... Lee, is much more than the small town story she meant it to be. She has often said that she doesn't understand why it is so renowned as she never meant it to be. There are many reasons why this book means so much more than that to our society. The story has 2 distinct parts ... to it. The first being the portrayal of the lazy small town in Alabama. Miss Lee portrays the town as being quiet and lazy almost sweet. The second part of the book shows ... Miss Maudie's house and the dark elements of Atticus alone in the night being harassed by a group of "evil" men. The second motif is small...

• Word Count: 1026
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee utilizes the innocence of the mockingbird and the turmoil in Maycomb to symbolize how the world's evil effects every one of our lives and the initial judgment, we pass on others; causing the unfair judgment and pursuit of innocent people, she uses Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and ... and unfortunately his exit in To Kill a Mockingbird. Tim Johnson was the old, tired, peaceful, liver colored dog of Harry Johnson. He was considered the town pet. One Saturday during February, Scout and Jem were seeking targets they could shoot with their new air rifles. As they w...

• Word Count: 1225
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• Grade Level: High School

... Bird Chapter 1 Summary Jean Louise Finch, nicknamed Scout, narrates this story and it is told during the great depression of the 1930's. She lives in the town of Maycomb, Alabama with her widowed father Atticus, and her older brother by four years, Jeremy Finch (called Jem). Scout tells us about her ancestors who ... to be a good hostess. Back at school a large bug crawls out of Burris Ewell's hair, a member of the Ewell clan, another impoverished family of the town, which causes the new teacher to be dismayed. Burris only comes to school on the first day in order to be registered. He s...

• Word Count: 2907
• Approx Pages: 12
• Grade Level: High School

Racism in To Kill a Mocking Bird Racial discrimination is one of the negative aspects of our society that have caused the pain and suffering of others for many centuries. Some examples of these include the Holocaust and slavery in the United States. However these problems ... . This message is displayed on many levels so even the lowest level reader can visibly ask oneself why this is occurring. The easiest way to observe this may be the town's actions toward Tom Robinson, the "Negro" on trial. The townspeople, for the most part, dismissed the entire trial on the basis on that it does not mat...

• Word Count: 847
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• Grade Level: High School

... they lived like animals." This quote shows us the prejudice that the Ewells experience from other people in Maycomb because of their low social position in the town. We learn about the Ewells mainly in the court case when Mayella Ewell has accused a black man, Tom Robinson of raping her. From the court ... case we learn that Bob Ewell is ignorant and quite crude in his use of language and his background: "Every town the size of Maycomb had families like the Ewells. No economic fluctuations changed their status - people like the Ewells lived as guests of the country in ... do with her be...

• Word Count: 1378
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... message is displayed on many levels so even the lowest level reader can visibly ask oneself why this is occurring. The easiest way to observe this may be the town's actions toward Tom Robinson, the "negro" on trial. The townspeople, for the most part, dismissed the entire trial on the basis on that it does not ... evil a racist society can do to a minority. This verdict had repercussions not just to Mr. Robinson, but to the community. One can observe that this verdict influenced the town in a manner no one expected, it twisted the minds of many children. A popular saying is that "the be...

• Word Count: 941
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... particularly that of racism and prejudice, has become one of the most divisive forces afflicting human society. In fact, there came a time in our history when complete separation between colored and non-colored people became a social norm observed within every community claiming to be civilized and humane. Such ... of many critics and the hearts of many readers back then and is still achieving the same remarkable feat now. Set in an imaginary town in Alabama, during the Great Depression of the 1930s, To Kill A Mockingbird tells stories about childhood innocence amidst social and racial ...

• Word Count: 1094
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Fear and hate go hand-in-hand, resulting in a display of social injustice and prejudice in our society. Often the victims of these negative societal judgements are themselves innocent of any wrongdoing. Harper Lee's novel, "To A Mockingbird", deals with these themes ... because she has a bad name. Atticus Finch experienced injustice as a result of racial injustice being used against Tom Robinson, because Atticus chose to defend him. In the town of Maycomb if a black man is accused, he is guilty. Even though there is no evidence, Tom was still guilty. Atticus knew the "trial was over" before ...

• Word Count: 724
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... volcano caused; it reminded me of all the innocent lives lost. In the background of the painting, a small, peaceful village can be seen, which may be the town of Pompeii. Dahl gives the village a look of innocence by having a lake and the sunset. To a viewer, it seems as if the village is quiet and ... the window to see what was going on outside. As soon as I stuck my head out the window I saw Mr. Penny, the history teacher in our school, looking up at our classroom. All the kids ran to their seats, since they knew Mr. Penny would be coming up to the room in a matter of minutes. He ......

• Word Count: 1514
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• Grade Level: High School

... . Yet a mockingbird's song dies as easily as innocence. In the beginning of the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout and Jem are portrayed as innocents, uncorrupted by our world of prejudice and racism. Their world is simple, sensible, a child's world. However, by the end of the novel, their world has expanded to enclose the irrational ... what was right for a girl in those times. It seemed like Atticus had almost encouraged them to find their own way, despite the disapproval of many in town; overalls were allowed for Scout, a female, and they had free run of the surrounding few houses du...

• Word Count: 1230
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

"I simply want to tell you that there are some men in this world who were born to do our unpleasant jobs for us. Your father's one of them." - Miss Maudie. The quote above states that Atticus Finch was a man who did "unpleasant things," but this ... told Jem and Scout that and her point was taken in the way she intended it to be by the children. Her point could have been better understood if "our unpleasant jobs" were replaced with "what is right." Atticus did "unpleasant things" only because he knew that they were the right thing to do. Miss Maudie told ... the children about their father ...

• Word Count: 564
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• Grade Level: High School

... novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee because of its racially sensitive issues. The book takes place in a white, segregated town, where a white lawyer defends a black man in court, despite the town's opposition. It used to be a required reading assignment for freshmen at Muskogee High School, but now has been transferred out of the ... an uncomfortable situation" (CNN.com). I read this book in ninth grade and as many people feel, thought it was amazing account of life in a small Alabama town during the years of the depression. Of course, during this time in history, many racial issu...

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... and possibly other reader's knowledge. First of all is the message about how separated the white people are to the coloured people in the town. They are treated as inhumane. Such examples of this separation are countless through the novel. In the case of being separated in public venues ... a black woman at the church states to Cal " You ain't got no business bringin" white chillun here - they got their church, we got our"n. This shows that the black people had a certain disregard for the white, as they probably have been so poorly treated. The other main example of ... convicted him ...

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... as a lawyer and his family prior to and during a legal case to defend a black male, Tom Robinson, charged of raping a white female, Mayella Ewell. This occurs in a very white orientated town called Maycomb. Atticus Finch, Attorney and father of two children only plays a brief part in the opening chapter but as this epic novel progresses so does his importance. Atticus Finch ... that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man an equal of Einstein and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. This institution, gentlemen, is a court .... in our courts all men are ...

• Word Count: 1035
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... [Mrs Dubose] is overcoming a morphine addiction, we find out that she was a woman with incredible strength and character. Dolphous Raymond is also subject to prejudice. Everyone in the town thinks of him as a drunk that lives among Negroes. It is true that he lives among the black community of Maycomb, but there is nothing wrong with that. He has ... and would rather live with people that he sees as being honest. After Dill and Scout become acquainted with him, they conclude that he is not as bad as the town has painted him to be. This just strengthens Atticus's remark in chapter three. ...

• Word Count: 1009
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• Grade Level: High School

... woman, a crime he did not commit. A lawyer named Atticus took on the case believing that all men are created equal, but he soon cam to realize that beautiful statement from our Constitution was just not prevalent in those "simpler" times. While reading the novel, I picked up on a few steps that were missing in the legal procedures. Among these, Tom Robinson was ... in her novel. Closing arguments mark the final opportunity attorneys have to persuade jurors. Atticus, Tom's attorney, made an amazing closing argument. Lee brought to life the wonderful beliefs of our country with Atticus" a...

• Word Count: 744
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... Finch. He is brave in both a physical sense, and also strong in an ethical and emotional sense. Despite being nearly fifty years old ("Atticus was feeble ..our father didn't do anything" [p.95]), Atticus shows he is still as courageous as any man. Firstly, he displays his boldness by facing Tim Johnson, a crazy ... in his body, but in his mind and his heart. He displays his true courage when he fights to save Tom Robinson, despite the whole town's prejudice against Negroes. Atticus helps Tom to stand up for what he believes, even with everyone bad-mouthing him ("Your father is no better ...

• Word Count: 1315
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... a hair o' my head in my life." ( Lee, 246) Mayella also feels compelled to accuse Tom Robinson of raping her. Another concern Mayella has is being ostracized by the whole town of Maycomb. She is aware that it is intolerable for her to try and seduce a black man. Atticus elaborates on this idea during his closing argument at the trial saying ... : "She has committed no crime, she has merely broken a rigid and time honoured code of our society, a code so severe that whoever breaks it is hounded from our midst as unfit to live with...she tried to put the evidence away from her." (272) One c...

• Word Count: 1484
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... 194) Mr. Ewell said this to his daughter Mayella after being caught with Tom Robinson. Prejudice towards children is something that happens in school, our homes, and in all other places. Racism is something that gets less every day, but prejudice is something that everyone has a part in. We should try ... our part to get rid of it because to do so would make us all better people. In the classic novel, there are many examples of ... an all white jury, solely because of his colour. Atticus is also treated unfairly, just because he is defending a coloured man. A good majority of the town su...

• Word Count: 778
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... change of winning so he need to do his very best. "I simply want to tell you that there are some men in this world who were born to do our unpleasant jobs for us. Your father's one of them." There is no denying that it takes very special people to do certain jobs in this world. Not every man ... take on a fight even though they Atticus knew they would still lose the case. Finally, after losing Tom Robinson's case he still hasn't lose faith in pursuing justice in his town. Atticus Finch is a man of wisdom and courage. Atticus is courageous enough to face the conflicts after taking Tom Ro...

• Word Count: 1521
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... , they will make you laugh so hard until your red in the face, and they will pull your heartstrings until they snap. Movies are a very powerful and controversial part of our lives. "To Kill A Mockingbird is a very compelling and influential film. This legendary movie was once a novel by Harper Lee. It was masterfully turned into a memorable movie by writer Horton Foote ... of the lines and tears the bird right in half. A clever foreshadowing mechanism without even using words to foreworn of the racial strain that will tear apart the small Alabama town. The film was nominated for eight Ac...

• Word Count: 804
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• Grade Level: High School

Throughout our lives, we are influenced by many philosophers who spread wisdom through their own critique on life. These philosophers can be as important as a major religious figure, or get as common ... , not by the common racial discrimination practiced by society during that time. Atticus is the moral conscience of the story, and his views are the voice of reason in the town of Maycomb, Alabama. Throughout the story, Atticus expresses beliefs that remodel the views on racial discrimination of that period. The 1930's were a time of considerable amounts of prejudice against the ... Atticus ...

• Word Count: 801
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... , Harper Lee addresses many themes such as prejudice, innocence, courage and coming of age, although racism seems to stand out the most. The story is set in Maycomb, Alabama, a small town in the south divided by white and black people who do not trust each other. The book is told through the eyes of Jean Louise Finch, nicknamed Scout. She lives ... Jem. The mother died when Scout was two years old, so the father hired Calpurina, a black cook to help out around the house. This causes a lot of problems in the town with other white folks proving they are truly racist. Atticus Finch is a res...

• Word Count: 640
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... the dark side. It is also not always clear cut (point 1)what we should decide and these big" decisions require us to agonize over what our course of action will be. We know also that there will be consequences (point 2)not always positive and often not just for ourselves but for ... . As the character of Atticus Finch recognizes in "To Kill a Mockingbird"", cases such as defending negro Tom Robinson against the charge of rape in his home town of Maycombe "come along once in a lifetime" (link to text/quote)and there is no turning away from such moments. Atticus knows deep down (point ... ...

• Word Count: 817
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... his stance on the issue despite the adversity he knows he must endure because of this. When questioned why, he replies "if I didn't, I couldn't hold my head up in town...every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one's mine, I guess" (pg. 100-101). While he says that every lawyer is moved ... made up of lying, cheating and immoral men. Atticus says that Tom's accuser, Mayella Ewell, has "broken a rigid and time-honoured code of our society, a code so severe that whoever breaks it is hounded from our midst as unfit to live with" (pg. 272) by tem...

• Word Count: 2284
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School