In Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, symbolism is used throughout the novel. The novel takes place in the 1930s in Alabama, in which racism was at its peak. Harper Lee uses her characters to symbolize justice, morality, and ethics: Tom Robinson symbolizes the mockingbird because of his innocence; Atticus Finch symbolizes morality because of his refusal to back down from his principles; and the blue jay symbolizes Bob Ewell. Miss Maudie explained, “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music
To Kill a Mockingbird Final Essay Freshman English Introduction The literary critic Wayne C. Booth contends that when we read literature we “stretch our own capacities for thinking about how life should be lived.” If this is so, then the study of a novel such as To Kill a Mockingbird ought to conclude with reflection about what we can learn by reading it and then put into practice in our own lives. During our studies of To Kill a Mockingbird, we have wrestled with profound moral and ethical questions;
Racism “I said come here, nigger…” (241) This derogatory use of language offends many. In fictitious Maycomb, Alabama, of Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the word nigger appeared often. In fact, store owners removed this 1960, Pulitzer Prize novel off the shelves for a time because of its immoral nature. In this book, one definitely sees human kind’s intolerance on display. The theme of racism exists throughout To Kill a Mockingbird as evidenced by Alexandria’s response to differences in
forfeited. We lose our values, beliefs and essentially the factors that make us unique. How much an individual is willing to sacrifice of their individuality will determine the extent of their conformity to social norms. The literary characters
absorb reassuring lies. In Harper Lees “To Kill a Mockingbird” characters who are able to develop notions of truth, belief and justification through their experiences include Scout, Jem and Mr. Link Deas. When Scout is first introduced in the novel she is a carefree, innocent child who uses other people’s