To Kill a Mockingbird - Term Paper Example

?To Kill a Mockingbird: An In-Depth Analysis To Kill a Mockingbird: An In-Depth Analysis ?'I'd rather you shoot at tin cans in the back yard, but Iknow you'll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.” – a famous symbolic line by Atticus Finch, a character in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”. (Lee, 1960, p. 90) The line talks about destroying innocence with killing a mockingbird. Since mockingbirds don’t do any harm to people but sing their hearts out, it is a sin to kill one. The book tells a story about Maycomb, a fictional town that could have been based on the town where Lee grew up. It is pictured as an old tired town in the midst of depression. The story is narrated by Jean Louise Finch who is oftentimes called by her nick, Scout. She is a daughter of a famous lawyer, a sensible citizen and a great father, Atticus Finch. She has a brother almost 4 years her senior named Jem. Her mother died when she was 2 so she barely remembers anything about her, though it is not the same with Jem. He has memories with his mom which sometimes makes him feel sad. But the two kids tag well together like ordinary kids who are in the upper class. Their father, Atticus, makes a good living being a lawyer so they are able to maintain a good life in spite the great depression. (Mancini, 2008, p. 28-31) On the other hand, the rest of the Maycomb was literally poor. It is a home to a number of familes like the Cunninghams, the Ewells, the Radleys, to Ms. Maudie and Ms. Crawford and to the rest of the people living in the town. Atticus, being at the top of the To Kill a Mockingbird: An In-Depth Analysis 2 social ladder, remains just and sensitive about other people. He instills in the minds of Jem and Scout to first put their feet into someone’s shoes before judging, making him a great teacher. This shows that Atticus is well-grounded in spite his achievements and social status. In contrast to some people around him who act like they know so much but haven’t proven anything. Atticus character shows he is a man of justice even without his title as a lawyer. Lee stresses through Atticus that people should be like him anytime of the day. (Mancini, 2008, p. 45-49) Moral Education In this novel, moral education is one of the important things a person should learn in life. It is implied in many scenarios in the story. One of which is the attitude of the two kids towards people. Atticus instills in the minds of Jem and Scout to put their feet into the shoes of others before judging them to better understand other people. (Mancini, 2008, p. 72-79) This attitude is carried on by the two kids through the story. It also shows the opposite of it through the character of Scout’s teacher, Ms. Caroline. She portrays a character of an ill-mannered, old school teacher who uses a technique in teaching that she learned from her teachers in college. She is someone who doesn’t adjust to her crowd and stuck to what has been taught to her. It is shown in the story that Scout and Ms. Caroline don’t get along well since the former shows concern to other people in spite her being advanced and well-off which is taken differently by Ms. Caroline. One incident in the book that shows how rigid Ms. Caroline’s thinking is when To Kill a Mockingbird: An In-Depth Analysis 3 she gives Walter, a member of the Cunningham clan, a quarter when the later hasn’t brought anything for lunch. She asks Walter that he can pay her back the following day. Scout tries to explain the circumstances to her teacher about the possibility of the bleak possibility that Walter will not be able to pay her back since the Cunningham is large and poor. Scout knows that financial capacity of Walter’s family since they pay her dad with hickory nuts, turnip greens and other good whenever they need legal help. This incident has led Ms. Caroline to get so frustrated to the point she slaps Scout’s hand with a ruler. (O'Neill, T., 2000, p. 29-33) Throughout the chapters of the book, Scout’s character is well-meaning and kind. Her mistakes are those of an honest kid but lead to harsh reproaches from the adult world. Scout’s character is essentially good and in spite the evils around her, she remains neither infected nor disillusioned by the injustices she has seen. Social Inequalities and Prejudices Inequalities in the society are glaring in the novel. It is clear all throughout the book that the differences in social status affect the society’s treatment to everyone that also lead to prejudices. This is shown through the Cunninghams and the Ewells and some other poor people. The society is not fair with the two families since they are poor. The Cunninghams are merely getting by, same goes with the Ewells. Because money is power and these families don’t have money, they don’t have power – the power to buy themselves respect that is due them. He social hierarchy has the Finches as one of To Kill a Mockingbird: An In-Depth Analysis 4 those at the top, having almost everyone in the town beneath them. The Cunninghams, a poor and large family of ignorant farmers, lie below the townsmen and the Ewells rest beneath the Cunninghams. The black community in Maycomb on the other hand, in spite its commendable qualities stays below the Ewells. Due to the Ewells lack of importance, Bob, the father of Mayella, persecutes Tom Robinson for raping his daughter when Tom is helping the later in household chores. (O'Neill, 2000, p. 48-52) The social injustices leading to racism and prejudices go on during the trial of Tom Robinson until the time he has been put behind bars and has been to death. The townspeople’s prejudice about black people is vividly seen during the trial of Tom Robinson. He has already been convicted in the minds of the many even prior to the court’s judgment. Except for Atticus and some people who know Tom very well, they don’t hold any prejudices to him. Atticus stands as the lawyer of the accused Tom and gets the society’s prejudice to the blacks and those who befriend them. Though Atticus knows from the start that the trial will most probably go to the disadvantage, he still defends Tom since he believes Tom is innocent. This melodramatic trial shows that Atticus’ principles are intact to a fault. He lives up to his beliefs and to his title. He is the ultimate person the town needs for it to grow and not be stuck in a rut. Racism: The Perfect Criminal In the trial of Tom Robinson, Atticus has the gut feel that they won’t win the trial having To Kill a Mockingbird: An In-Depth Analysis 5 a bunch of white Jury. But he continues to stand for Tom due to his moral values and dedication to this job. It is shown in the story through Atticus’ character that fighting for truth is more important than gaining society’s approval. He knows from the day he accepts the case that he is not winning the sympathy of the many due to Tom’s race. This shows that racism is present in Maycomb. Aside from the Ewells persecution of Tom and the trial itself, Tom is incarcerated and is shot to death with the notion that he tries to escape the prison. Yet do Atticus and some other concerned townspeople marvel why 17 bullets are needed to catch an escaping criminal. The excruciating truth is buried in the tomb where Tom lies. Here, Lee’s intention to make the readers think whether Tom really tries to escape or not and why 17 gun shot wounds mark the body of an escaping man. Whether the whole thing is seeded or Tom really tries to escape, the convicted man is innocent. The book narrates that Tom is an example of a mockingbird that doesn’t do anyone any harm but has been confronted with evil – racism. (Mancini, 2008, p. 95-111) The Innocence of a Mockingbird The whole story discusses whether humans are essentially good or evil. Is it said that human beings are primarily good and only will change when confronted with evil and gets infected and disillusioned. Although there are people who are confronted with evil like Atticus but remained grounded and solid with his principles in which the same To Kill a Mockingbird: An In-Depth Analysis 6 attitude is cascades to his two kids, Jem and Scout. There are also some characters in the story whose principles remain unbroken. They are also mockingbirds in the story but no longer in the eyes innocent children and manage to keep their values intact like Atticus. Ms. Maudie tells Scout that her father is right about the mockingbirds. She explains to Scout the essence of what Atticus tries to imply to her about shooting all the blue jays but the mockingbird. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy…but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (Lee, 1960, p. 94) This famous line is symbolical and Lee tries to tell the readers that killing a mockingbird is destroying the innocence of a person. Thus, it is a sin to kill one. Lee, H. (1960). To kill a mockingbird. Philadelphia: Lippincott. Mancini, C. (2008). Racism in Harper Lee's To kill a mockingbird. Detroit: Greenhaven Press. O'Neill, T. (2000). Readings on To kill a mockingbird. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press. Read More