Category: To Kill A Mockingbird

Innocence Symbols in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

The Essence of the Mockingbird in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

The mockingbird symbolism of Harper Lee’s theme of innocence is destroyed by evil. Killing a mockingbird is a sin. A mockingbird in To Kill a Mockingbird isn’t an actual bird. It represents innocence. Niceness only could do good and an easy target like Boo Radley. They are innocent and never would harm anyone, just like the mockingbird. Boo Radley is also innocent and would never harm anyone; therefore, the mockingbird also symbolizes him. Boo Radley never comes out because he does not want to face the prejudiced and corrupt world.

A mockingbird is a harmless bird that makes the world more pleasant. The mockingbird symbolizes Boo Radley, who was a peaceful person who never did any harm. To kill or harm them would be a sin. Atticus tells Scout and Jem: “I’d rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you’ll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want if you hit ’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

Boo Radley’s Songless Narrative in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

The mockingbird symbolizes this character because it does not have its own song. The blue jay is loud and obnoxious; the mockingbird only sings other birds’ songs. Therefore, the mockingbird is seen through the other birds. The people of Maycomb only knew Boo Radley by what others said about him. Boo Radley does not have his own “song” in a sense and therefore is characterized by other people’s viewpoints. When Atticus tells Jem and Scout that it is a sin to kill the mockingbird, this refers to the actions directed toward Boo.

It was a sin to dislike Boo based on what others say about him. He was punished by the people in Maycomb because they did not have their own voice. There are many people without their own voice in society, and it is a sin to kill those without a voice. The symbolism reveals the prejudice and narrow-mindedness of the citizens of Maycomb County, their fears, and the immoral things they do. The mockingbird has a very deep and peaceful meaning in the novel. It represents peacefulness, innocence, and kindness. Characters such as Boo Radley can be compared to the mockingbird. In conclusion, the mockingbird represents peace, innocence, and kindness.

Camellias in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’: Blooms of Innocence and Growth

In “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Harper Lee uses white camellias as a symbol to display aspects of innocence. The white color of the camellias often goes with simplicity, hope, and innocence. The first time Lee uses the symbol of the camellias is to demonstrate the destruction of innocence when Jem destroys the camellias. Jem is enraged that Mrs. Dubose insulted his mother, “he did not begin to calm down until he had cut the tops off every camellia bush Mrs. Dubose owned.” Crushing the flowers symbolizes the many ways that those aspects can be destroyed through rash and hasty decisions.

The flowers indicate that innocence is still in Jem and Scout because they believe Tom is being treated inhumanely and can see the wrongdoing of the townspeople. They are also staying strong in their mindset even after people chastise them for their views. White is often associated with life after death or rebirth. Lee is showing that the spirit of Mrs. Dubose is still alive in these flowers, and she is showing the children to advocate for what is right. The Johnson grass and weed stand for the naive majority. Because the camellias grow ahead of them, it exposes that good is always coexisting with evil. It is just up to the townspeople to figure it out. Finally, Lee used the symbol of the camellias to uncover that innocence can be preserved when Jem threw the candy box in the fire but left the camellia untouched.

After Mrs. Dubose’s death, “Jem picked up the candy box and threw it into the fire. He picked up the camellia, and when I went to bed, I saw him fingering the petals.” The action of throwing the candy box into the fire is Jem growing up and can see the effects of death or more mature topics. Candy is normally for young children, and since it is being burned, that is displaying that Jem is over his youth. On the other hand, he keeps the camellia. Since he keeps the camellia, that implies that although he is going past his youth, Jem wants to remain innocent.

To Kill a Mockingbird’s’ Symbols: Revealing Maycomb’s Prejudice

The symbol reveals the prejudice of the citizens of Maycomb and the innocence destroyed by evil. It also reveals an attempt to get rid of these feelings in Maycomb by a hero to the community, Atticus Finch, and his children, who will follow in his footsteps. Symbolism is basically what the book is about. If this book did not have any type of symbolism, it wouldn’t be complete.

References

1. Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. J.B. Lippincott & Co., 1960.

From Innocence to Morality: Jem Finch’s Evolution in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

To Kill a Mockingbird: The Quest for Equality in Maycomb

Thomas Jefferson stated that “all men are created equal and have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The main point of this quote is that all people should be treated equally. In reality, this is not how society is. Growing up in Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s made it hard for many people to possess high morals. The characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee experience the racist customs and laws that were found to be normal.

Jem Finch is one of the few children who understands the wrong of judging someone by their race. Possessing a role model with high morals can influence the way that others think. This means that when influenced by a person with high morals, things that may seem normal to others may be viewed as disrespectful. This includes the way that others were treated because of their race. On the other hand, Jem grew up with a father who believed that everyone should be treated equally.

As a result, the actions of Jem’s father influenced the way that Jem thinks about situations. Atticus Finch, who is Jem’s father, was a white man who defended a negro named Tom Robinson. After seeing that the assumptions are not true about negros, Jem realizes that many people face injustice all the time because of their race. Jem makes the most moral growth in the novel by maturing more than most adults in Maycomb. He passes through all of the stages in Kohlberg’s theory of moral development.

Jem’s Journey Through Kohlberg’s Stages in To Kill a Mockingbird

Unquestionably, Jem starts off at stage one of Kohlberg’s theory at the beginning of the novel. In the novel, Jem, Dill, and Scout are sneaking around the Radley place. After trying many ways to get Boo Radley to come out, his brother named, Nathan, came outside and shot his gun into the air. Since the gunshots frightened the kids, they made an attempt to escape. While trying to run away, Jem’s pants got stuck on the Radley fence. Jem was scared about getting shot with Nathan Radley’s gun, so he left his pants and hurried home. Once the kids arrive home, Jem thinks about the punishments that he would receive from Atticus if he discovered the truth.

After a conversation with Scout, he says, “That’s why I’m goin’ after ’em.” Jem decides that the only way to stay out of trouble is to make an attempt to get his pants back. Jem has reached stage one of Kohlberg’s theory because he makes sure that he is in the right so that he would “avoid punishment.” Stage one states that a person makes sure that they seem that they are in the right. This is so that they avoid trouble with others.

To Kill a Mockingbird: Jem’s Struggle with Peer Pressure and Morality

After Jem reaches stage one, he quickly moves onto stage two of Kohlberg’s theory. Scout has come to the age where she is now required to go to school. Atticus expresses that he would like Jem to walk Scout to her first day of school. This is something Jem would not do because he would not want to be seen with his little sister. Once Atticus realizes the issue, he makes a deal with Jem. This consisted of him getting some money. After hearing the deal, “Jem condescended to take me to school the first day, a job usually done by one’s parents, but Atticus had said Jem would be delighted to show me where my room was.” When Atticus asks Jem to walk Scout to school, Jem shows obvious signs of not wanting to. In order for Jem to agree to do the task, Atticus needed to come up with a compromise.

The deal was that if Jem walked Scout to school, he would get money. When this offer was accepted, Jem ended up condescending. He walked Scout to school even though he did not want to. This scene from the novel shows that Jem has reached stage two in Kohlberg’s theory. This is because “we trade or cooperate with others in order to get what we want or need.” Atticus made a deal with Jem in order to get what he wanted.

Jem’s Moral Development in To Kill a Mockingbird: From Childhood to Adulthood

Undoubtedly, Jem slowly progressed into stage three of Kohlberg’s theory. Halloween had finally arrived in Maycomb. Scout and Jem were preparing for the pageant being held at school. Scout had been assigned to play the role of a ham. Since she was dressing up, she had the responsibility of performing on stage. To get there, she would have to walk alone in the dark. Atticus prohibited Scout from walking alone, so he suggested that Jem should walk with her. Jem reconsidered walking her, and after some time, he finally agreed. Scout observes that “Jem was carrying my ham costume rather awkwardly as it was hard to hold.” Jem’s decision to take Scout to the pageant showed that he had reached stage three of Kohlberg’s theory.

In stage three, “we are good by doing what is approved by others.” In other words, you will do something to get approval or to please someone. You are doing something to make someone happy. Jem knew that if he walked Scout to school, it would make him look like a gentleman, a responsible brother, and altruistic because he is thinking about Scout. These are all traits that Jem would want Atticus to think of him as. Therefore, Jem walks Scout to the pageant to get approval from Atticus.

Nobody denies that Jem based a lot of his decisions on what he believed was right for a long period of time. Dill is Jem and Scout’s good friend. One day, Jem found out that Dill had been hiding under Scout’s bed for a long period of time. This was because Dill ran away from Meridian, and he had no other place to go. Scout describes how when Jem figured out that Dill was there, “then he rose and broke the remaining code of our childhood.” Jem realized that it was wrong that Dill ran away from home. He understood that his family was worried about him. To ensure Dill’s safety, Jem decided that the right thing to do was to tell Atticus. In Scout’s eyes, this was a big deal.

She believed that Jem was not doing the right thing. This action taken by Jem showed that he had reached stage four of Kohlberg’s theory. In stage four, “We will obey the law because you believe that it is the right thing to do.” In other words, you understand the importance of rules, and you are starting to see what is right from wrong. Since Jem has now reached stage four, it shows that he is now starting to possess stronger morals.

In this situation, Jem is now beginning to mature into a young man. One night, Atticus left the house very late, and he took the car. These are things that Atticus does not normally do. Jem was aware of this, so he set out to make sure that his father was alright. When Jem headed out, he told Scout, “I’m goin’ downtown for a little while.” Jem was aware that something was not right. This action shows that Jem has reached stage five of Kohlberg’s theory. In stage five, “we have the ability to help others even when we are told not to.” In other words, you gain empathy based on a person’s situation. Aunt Alexandra would not let Jem leave the house at a late time, but Jem persisted because he cared about the safety of his father. Moving from stage one to stage five shows that Jem has made moral growth.

To Kill a Mockingbird: The Final Stages of Jem’s Moral Growth

Certainly, it is clear that Jem now possesses high morals towards the end of the novel. He has now reached the last stage of Kohlberg’s theory. Meanwhile, in the novel, Tom Robinson had been convicted guilty because he was accused of rape. At first, Jem is angry because he does not understand why Tom lost. Atticus later explains to him the reason for Tom losing. Jem reacted to the conversation by saying, “Doesn’t make it right, said Jem stolidly. He beat his fist softly against his knee. You just can’t convict a man on evidence like that — you can’t”. During this point in the novel, Jem has matured a lot. He is old enough to figure out the true meaning behind stuff that happens in Maycomb.

After hearing Atticus’s explanation, he realizes that Tom Robinson was convicted because of his race. Jem was very upset, angry, and frustrated about this. In stage six of Kohlberg’s theory, “your own beliefs and morals tell you what is right and wrong. Making sure that people are treated right is important to you”. Jem has reached stage six because he knows that Tom Robinson being convicted is unfair. Jem is upset about the injustice in Tom’s case.

It is essential for all people to eventually acquire strong morals in their lives. It is important for people to have the correct idea of what is right and wrong. Knowing this can ensure that people are being treated with justice. The racist stereotypes that were seen in the 1930s are still present today. Being able to distinguish right from wrong can reduce the mistreatment of all people. It is critical that people are able to be comfortable around others without the fear of being judged.

References

1. Lee, H. (1960). To Kill a Mockingbird. J.B. Lippincott & Co.
2. Kohlberg, L. (1969). Stages of moral development. Moral Education.

Gaining Wisdom Through Experience: Insights from ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

To Kill a Mockingbird’: From Age to Wisdom

A quote by Ann Landers said, “Maturity isn’t a product of growing older. It’s a product of growing wiser.” This is true with everyone because it is certain life events that define one and shape one into who they are today. Harper Lee demonstrates this in her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, where she demonstrates that growing wiser opens the mind to what it was blind to in the past. This is shown through Tom Robinsons trial, Boo Radley staying in his home, and Scout’s mindset throughout the story.

Growing Wiser in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’: Beyond Trials and Myths

To begin, a major event in To Kill a Mockingbird was Tom Robinson’s trial, which changed the views of many people. Right after the trial ends and Tom is found guilty, Jem is very upset and confused, which is shown when Scout tells the readers, “It was Jem’s turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. “It ain’t right.” This is a crucial turning point for Jem because he realizes that Tom never had a real chance of winning the trial. Jem expected more from the community than what they gave Tom.

This made him understand that even though people know that it is wrong, they care too much about what the rest of the town thinks. Another event regarding Tom Robinson’s trial was when Scout found out that a Cunningham was on the jury to help Tom, even though they seemed to be after him a few days earlier. She shows her confusion by stating, “… I’ll never understand those folks as long as I live.’

Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’: Maturity Beyond Age

Atticus said you just had to know ’em. He said that the Cunninghams hadn’t taken anything from or off of anybody since they migrated to the new world.” This is a key lesson for Scout in the book because she puts herself in the shoes of the Cunninghams to understand how they live. Once you gain their respect, they will help you no matter what anyone else thinks. Not only do the children need to learn how to treat people this way, but it is a lesson for the rest of the town as well.

In continuation, the whole town made up conspiracies about Boo Radley, but the truth changed the children’s way of thinking. At the beginning of the book, Scout, Jem, and Dill are talking about Boo regarding how he does not leave his home. Scout puts her thoughts into view when she states, “Jem gave a reasonable description of Boo… There was a long-jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped in and out, and he drooled most of the time.”

Seeing Clearly: Wisdom Journeys in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

From this, it is clear that the children know nothing about Boo other than what others have said about him. They have used their imaginations to create an unrealistic version of Boo rather than seeing him as a human being who has a valid reason for not going outside.

Later in the book, Scout and Jem are having a deep conversation about the types of people in the world, which makes the world of Boo come into perspective for Jem. He said, “Scout, I think I’m beginning to understand something. I think I’m beginning to understand why Boo Radley’s stayed shut up in the house all this time. It’s because he wants to stay inside.” At this point in the book, it is clear that Jem has greatly matured from the beginning when he pictured Boo as a monster. He is starting to see the world from another point of view and sees how it is easier for Boo to stay at home than to be tormented by the public.

Furthermore, the story is told through Scout’s aspect of life, which shows the reader how much her mindset has grown from before to after the trial. One Christmas before the trial, Scout and Jem were gifted with air rifles. Before they went to use them, Atticus remarked, “…remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” This is one of the many things Scout was told that she did not know the real meaning of until she got older. She realized that this also applies to people since innocent people can be treated horribly. One last significant event that occurred was when Scout finally saw Boo Radley and walked him to his house.

To Kill a Mockingbird: Insight on Radley’s Porch

When she got to his front porch, she had an important realization, “Atticus was right. One time, he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough.” Everything that she has ever been taught about appearances becomes clear at this point. This shows that she is maturing and changing her mindset on the types of people in the world. Scout finally understands how to look at the full picture instead of just the first thing that she sees.

References

1. Lee, H. (1960). To Kill a Mockingbird. HarperCollins.
2. Landers, A. (n.d.). Quotes by Ann Landers.
3. Williams, R. (2017). Growing Up with Scout: Lessons in Empathy and Maturity in “To Kill a Mockingbird”. American Novels Journal.
4. Davis, M. (2019). The Role of Place in “To Kill a Mockingbird”: Radley’s Porch as a Site of Enlightenment. Place and Literature Review.

Moral Growth of Scout, Jem & Atticus in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

Exploring Character Growth in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

During the second semester of the 8th-grade literature course, we read the book “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The book had many characters that interacted with each other, and in this paper, I will go through three of the characters, talk about their moral growth, and compare them throughout the book. The three characters I will be talking about are Scout, Atticus, and Jem. Now, let’s begin with Scout.

Scout’s Moral Evolution in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

Now, first, I will talk about Scout. Scout takes on her father’s values a lot at the beginning of the book, as well as forming her own values. One example of Scout taking on her dad’s values is when Cecil makes fun of Atticus and Scout wants to fight, but Atticus tells her not to fight, besides what they say about him. So the next time Cecil provokes her, she decides not to fight him and take the moral high road. Now at the end of the book, when Scout realizes that Boo was never a monster and was the mockingbird symbol she had come to understand. Scout sees that Boo is morally good, and that changes her view of the world to reflect the good around her. “And they chased him,” never could catch him cause “they didn’t know what he looked like, an Atticus, when they finally saw him, why he hadn’t done any of those things… Atticus, he was real nice…”

Jem’s Evolution: From Childhood Fears to Moral Awakening

Now, the second character I will talk about is Jem. At the beginning of the book, Jem is ten years old. At this time, Jem still plays games that are for children with Scout. Also, Jem is fearful of what he doesn’t know and assumes that Boo is dangerous based on rumors that he heard from Caroline. Jem values his pride. Now, one important passage in this book that Atticus tells Jem is, “Shoot all the bluejays you want, but remember it’s a sin to kill a Mockingbird.” Later in the book, Jem learns true bravery from Mrs. Dubose. After the whole courthouse situation, Jem goes to Atticus and talks about how unfair the situation was, and Atticus snaps, “He leaped off the bed, grabbed me by the collar and shook me. I never wanna hear about that courthouse again, ever, ever, you hear me?…”

“Atticus said that Jem was trying hard to forget something, but what he was really doing was storing it away for a while until enough time passed.” What I learned from Jem is that he was very scared and didn’t have the courage to do much at the beginning of the book, but when the story progressed, I feel like he became braver and stood up for things that were right and talked against things that were wrong.

Atticus Finch: The Unwavering Pillar of Morality in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

Now, the last character I will talk about is Atticus. In my opinion, Atticus represents morality in To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus is even-handed throughout the book. He is one of the few characters who never rethink his position on an issue. Atticus demonstrates patience, courage, bravery, and maturity. I don’t think Atticus changes much at all over the course of the novel. Throughout the book, he remains morally sound in his thinking and actions, and he does this in every situation, from the courthouse to his home. If there is any change, it is not discernible.

Certainly, he is disheartened by the outcome of Tom Robinson’s trial, but he probably expected this and realized that the social evolution of Maycomb would be a much more gradual process and could not expect a town so steeped in tradition and racist thinking to change over the course of just one trial. He is, maybe, the most forthright and morally justified character in all of American literature. So, as unbelievably good as he is, that’s just the point; he represents ethical justice in totality; he doesn’t need to change.

The Stark Realities Presented in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

Now, my thesis statement for this book is “Racism is a big problem in Maycomb.” This is my thesis statement for a few reasons. The first reason is that the people there are definitely racist, and the neighborhoods are separated into white and black neighborhoods. The next reason this is my thesis statement is that Tom never got a fair trial, and the “n” word is used a lot in this book. Another reason is that the jury had never been in favor of a colored person. Overall, I definitely think this book is on the topic of racism, and it puts you into the perspective of how the world acted against black people, and it is very important to know this stuff. I think it was a good book to read, and I somewhat enjoyed it.

References:

1. Lee, H. (1960). To Kill a Mockingbird. J.B. Lippincott & Co.
2. Smith, J. (2023). Lecture on “Character Development in To Kill a Mockingbird.” 8th-Grade Literature Course.

Injustice and Morality: ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ Analysis

The book that I read for Marking Period 2 was “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. The genre of “To Kill A Mockingbird” is a novel, thriller, mystery, domestic fiction, and a legal story. The story is about two kids called Jeremy Finch (Jem) and Jean Louise Finch (Scout) and their father, Atticus Finch, who is a lawyer. The Scout and her brother are having a fine life until their father decides to defend a black man who is accused of raping a white woman.

‘To Kill A Mockingbird’: Character Evolution and Perspectives

Scout Finch is a spunky nine-year-old who is very intelligent despite her tomboy appearance and personality. She often gets into fights and hates to be looked over, but when the Tom Robinson trial comes around and affects her life, she develops a more grown-up look at things. This different perspective shows her how cruel and unfair humanity is but also shows her the goodness of what a person can be and do.

Injustice in ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’: Moral Struggles of the Trial

Jem Finch is a playmate and friend of Scouts’ but also is a regular boy who loves to play sports and take dares. Jem is four years older than Scout and starts to mature and separate himself from Scout’s immaturity when the Tom Robinson case comes. Jem’s ideals and virtues of what he knows are right and wrong are strongly shaken by the injustice and evil of the Robinson trial.

Atticus Finch is the father of Jem, and Scout is the lawyer of Maycomb and is one of the only residents who believe in racial equality. When Atticus takes on the role of defending Tom Robinson, he leaves his family vulnerable to all the hate of the white community. Though his children’s eyes are being opened to the injustice and hatred of their racist community, he has taught them his morals of fairness, which help them during their journey and keep as a backbone to the story.

Impactful Insights from ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’: Recommendations

The major conflict in the story is between Tom Robinson, a black man, who is accused of rapeing a white girl, Mayella Ewell, and her father, Bob Ewell, who is pressing the charges. Another conflict is that Atticus’s sister comes to stay and has much hatred for their cook, a black woman named Calpurnia.

I genuinely enjoyed “To Kill A Mockingbird”. It raised a great deal of discussion points and great morality and equality points. It made me uncomfortable in certain parts, but it should because it shows how much wrong and evil there is in the racist townsfolk. It shows how there is evil and people who can act inhumanly in the world. It also shows how there is goodness and that you need to fight for the good and push the evil aside even if things don’t go the right way. I do not like the part during the trial of Tom Robinson. It was unnerving and uncomfortable and just left a bad feeling.

I recommend this book to a much older and more mature audience, no younger than 12, unless you know they can handle it. Some of the topics that they discuss are for a much older audience and would be distressing or confusing to someone younger. I do encourage any gender to read this book, and it would be great for a book club because of the good discussion points.

References:

1. Harper Lee. July 11, 1960. To Kill A Mockingbird. J. B. Lippincott & Co.