To Kill A Mockingbird Essay

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, we are told a story about injustice, racism, perspectives, and maturing. This story is told through the perspective of Scout Finch, a 6-year-old girl raised in a high school social class in the town of Maycomb. Scout and her older brother Jem are raised by their father Atticus, their Aunt Alexandra, and Calpurnia, an African American housekeeper for the Finch family. Their father, Atticus Finch, is a very good lawyer who believes in equality and does his best to raise his kids right. Scout tells us about her experience growing up in Maycomb, a judgemental and racist town. All the kids are scared of a man named “Boo” Radley, who lives in the Radley house and hasn't been out since he murdered

At first, Scout feels uncomfortable with Aunt Alexandra being part of the family because of her constant criticism of how she acts, often saying she should be more feminine. Scout refers to this saying, "I felt the starched walls of a pink cotton penitentiary closing in on me, and for the second time in my life I thought of running away." (Lee 155) This is a scout expressing her dislike of her aunt's overwhelming presence. Aunt Alexandra is forcing her to act more feminine and Scout sees her as a prison covered in pink, representing how she feels trapped and forced to act more feminine. This shows how Scout refuses to mature and ends up seeing her Aunt as the bad guy. Aunt Alexandra is also one-minded and has trouble seeing from other perspectives. Because of this, she is not pleased when she finds out that Calpurnia took Jem and Scout to an all-black church. When Scout asks Atticus if she can go to Calpurnia's house, Aunt Alexandra answers before Atticus can reply, saying no. Because of this Scout whips around and yells, “I didn’t ask you!” (Lee 154) This clearly shows Scout’s built-up anger toward Aunt Alexandra lashing out. Scout is immature at the time and shows it by lashing out and being unable to understand Aunt Alexandra. However, this changes later in the story, during the Tom Robinson case, at a tea party. At this party, many

At the start of the story, Scout thinks very poorly of Boo Radley. She is told he stabbed his father in the leg and hasn't left his house since. In Chapter 1 Jem tells Scout that "Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that's why his hands were bloodstained,”(Lee 14) and that “There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time. "(Lee 14) This paints a picture in Scout's head, making her see him as a monster. Scout did not know about his existence until she was told about it, but she still pictures him as a monster, when she hasn't even seen him. This shows Scout's immaturity and lack of empathy towards Boo. Throughout the summer, the kids try to learn more about Boo Radley but eventually move on. Over time, the two start thinking differently about Boo after he gives them a blanket on a cold night and they start to empathize with Boo. At the end of the story, Boo kills Bob Ewell to save Jem and Scout. In chapter 29, when Scout figures out that Boo Radley saved them, the story says, “His lips parted into a timid smile, and our neighbor's image blurred with my sudden tears. ‘Hey Boo,’ I said.” (Lee 310) This is a very important scene that shows how much she has matured since the beginning