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To Kill A Mockingbird: More than a Small Town Story

            This novel by Harper 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.
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             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 that the town is ignorant and prejudiced. And although you can see the genuinely good and bad people in the story, every character is human. Atticus is the great one, but Miss Lee illustrates Atticus as being old and symbolically weak. Scout is the wise one but is young and innocent. Boo is the savior but he is initially feared. .
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             The most important theme in To Kill a Mockingbird is the one of good and evil.
             It explores whether people are either good or evil. In the beginning of the story the kids think everyone is good because they have never experienced evil. They then become more adult and lose their childhood innocence as they experience the sub-theme of the danger that hatred and prejudice causes to innocent people like Tom Robinson. Jem loses faith in the human race after witnessing what happens to Tom Robinson as a result of ignorance and racism. .
             Atticus Finch poses as the voice of reason in this novel as he has experienced the evils of human nature yet he still he keeps his faith of human goodness. He tries to teach his children the moral lesson of people possessing both good and bad qualities and to appreciate the good ones and try and understand the bad ones. Scout finally learns this lesson towards the end of the book when she finally sees Boo as a person and not a menace. .
             Another major theme of the story is education. The book stresses how important it is for children to understand moral education in order to move from childhood to adulthood.


Essays Related to To Kill A Mockingbird: More than a Small Town Story

1. Overview of To Kill a Mockingbird

... as a role model of moral virtue and impeccable character for lawyers to emulate. To Kill a Mockingbird has endured as a mainstay on high school and college reading lists. It was adapted to film in 1962 as a major motion picture starring Gregory Peck. Plot and Major Characters To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the small, rural town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the early 1930s. The character of Atticus ... out, finally seeing the world through a wider perspective. Major Themes The central thematic concern of To Kill a Mockingbird addresses racial prejudice and social justice. Atticus Finch rep...

  • Word Count: 2287
  • Approx Pages: 9
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

2. Quiet Southern Town

... Atticus more about why people are treating the blacks the way they do, and why they treat Atticus the way they do. Atticus has to try harder and harder to explain to them why it is wrong to treat people that way because Scout and Jem notice everyone around them acting in that particular manner. The era of the story was well portrayed by placing the ... the people live in small houses. Some are worse than others and some are in really bad shape. The town only has one fire engine, so when Ms. Maudie's house is on fire and the one Fire engine is not enough, they must wait until another can...

  • Word Count: 1479
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

3. To kill a mocking bird

... and the use of symbolism of the mockingbird representing different characters. The theme of prejudice in "To Kill A Mockingbird" is much more than just a case of black and white. The entire novel is about prejudice in it's many forms, the most prominent case of prejudice is the racism and hate between the blacks and whites.The book is set in a small town in Alabama called "Maycomb", like most ... small southern towns in that time, has a problem with ... their lives by stopping Bob Ewell stab Jem and Scout after Bob had lynched them. In conclusion throughout the story, people that are u...

  • Word Count: 1400
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

4. To Kill a Mockingbird

... Harper Lee The title of the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, has very little actual relation to the plot of the story, however, it carries a significant amount of symbolic weight in the book. The plot tells of innocence being destroyed by evil, the "mockingbird" comes to represent the idea of innocence. Thus, "To Kill a Mockingbird" is to destroy innocence. The innocent are chiefly the victims of society in the ... the novel are Tom Robinson and Boo Radley (Jem being a more minor "mockingbird"), being that they were both innocent and got destroyed. However, Jem still fits un...

  • Word Count: 1371
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

5. The Influence of To Kill a Mockingbird

... a new respect for Atticus Finch, and some white people even have their minds changed about racism in the process. After the commotion of this trial, the town of Maycomb quiets down for a while. Soon, though, the town's annual musical, featuring Scout Finch, takes place. As Scout and Jem are walking home from the musical, the father of Mayella Ewell attacks and almost ... . This books can teach us all a lesson about being more empathetic and understanding of people, especially when we don't know their story or how they came to be. Similar to Tom Robinson and Boo Radley, people facing disc...

  • Word Count: 615
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

6. To Kill a Mockingbird

Critical Essay on "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a fictional story set in a small Southern town, Maycomb, in the early 1930. The story is told through the life of a little girl, Scout Finch, and her relationship with the main characters her brother, Jem, father, Atticus, friend, Dill housekeeper, Calpurnia, and her dealings with the township people and events that happen in her town. It highlights racism, ... of our society were not wanted, but rather that those whose needs were not satiated could not afford more. In contrast, wealthy only had to spend a smal...

  • Word Count: 1892
  • Approx Pages: 8
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Portryal of Prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird

... , are based on their skin color, who they are, and their personal image. This is shown through the characters Tom, Jem, and Scout. The theme of fairness in To Kill a Mockingbird broadens to a further extent than just the situation of racial discrimination between the blacks and the whites. Although, the racial discrimination mainly towards the blacks is the most prominent occurrence of injustice at the ... , besides, the jury had probably been offended by Tom's remark that he felt sorry for Mayella. In To Kill a Mockingbird, we see unfairness in other forms. Another event that plays a big...

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

8. Book to Film

When a novel is very successful, a director usually wants to turn it into a film. Some of these transfers include Deadly Unna, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harry Potter and Looking for Alibrandi. When these transfers are made the director feels it is necessary to leave out scenes or change the dialogue, which will make the story small enough to make into a film. When the director cuts scenes and changes the script it ... book that I've read that has become a film is Deadly Unna by Phillip Gwynne. This book tells the story of a young man called Gary Black who lives in a poor town. This is probably t...

  • Word Count: 1245
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

9. To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird In the novel to kill a mockingbird, Scout learns valuable lessons on prejudice in the town Maycomb, on the nature of courage, and on the dangers of judging others "before climbing into their skin and walking around in it." ... equal. One of the important roles in Scout life is her father. Atticus is a small town lawyer and single parent. He tries to teach his children from right and wrong. He lives his life as he would like his children to live theirs. He gives everyone in Maycomb the respect they deserve regardless of their skin ... , Jem and Scout learned about death a...

  • Word Count: 555
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

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