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To Kill A Mockingbird: A Timeless Classic

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What make a classic timeless? Italo Calvino once said, “A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say.” Therefore, a classic is something timeless and abiding, which has a meaning that goes beyond analysis, and appears to have no absolute end to its significance. In order to be a “timeless classic”, a novel must have characters that are dynamic and complex and a timeless theme. Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird is a “timeless classic” because, throughout the course of the novel, Harper Lee creates dynamic and complex characters that give the reader a sense of realism and a timeless theme that readers of all eras are able to relate to. One reason that proves that To Kill a Mockingbird is a timeless classic is …show more content…

For example, In Allen Barra’s article “What To Kill a Mockingbird Isn’t”, Barra claims that “Atticus is not a morally ambiguous character for he is a repository of cracker-barrel epigrams”. Admittedly, when Atticus chose to not take Tom Robinson’s case to the supreme court, confirms what Barra claims of Atticus to not have moral ambiguity, since in the beginning of the novel, readers can distinguish whether Atticus was a good person or a bad person, but by having Atticus not take the case to the supreme court shows that he just gave up. Nonetheless, To Kill a Mockingbird is definitely a timeless classic because it has a timeless theme that provides the readers a message that is proper and appropriate for any time period. To Kill a Mockingbird also satisfies the criteria of a classic having dynamic and complex characters. As represented in the novel by Atticus and Scout. Scout changes over time, and Atticus is flawed. For example, how Scout matures and learns the true definition of acceptance and compassion shows how Scout matured over time and when Atticus chose not to take Tom Robinson’s case to the Supreme Court reveals that Atticus is flawed and that provides the readers a sense of naturalness of the

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“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view” (Harper Lee). Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a wonderful book that is enjoyed by many people. The book was published in 1960 but is set in the 1930’s during the Great Depression. Lee shows many different ways of what was wrong with society during that time.

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A character in a book changes drastically from the beginning to the end, they grow as a character and learn many lessons throughout the book. Just like Harper Lee's book “To Kill a Mockingbird” the central character Scout, shifts from a state of innocence to maturity with the result of surviving various misunderstandings. The story presents two Scouts: the little girl experiencing the story and the adult Jean Louise who tells the story. She is raised by her father Atticus who is very political, and empathic. At the beginning of the story, Scout is a curious five year old who asks mindless questions but it's acceptable because she is a child.

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To Kill a Mockingbird was first a Pulitzer Prize winning novel written by Harper Lee. It was published in 1960, in the midst of John F. Kennedy’s presidency and the civil rights movement. It is often touted to be one of the best novels of all time. Screenwriter Horton Foote and director Robert Mulligan had large shoes to fill when tackling the screen adaptation, but their efforts resulted in one of the greatest films of all time. The challenge of adapting literature into a successful film experience is daunting, but it was done expertly, while retaining a great deal of fidelity to Lee’s novel.

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To Kill A Mockingbird leaves a big impact on the reader’s characterization of Scout’s maturity. She started out as a rebellious and childish girl but then starts to form into a mature and understanding woman. The Tom Robinson trial is one instance where the reader can see how Scout has changed during the novel up until this point. Scout has changed drastically throughout the novel and the Tom Robinson trial is an incredible example of it. The literary elements the chapters present allow the reader to acknowledge how Scout gradually

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Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird has caused a copious amount of controversy over its relevance in today’s society. This marvelous tale is relevant to today’s society. According to the critic Jill May’s article, In defense of To Kill A Mockingbird, it is relevant because Harper Lee herself grew up with the attitudes depicted and the book survived the first period of regional criticism. Quotes from the book’s narrator and lead character, Scout Finch, show us that she, Scout, matures throughout the novel.

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As an instrument of writing, Harper Lee composed the events taken place in To Kill a Mockingbird from the perspective of the main protagonist, Scout, to disambiguate directly the unfair society, validate the truthfulness of the narration, and to further recognised the growing maturity of Scout in the first person. Throughout reading one may recognize different motifs and recurring symbolism, learn an overall lesson, and become further acknowledge in American history. To Kill a Mockingbird may not appeal to all audiences at first but carries and sense of allure when being read. Even if one were not to favor it after having read it, there are still benefits to reading it. One of the benefits is the ability to be in a childlike atmosphere in a much different time period.

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