to her unknowingly from it.
The protagonist of To Kill a Mockingbird Scout is confused and in quite the dreadful state. She had an exhausting 1st day at school and she is contemplating why she is even going to school anymore. From her point of view, her father doesn’t have a degree level education. Young Scout is confused on why others seemingly do as they please; she doesn’t enjoy going to school where her very teacher is not tolerant of Scout. Atticus, her father, has some ideas to share with Scout about seeing from another person’s eyes.
The story told through the author’s words is a narrative of her childhood, a narrative of southern Alabamian racism through the eyes of a child, a narrative of growing up and losing inner innocence. To Kill a Mockingbird is told from the perspective of a young girl, living in southern Alabama, named Scout. It follows her thoughts on a case in which her father, Atticus Finch, has been
Perception and Truth It is easy to get lost in the illusion of reality, which is often clouded by biases and misconceptions that shape the world around us. This idea is explored in the novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee. The book is told from the innocent point of view of a young girl named Scout, who is telling the story of how her brother broke his arm. The story follows Scout and Jem Finch as the complexities of the world are revealed to them through their father, Atticus Finch, who was chosen to represent Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. Through the story’s display of the web of illusions that we often get caught in, it is revealed to the reader how societal biases, misconceptions of the truth, and the erosion of innocence shape people and the surrounding world.
In the 1960s, civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech about racial inequality. In this speech he explains, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee explores a community where silent racism is the center of their lives. Due to these circumstances people have created their own way of living because of this racism. Overall, in this novel, Scout has changed the most because in the beginning she was mean and curious and now she is nice and knowledgeable.
In the first part of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee the story is seen through the eyes of Scout, a young girl in Maycomb, Alabama learning from her surroundings; such as the gossip-full neighborhood she lives in, the peculiar family across the street, the Radleys, and Scout’s elders, Miss Maudie, a neighbor, and her father, Atticus. Scout learns differently from all of these people. Her neighbors share the rumors of Maycomb, whereas Miss Maudie and Atticus are trying to teach her valuable life lessons, such as respect and humility. What the reader is learning throughout the text is that although one’s ignorance to the truth about others and reception of rumors may influence one’s morals, the wisdom of elders has a greater impact.
Perception defines the world around you. It affects every aspect of your being: your thoughts, actions, beliefs, etc… In the novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch begins to understand just how impactful perception can be as she witnesses the deterioration of the dignity of Tom Robinson, a black man who is being tried for the rape of a white girl. In this intriguing read, Harper Lee demonstrates the theme of inaccurate allegations very effectively. More specifically, when inaccurate allegations that are solely based on perceptions are presented, the consequences can be significant, for others may suffer at great lengths.
She told the story of Scout that makes the reader think of how bad it was. The way she used a little girl's point of view is great because the reader never hear what it was like for the children. While reading the novel people learn what children in the time went though and what they did. The reader can see how the parents affected the children some for the good and some for the bad. In this quote it say that their are different men and how some are nice and some are mean and hard on people.
The story is told in scout’s point of view and through her eyes we may fittingly understand the author’s message and how it is still relevant in
author Harper Lee uses metaphor and allegory to help develop the theme that prejudice is a thing and can affect people in many ways. Prejudice is something Scout learns about over the span of the novel. One example is when Tom robinson is falsey accused of raping and beating Mayella Ewell, Tom Robinson is defended by Atticus in court. He is one of the story's “mockingbirds’' that we see, he is also another example of prejudice in court when the people of the town believe the terrible things he is accused of due to the color of his skin. When Scout questions why Tom is being unjustly accused, her neighbor, Miss Maudie, provides an essential insight, "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy... they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us" (Lee, 90).
2.3 Why is the role of music decisive in the Civil Rights Movement? “We Shall Overcome” is what some people consider to be the soundtrack of the Civil Rights Movement. As Pete Seeger explains in his book Everybody Says Freedom, it was born in the South as a gospel hymn, where it was called “It’ll Be All Right” and sung in black churches. It travelled throughout the South until it arrived to Pete Seeger and Guy Carawan, who made it popular. In 1958, Pete Seeger performed it in front of Martin Luther King Jr. Two year later, Guy Carawan sang it at the founding convention of SNCC in North Carolina, making it the unofficial soundtrack of the movement (Seeger 8).
