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To Kill A Mockingbird Civil Rights Analysis

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Have you ever wondered what life for an African American would be like before the Civil Rights in the 1960’s? We know that life isn’t very equal for them in society. This theme takes place in a book called To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. In the story, a girl named Scout and her brother Jem live in a small town named Maycomb with their father Atticus. They live the lives of normal children except for indirectly seeing the inequality of blacks. Their father is persecuted for protecting a black man named Tom Robinson who allegly raped the daughter of Bob Ewell. Atticus loses the trial and Tom eventually dies. Bob Ewell dies during the attempted murder of Scout and Jem. In this book we view the characteristics and morals of Atticus. We see …show more content…

When Scout complained that her teacher wouldn’t let her read, Atticus said that he would read with her every night for her. “‘If you’ll concede the necessity of going to school, we’ll go on reading every night just as we always have. Is it a bargain?’” (Lee 35). Atticus is showing his care to Scout by taking his time to make her feel content. By doing this he is showing that he is a loving person that tries to make others jubilant. Atticus also stopped shooting animals because he didn’t believe in killing and wanted to take care of all animals .”I think maybe he put his gun down when he realized that God had given him an unfair advantage over most living things. I guess he decided that he wouldn’t shoot till he had to, and he had to today’”(Lee 112). Atticus doesn’t shoot needlessly because he believes that killing animals that have no defense is wrong. Along with this idea we can see that his views on animal rights show that he cares for the lives of animals. Finally, Atticus goes to the house of Tom Robinson and comforts his family after the death of the family member. ”Dill said Atticus went to her, took off his hat, and offered her his finder, She grabbed it and he eased her down the steps”(Lee 274). Atticus shows his care for Tom Robinson’s family by how he treats Tom’s daughter. We can see that he is sympathetic for Tom and wants to be kind to his family. This shows how much love Atticus has for others

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926 Words | 4 Pages

Harper Lee’s novel, To kill a Mockingbird, is a book about the Finch family, living in Maycomb, Alabama, during the early 1930s. The book is told through the perspective of an 8-year-old girl called Scout, and it's about the struggles she and her brother Jem, age 11, face when their father Atticus takes a case defending a black man accused of raping a white girl. Lee embraces the idea of nonviolent resistance and shows how sometimes it can be the most powerful influence in change, how hate is not the way, and she pushes the reader to consider their worldview about the differences among people. The Author shows her belief in nonviolence in many ways throughout this book.

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974 Words | 4 Pages

He also demonstrates his defense for not only people, but for animals too. In Chapter 10, Atticus is shown to be reluctant to shoot a disease-ridden dog, as it is implied he believes he would not shoot any living things until he had too, thus showing respect for animals and living things

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622 Words | 3 Pages

To Kill a Mockingbird focuses on multiple significant ideas to highlight the main ideas of the novel. One of great magnitude is explained in chapter three of the novel when author Harper Lee simplifies the importance of being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes to view each different perspective. “First of all,” he said, “if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folk. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.” Be understanding, realize that honest mistakes happen as in the excerpt with Scout and Walter.

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203 Words | 1 Pages

The term disenfranchisement can be defined as depriving someone of their rights, power and privileges. This notion is heavily explored and demonstrated in Harper Lee’s classical novel - “ To Kill A Mockingbird”, published in 1960. “To Kill a Mockingbird” is set in the fictitious rural town of Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s. The plot of this novel occurs in an era of great social and economic turmoil. Discrimination and racism was at its peak and Lee, the author manages to capture this attitude in her novel.

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1104 Words | 5 Pages

During the novel, Jem and Scout’s Father, Atticus, is asked to defend a young black man named Tom Robinson. Tom has been accused of raping a white woman, which is a crime punishable by death. Because Atticus is a deferential man of integrity, and pushes for what's right, he agrees to take upon Tom’s case, knowing the criticism and disapproval

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844 Words | 4 Pages

The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is about two kids, Jem and Scout, and their childhood in their small town Maycomb, Alabama. In the beginning of the novel, Jem and Scout were two innocent kids playing in the summer sun, until school came along. Jem was about twelve throughout the novel and Scout was eight, and considering that Jem was twelve in the novel, he was changing. During the middle of the novel a rape trial occurred, which included a black man being accused by a white woman of first-degree rape. Atticus, the kid’s father was defending the african american man; Tom Robinson.

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914 Words | 4 Pages

Not only did Atticus show compassion towards friends , he also showed compassion to his enemy and their family. Atticus stepped in the shoes of the Ewells and said that "if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that 's something I 'll gladly take." (Lee 218) This represents compassion because he would gladly protect a victim of abuse with his own life.

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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.

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662 Words | 3 Pages

The teacher then says that she can not read anymore. Scout complains about this to her father and says she does not want to go to school anymore. Atticus compromises, “If you’ll concede the necessity of going to school, we’ll go on reading every night”(41). This shows that not only he wants his child to go to school, but he also lets the child do what she is obligated to

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754 Words | 4 Pages

Race has always been a part of history, from slavery to MLK, to Barack Obama. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee defines race in the south during the 1930’s. Jean “Scout” Finch, is the narrator of the story. Her brother Jeremy “Jem” and her dad, Atticus, are both main characters. Calpurnia is their house cook and helper, she is also black.

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1334 Words | 6 Pages

He is showing that no matter the race you do what is right. No matter the opinion of others, if you know something is wrong, stand tall and take charge. This is a positive role model where his kids can follow in his footsteps, look up to him and understand the rights and wrongs of things. Lastly, Atticus says, ‘’’I wanted you to see what real courage is... it’s when you know you 're licked before you begin

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875 Words | 4 Pages

Essay 1 Date Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird “To kill a Mockingbird” is a novel in which Harper Lee, the author, presents forth various themes among them the unheard theme of social molarity. Harper dramatically uses a distinctive language through Scout, who is the narrator of the story to bring out the difficulties faced by children living in the southern Alabama town of Maycomb. Harper has dramatically displayed use of bildungsroman throughout the story; this helped to give the story a unique touch of a child’s view to bring out a different type of humor and wit. It has also used to develop and thrive the theme of morality in the society.

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622 Words | 3 Pages

In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the character Atticus possesses the most compassion out of the other characters. Atticus is a man of profession, however, his compassionate heart can not be overlooked. Atticus tells Jem to "Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (Lee 81) to display his compassion for those who are innocent. Compassion is the concern for the suffering or misfortune of others.

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516 Words | 3 Pages

Anna is startle awake when the debris of the roof lands on her pod 's lid. She tries to lift her pod 's lid open. It doesn 't budge. The debris too heavy for her to lift. Anna panics, but spots a red lever sticking out beneath her feet.

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994 Words | 4 Pages

Explaining to Jem and Scout that the mockingbird only sings its heart out for us. This also goes into the court case that Atticus is working on. Tom Robinson is convicted of rape when it is proven that he did nothing and it was Bob Ewell that gave Mayella Ewell, his own daughter all the injuries. Tom Robinson was later sentenced guilty and only because of the racism in the town, which is completely unfair in society and the only one that really seems to recognize it is Atticus.

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