To Kill A Mockingbird Quote Analysis

To Kill a Mockingbird-analytical essay

To Kill a Mockingbird, a bildungsroman written by Harper Lee in the 1960s portrays the prevalence of racism which existed during the American depression era. The enticing novel elucidates through a first-person narration of Jean Louise Finch (Scout), a precocious individual. Atticus Finch, an ingenious lawyer defending an African American man falsely accused of raping a white woman. Harper Lee employs the characterisation of Mrs Dubose to foreground the symbolism of courage in the Maycomb society. The setting of Maycomb in the 1930’ allows the author mobilises moral fortitude, human values, and beliefs to emphasise the segregation within a small town. Lee effectively utilises a range of aesthetic features

Atticus Finch is the most conspicuous character in To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus implies that the theme of courage is not specifically about physical courage but also justifies morals fortitude, equality, and human values. Atticus successfully establishes moral courage through his exceptional intelligence in the court trials defending Tom Robinson, an African American man. “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.” (Pg.82, Atticus). The word ‘Licked’ suggests the adversity that Atticus lives by. Atticus’s moral code foregrounds the fragile chance of winning the Tom Robinson case. Additionally, Atticus leads himself to numerous controversy’s spread throughout the town about him betraying his own race and agreeing to defend Tom. Atticus nurtures Scout and Jem about moral

She shows the audience that she’s not disempowered by her morphine addiction. Mrs Dubose’s effort in conquering her morphine addiction catches the eye of Atticus. “According to her views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew.” (Atticus, pg.121). Mrs Dubose’s goal was to go to God clean with a pure mind, and her religious conviction overcomes the use of opiate laudanum. Atticus sees her as a real model of courage. She is not afraid of speaking her mind which creates a sense of courage, honesty, and integrity. Mrs Dubose’s intolerant and racist behaviours are caused by her illness, close minded thinking, and long-term effects of Morphine. “Her face was the colour of a dirty pillowcase, and the corners of her mouth glistened with wet, which inched like a glacier down the deep grooves enclosing her chin.” (pg.116, Scout). A simile is used in this quote to identify Mrs’s Dubose as an ill, ornery old lady. Scout compares her disgusting drool to a glacier to suggest the side effect of her morphine addiction. Lastly, Mrs Dubose’s nickname is ‘lady of Camelias’. After she passes away, she leaves a mysterious box to Jem. “Inside…was a white, waxy perfect Camelia. It was a Snow-on-a-mountain.” (Scout, Pg 121). The white, waxy, perfect camelia symbolises her thank you to Jem for allowing her to get her mind of Morphine. He helped her go to get clean without even