To Kill A Mockingbird Themes

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Dying of old age is frightening, but being shot 17 times to death while trying to flee from jail is even scarier. Harper Lee born, April 29th, 1926, the youngest of four children, attended Huntingdon College, but later transferred to Oxford University to pursue a writing career. She published her first novel, To Kill a Mockingbird at age 34. Throughout the novel Harper Lee evokes a jovial and indignant tone. Told in first person, Lee generalizes the themes through scenes of death. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee utilizes scenes of death to portray the major themes of the novel, courage, racism, and good vs. evil. Mrs. Dubose is an excellent example of courage because, she knows how to push through in difficult situations. She is characterized…show more content…
Racism is the number one problem with the small town, Maycomb. Prejudice is present because news travels fast so everyone in town has the same false opinion about a topic or person. Most everyone in Maycomb believed Tom Robinson raped Mayella, which therefore lead to his false accusation and eventually death. Jem, more than anyone else is very upset, “How could they do it, how could they?”(285). He keeps repeating this because he does not understand. Jem does not understand how when given clear and correct evidence, people can still make the wrong decision. Tom unfortunately, has given up and decides to try and escape jail. In the process, “[the guards] fired a few shots in the air, then to kill… seventeen bullet holes in him”(315). If there were to be no prejudice or racism, Tom would have not been mocked, in jail, or dead. The theme of racism is presented in Tom’s death because he would not be dead if there was no…show more content…
evil. For example, atticus represents the good, while Bob represents the evil. Bob performs unspeakable actions and Atticus still manages to find a way to see good, “The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always does. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that's something I'll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and I'd rather it be me than that houseful of children out there”(292). This quote displays how Atticus can remain good even when there is evil in the way. Bob is indirectly characterized by this quote explaining that Bob acts out aggressively and has no compassion. The main reason that Bob is dead is because he tried to hurt Atticus in a way of not actually confronting him. Bob attacked Scout and Jem. Scout was unable to help much and Jem had a broken arm, “He slowly squeezed the breath out of me. I could not move”(351). Only an evil man would do such an act, harm innocent children. Luckily Boo Radley came to the rescue and killed Bob. The death of Boo Radley connects to the theme of good vs. evil because Bob was killed for trying to do evil actions to a good

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