To Kill A Mockingbird Themes

Right Vs Wrong

What if you were a child growing up in a time where everyone around you didn’t believe what your family believed in? What if you weren’t treated the same because of what you believed in? In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Jean Louise or Scout is bullied and teased because of her dad defending an African American in court. Due to this Scout countlessly gets teased and called names such as “Nigger Lover”. Scout always tries to keep it cool but can’t hold in every time. The three most prominent themes in To Kill a Mockingbird are power of words, female roles, and wisdom of experience.

When Atticus is defending Tom Robinson in court and questioning Mayella Ewell he phrases his words and sentences to have her fall

When the kids are being bullied for Atticus being a “Nigger lover” he acts like that’s is usual. Atticus uses his experience in court to make everything go his way which is what makes him such a good lawyer. “I’m no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and in the jury system—that is no ideal to me, it is a living, working reality. Gentlemen, a court is no better than each man of you sitting before me on this jury. A court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up. 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.” (Chapter 20). In this quote it shows Atticus using his experience in a courtroom to get the jury to choose innocent. He makes the jury feel like if they don’t choose his side they will choose the wrong side. Atticus uses his wisdom in the courthouse to even help his children make things better or talk them into doing the better thing. "Courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. It's knowing you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do." (Chapter 11 Pg 112). In this quote Atticus is using his experience as a lawyer to teach his kids what courage is and how it is actually used. T this time Jem is the only one who understands this quote because Scout is to young to understand. Atticus is considered one of the wisest man in maycomb county the entire book because of his understanding of everything and everyone. “You just hold your head high and keep your fist down. No matter what anybody says don’t you let ‘em get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change.” (Chapter 4). In this Atticus is resolving Scouts issue on fighting people that talk