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To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

786 Words4 Pages

Even if everything is against you, don’t give up. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses various themes and symbols. The theme of ‘Never give up even if the odds are against you’ is one of the most prominent themes in the story. This theme is frequently used in major events like the court case and Mrs. Dubose overcoming her addiction. Many characters show the theme like Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson, and Mrs. Dubose. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch shows the theme of ‘never giving up even if the odds are against you’ many times. While in the courtroom Atticus Finch delivered an incredible speech, during this speech he said “This case is as simple as black and white. the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant. …show more content…

Even though it seemed like everyone was against him and his case, he took a final stand to clear Tom's name even though there was little chance they could win. Another way Atticus depicts the theme is when the author says “It was no accident. Atticus Finch won’t win, but he’s the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long on a case like that.” (Lee 246). Although there was no hope of winning, Atticus Finch didn’t give up and held the jury as long as he could. He shows the theme incredibly well here because he refused to give up even though most of the jury, the crowd, and the Ewells were all against him. These are two times where Atticus is seen not giving up, although the odds are against him. Tom Robinson also portrays the theme of ‘never giving up even if the odds are against you’. The theme is shown through Tom when the author says “You felt sorry for her, you felt sorry for her?’ Mr. Gilmer seemed ready to rise to the ceiling. The witnesses realized his mistake. But the damage was

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“No honey.” “Then why-” “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started..”(Lee 101) This shows that even though Atticus knows that he probably is not going to win there is always a chance and he can always help someone. So he is going to try even though it might seem impossible. This shows a great life lesson that people should use in life to try something even if it seems almost impossible to do.

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1404 Words | 6 Pages

Frequently in life, it is said that the harmony and relationship between positive and negative must coexist in every situation. To Kill A Mockingbird, a novel written by Harper Lee, tells the story of a young girl, Scout, and her brother Jem, as they grow up in a segregated American south. Their critical coming of age lesson can be seen in the children’s experiences with Mrs. Dubose, an angry, insulting woman who is later revealed as a courageous figure that battles her morphine addiction by her own means. In chapter eleven of To Kill A Mockingbird, Jem acts out against Mrs. Dubose in defense of his father and family through destroying her prized, beautiful camellia bushes. As punishment, Jem’s father Atticus condemns Jem to read to Mrs. Dubose

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I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again.” (p. 83). Furthermore, he states that this case is one he is affected personally by, and that even though he knew that they were not going to win, he agreed because, “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.” (p. 84). This example reveals that even though Atticus knows he is going to lose, he wants to do everything in his power to give Tom the best chance in case justice prevails.

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523 Words | 3 Pages

“That jury took a few hours . An inevitable verdict, maybe, but it usually takes ‘em just a few minutes’(Lee, 222). The fact the the jury took so long shows a small victory. Normally the jury doesn’t even think about it but on this case they took 2 hours. This shows that Atticus got to them and made them look at Tom just as equally as themselfs.

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750 Words | 3 Pages

Courage of a Character In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch demonstrates courage through the course of his actions. In the novel, a significant point of courage is depicted when Atticus decides to defend a black man; Tom Robinson, in court. In the town, where the trial is being held, the people have the same distinct perspective as to how their society should be maintained. Atticus also displays courage when he was ready and waiting to protect Tom when he knew an angered mob would appear. In the final chapter of To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus is brave enough to suggest that his injured son had killed Bob Ewell.

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863 Words | 4 Pages

Atticus Finch has to show courage because he has to defend a black man

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1214 Words | 5 Pages

To Kill a Mockingbird In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, one of the main characters, Atticus Finch, faces a trial that could change his life. He is appointed to defend an innocent African American named Tom Robinson that was accused of assaulting a white man’s daughter. Atticus’s belief is that no matter how hard the task at hand is, or even if you know there’s no chance of winning, you should still give it your all and try to win. Atticus states that “simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try and win” (Lee 101).

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656 Words | 3 Pages

Involving the Tom Robinson trial, Atticus knows the odds are completely stacked against him. Even though he knows he will not win the trial, he puts all his effort and time into it. While speaking of courage and adversity, Atticus says, “It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see through it no matter what. You rarely win but sometimes you do” (Lee 112).

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532 Words | 3 Pages

Good morning people of Maycomb County. My name is Clara Tax and it’s my honor to be before you today as a prosecutor in this crucial case. On the 21st of November last year, 19 year old Mayella Ewell said she was raped by a black man by the name of Tom Robinson. She told the people on the jury that she was chucked to the floor, choked, and taken advantage of. But the truth is that Mayella Ewell committed the crime of perjury.

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621 Words | 3 Pages

By uncovering the truth about others in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem and Atticus signify that ambition is required to understand human behavior. While passing Boo Radley’s house, Jem has the aspiration to give a note to Radley in order to comprehend his actions and find out the truth about him. Jem has to work for Mrs. Dubose and his eagerness leads him to discover and understand the truth behind her thoughts. At Tom Robinson’s trial, it may seem that Atticus doesn’t use his ambition to reveal the true intentions of Mayella, so he can acknowledge them.

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1051 Words | 5 Pages

The Significance of Determination in To Kill a Mockingbird In the early 1930s, a black man is being convicted of taking advantage of a young, white lady. Atticus Finch, a lawyer, has become accustomed to defending the black man, Tom Robinson. It’s no easy task when the whole town looks down upon you for it, it takes perseverance, strength of character, and especially, determination. In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Harper Lee implies that the significance of determination is crucial in our lives as it acts as a driving force that pushes oneself regardless of circumstances that may come one way or the other.

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642 Words | 3 Pages

When did you first start to question the injustice of the world? In the To Kill a Mockingbird passage, author Harper Lee uses Scout's realization of the unfairness in the justice system during Tom Robinson's trial and bravery with Mrs. Dubos' fight against addiction to symbolize the racial inequality at that time and the characterization of understanding others to help develop the theme of racism and prejudice. Harper Lee's novel, Tom Robinson's Trial, displays the racism black people endured during that time. For example: “Tom Robinson was her daily reminder of what she did. What did she do?.

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484 Words | 2 Pages

When the judges all decide if Tom Robinson is guilty or not, Judge Taylor is polling the Jury he says, “Guilty...guilty...guilty...guilty” (Lee 282). Indicating about how after all Atticus said and all the points were given, the judges racially chose Mayella's story over Tom’s and Tom is being sent to the electric chair. The viewpoint on the mockingbird is better than the counterclaim because there are so many lessons and people in the story that or who represent mockingbirds. However the claim is correct because when tom was announced dead, Atticus says, “We had such a good chance. I told him what I thought, but I couldn't in truth say that we had more than a good chance” (Lee 315).

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700 Words | 3 Pages

In this excerpt from a speech delivered in 1873 by Susan B. Anthony, the author directly refutes the inequal oligarchy of sex by stating the contradictions of these concepts against the constitutions of United States. By heavily emphasizing the attributes of the democracy, the author reinforces the concept of revolution, which functioned to provoke woman suffarage movement. In order to effectively state her position, the author incorporated various persuasive techniques including, reiteration of the constitutional rights, creating rapport with the readers, and inducement of voluntary thoughts regards to this matter. The author is mindfully persuasive from the very beginning, opening her speech with very clear arguement.

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1272 Words | 6 Pages

I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty." This quote is an example of how Atticus was pleading to the jury to make the right choice. He wanted justice to happen even if he was the only man in the whole town to stand up for an African American, Tom Robinson. He didn’t care what people were saying about him.

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