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To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee And The Help By Tate Taylor

762 Words4 Pages

Most people will not do something if they anticipate criticism or a negative response. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and the film The Help by Tate Taylor, the characters Atticus Finch and Skeeter Phelan go against that and help the black people in their communities knowing there will be a bad outcome. Both the film and novel explore the theme of the true face of courage through these characters. They both break the social mold of being the only white representative for the black communities however, Skeeter could bring justice to Minny and Aibileen by writing her book while Atticus could not prove Tom Robinson innocent to the jury. Similarly, Atticus and Skeeter both try to bring justice to the black people in their communities. …show more content…

When Atticus’ daughter, Scout, asks him why he decided to take the case, Atticus tells her that even though “we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win,” (Lee 87). Atticus knows that racism is prominent throughout Maycomb which doesn’t help Tom’s case. But to Atticus, that doesn’t matter. He believes in equality both in and out of the courtroom. In the end, Atticus wants Tom to have a fair trial that shows the truth. Even though Atticus knew he would get a lot of backlash for taking this case he still took it and fought by Tom’s side to the best of his abilities. Likewise, in The Help, Skeeter decides to write a novel based on stories from African American maids and nannies. Skeeter’s mother tells her that courage tends to “skip a generation” and she's glad she brought it back into their family (Taylor). Skeeter, …show more content…

After the trial in To Kill a Mockingbird Tom was in prison and ran and “broke into a blind raving charge at the fence and started climbing over” causing him to get shot 17 times by the guards (Lee 268). Since Atticus was unable to prove him innocent, Tom got sent to prison. While he was in prison he tried making a run for it but got killed. So, since Atticus couldn’t convince the jury, Tom didn’t get the justice he deserved. Conversely, in The Help Skeeter was able to publish her book. In one of the scenes, Aibileen and Minny are shopping in the grocery store and they find someone who is reading Skeeter’s book. In the following scenes, it shows many other characters, including Skeeter’s mother, also reading the book (Taylor). This shows that Skeeter was able to spread the word about how the black maids and nannies were treated and hopefully make an impact. With her being able to share this it’s possible that it changed the view of many people and made a difference. Therefore, Skeeter could make an impact in her’s and other communities while Atticus could

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576 Words | 3 Pages

Atticus decides to take the case in defending a black person, something nobody in the town would have done. Most of the residents of Maycomb do not believe in equality and have hatred towards black people. If an African-American is charged for committing a crime, he is automatically believed to be guilty because of their skin color. Atticus says, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view” (39). To clarify, Atticus took the case because he believes there is a chance of Tom being innocent.

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307 Words | 2 Pages

The character of Aibileen is often depicted as a symbol of courage and perseverance; throughout the story, she is often shown endangering her life in many different ways trying to contribute to Skeeter’s book. While she was overcoming the grief of her sole son’s unlawful death, Aibileen soon begins to realize that she wanted to make a change in the way Caucasians saw African Americans and ultimately achieve her son’s goal. Although the persona of Aibileen initially feared to help write Skeeter’s book, she later ends up agreeing. During the time she felt intimidated, she mentions the severity of punishments for crimes where African Americans express their political/social opinions and/or do something considered ethically wrong by

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712 Words | 3 Pages

Skeeter is also faced with being on the side of Aibileen and Minnie or the side against them like her family and friends are. After looking at these stories more carefully one might realize how strong-willed both Scout and Skeeter are and now brave they are to stand up for what they

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765 Words | 4 Pages

She tells Skeeter that people don't actually tell her the truth, and she says that people are afraid of her and will never like Skeeter. “They hate you.” Skeeter replies, “You don’t have any idea what the other woman have told me”(Stockett 305). Gretchen says that all these maids show fear and hate toward Skeeter. Although Skeeter is white, she actually cares a lot about

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712 Words | 3 Pages

In the 1930’s south, racism was at its peak, but one man with contrasting ideas, was willing to sacrifice his entire social standing to defend a negro. In Harper Lee’s, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Scout’s father, Atticus, taught her many things. He taught her how to shoot, not to fight, and most importantly, to stand up for her values. Atticus showed his children the importance of protecting their beliefs on a few occasions: when he took on Tom Robinson’s case, when he protected them from the mad dog, and when he raised them to judge upon character, not appearance. First and foremost, when Atticus took Tom’s case upon himself, he showed the importance of doing what you think is right, regardless of the consequences.

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759 Words | 4 Pages

In “To Kill A Mockingbird”, the protagonist's father, Atticus, demonstrates how a good individual courageously decides to defend an innocent, black man although he and his

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863 Words | 4 Pages

Atticus shows determination by fighting for an African American while being discouraged by the white citizens of his town. When Scout asks Atticus why he’s defending Tom even though people of the town had started talking bad about it , he says “‘Scout, you aren’t old enough to understand somethings yet, but there’s been some high talk around town to the effect that I shouldn’t do much about defending this man. … the main [reason] is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town.’”

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186 Words | 1 Pages

In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus is courageous, wise, and well - mannered. One of the main characters is known for being courageous. Atticus was Tom Robinson’s lawyer in trial against Bob Ewell’s accusations of Robinson raping and beating Ewell’s daughter Mayella Ewell. In the 1930s this was unacceptable because whites stood supreme.

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He explains how it is not fair to Tom that just because he is black, he is unjustly accused of something. Atticus understands and tries to point out the fact that if it was a white man in Tom’s position, the jury would have a different opinion on the situation. Atticus displays a prime example of how someone should try to achieve social justice, even when the situation is unfair. Also, while saying his statements, Atticus exclaims how Tom felt sorry for a white woman, Mayella, and that he had been forced to put his own word against two white people. Here, Atticus reinforces the thought of how this jury is unfair to Tom.

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927 Words | 4 Pages

Skeeter also wishes to expose the injustice that the African Americans faced in the South. Many of the Southerns, including her friends, oppose this dream, and this conflict leads Skeeter to be hated by many white Southerners. Eventually, even her suitor and her friends leave

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1574 Words | 7 Pages

By an anonymous writer later revealed as Skeeter also known as Eugenia Phelan. Skeeter, a white woman, returns to her hometown (Mississippi) to discover that her motherly nanny Constantine has left but no one tells what happened. Soon Skeeter realizes the injustice her society practices and decides to write a book where voices of black will be raised. She approaches Aibileen for sharing her narrative to which Aibileen responds positively and also let’s Minny in their secret. Minny, Aibileen’s friend, another black help, reveals a secret about Miss Hilly that ensures Miss Hilly’s silence after the publication of their writing project.

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1856 Words | 8 Pages

Skeeter is seen to develop in two different ways: a young woman who doesn 't have marriage as a first priority anymore and a woman who later sees an injustice to the black help. Skeeter is a white socialite who just graduated from college with a degree in writing. She came back to Jackson Mississippi with the idea of starting to write for book publishing companies but arrives home only for her mother to question her about marriage. Upon the many

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305 Words | 2 Pages

In “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller there are many characters and in turn many relationships between characters. Some of these relationships have a positive connotation and the characters bond over their motivations while others are the opposite. This meaning that some relationships that develop throughout the novel are because the characters have mutual transgressions, or violations of moral code. A prime example of a relationship that was created over a mutual transgression would be the relationship between Abigail Williams and John Proctor. Abigail is a seventeen year old female who was once a servant for the Proctor family and she is also the niece of Reverend Parris.

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696 Words | 3 Pages

Although the black maids endure such indignity, none will share their experiences with Skeeter in fear of being discovered by the town’s whites.  Aibileen is among those who refuse, but one day at church the preacher exhorts the congregation to have courage and speak the truth. He states that, "Courage isn't just about being brave. Courage is daring to do what is right in spite of the weakness of our flesh. And God tells us, commands us, compels us, to love."

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769 Words | 4 Pages

The special things this novel has taught me is that one person can change the view of others. Skeeter wrote a book and used people in her life in the novel he wrote. She had wrote and described the life of the colored people in her life and described the way they were living and also treated. Skeeter was told by a friend “I hope you write something really good. Something you believe in” (Stockett Pg. 171).

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