To Kill A Mockingbird Critical Essay

Evaluation of to Kill a Mockingbird Essay
The grown up Scout, narrates her retrospective story of one life changing summer, as seen through
her eyes, as a six–year–old tomboy. Scout (Mary Badham), her brother Jem, and their summer time
friend, Dill, spend their days gallivanting through town, playing with tires as toys, telling
exaggerated stories, and challenging each other to approach the dilapidated and gloomy house of
the neighborhood "bogeyman", a recluse named Boo Radley (Robert Duval), who was rumored to
be a vicious and scary creature. The focus on Boo is quickly overshadowed when Scouts widowed
Father, lawyer Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck), takes the insurmountable case, of a black man accused
of raping a white woman. In a time before desegregation was even a thought, black...show more
content...
While, it is true that the children are not interviewed for their opinion on life and are not outwardly
expressive of their thoughts, it is no mystery as to how they felt through each life–changing event.
The sentimental and thought–provoking story begins by establishing the nucleus of the film, the
Finch Family, lead by the father Atticus Finch, who is the quintessential father, strong, honest,
intuitive, and spoke with wisdom; whose character was consistently imparted to his children
through small teachings on life as it unfolds. One such example shows Atticus hugging Scout as
they swing back and forth on the front porch, He tells her, "You never really understand a person
until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in
it." In another scene after being teased at school for her father defending a Negro, Scout questions
her father as to why he chose to take the case. He states that if he didn't he would be unable to
"hold his head up high", or even tell his children what to do anymore. Given the standard of that
day, Atticus was risking his reputation and even the safety of his children by defending a black
man. These phenomenal displays of impeccable character are so rare that it causes the credibility of
the role to come into question; Atticus, at times seems too stoic to be
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To Kill A Mockingbird Critical Essay
Nelle Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926, in Monroeville, Alabama, a sleepy small town
similar in many ways to Maycomb, the setting of To Kill a Mockingbird. Like Atticus Finch, the
father of Scout, the narrator and protagonist of To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee's father was a lawyer.
Among Lee's childhood friends was the future novelist and essayist Truman Capote, from whom she
drew inspiration for the character Dill. These personal details notwithstanding, Lee maintains that To
Kill a Mockingbird was intended to portray not her own childhood home but rather a nonspecific
Southern town. "People are people anywhere you put them," she declared in a 1961 interview.
Yet the book's setting and characters are not the only aspects of the story shaped by events that
occurred during Lee's childhood. In 1931, when Lee was five, nine young black men were accused
of raping two white women near Scottsboro, Alabama. After a series of lengthy, highly publicized,
and often bitter trials, five of the nine men were sentenced to long prison terms. Many prominent
lawyers and other American citizens saw the sentences as spurious and motivated only by racial
prejudice. It...show more content...
Nevertheless, in the racially charged atmosphere of the early 1960s, the book became an enormous
popular success, winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and selling over fifteen million copies. Two
years after the book's publication, an Academy Award
–winning film version of the novel, starring
Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch, was produced. Meanwhile, the author herself had retreated from the
public eye: she avoided interviews, declined to write the screenplay for the film version, and
published only a few short pieces after 1961. To Kill a Mockingbird remains her sole published
novel. Lee eventually returned to Monroeville and continues to live

Film Reflection: To Kill A Mockingbird
A Film Reflection I will use my favorite movie of all time for this assignment. The film is "To
Kill a Mockingbird". The story of the movie is told through the eyes of a child. A young boy and
a girl who are sister and brother have high regard for their father who is an attorney defending a
wrongly accused black man who is charged with sexually attacking a white woman. One late and
dark night the children are walking home from a pageant. The young girl is still in her costume.
From out of nowhere someone attacks her brother. She watches out from under her costume. The
violence is somewhat of a blur, but the little boy is in clear danger as he is attacked. In the scene
someone seems to step in to defend the boy. However, that seems unclear at the moment. Apparently
someone seems to carry the boy and then we see the young boy tucked into...show more content...
Sadly, it is violence against a small and young child. Right overcomes might as the child is rescued.
We get the point and the understanding without in being overly graphic. This movie was made in
the sixties. I feel that through storytelling, direction, and camera angles the film got the action of
violence captured without being overly graphic. Today's movies seem to me more graphic. Movies
are much more violent today. Over the last fifty years or since this movie was made the level of gun
violence has doubled and that gun–related violence in PG–13 movies exceeds that of the most
successful R–rated movies. Of course, gun violence is just one means of the portrayal of violence.
The MPAA movie rating is but one aspect of this all. Sadly, the ratings and classifications board
has traditionally been soft on violence and harder on the portrayal of sex. This is something to
take a deeper look at by society as a whole. Upon further examination I go into the movie more
deeply as regards to themes of

Literary Criticism is an informed, written analysis and evolution of a work of literature based on a
literary theory. An Archetypal Criticism is a type of a literary theory that interprets the text using
symbols, motifs, myths, characters, and situations. Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird reflects
archetypal criticism in order to have a better understanding of the forms of the literary works and to
approach the text in a different way. This criticism shows how the recurring of the characters helps
to develop the story. Harper Lee utilizes hero, child, and mentor archetypes in order to enhance the
meaning of the story and each character. WithinTo Kill a Mockingbird, the hero archetype reflects
upon Arthur Radley, Atticus, and Scout. For instance, as Scout is lying on the ground during the
attack, it occurs to her that "there were now four people under the tree... He was carrying Jem" (Lee
301–302). Boo Radley, also known as Arthur Radley, sacrifices himself to save Scout and Jem
from getting killed. Boo illustrates the characteristics of the hero archetype when he throws his
body into the mess even though it was dangerous to save the children. Despite the chances of
getting revealed in public for killing Bob Ewell, nothing stopped Arthur from saving Jem and
Scout, because he regarded them as his own children. An additional example is that after Tom
Robinson's trial, Scout is interrupted from her sleep only to find this: "I looked around. They were
standing. All around us and in the balcony on the opposite wall, the Negroes were getting to their
feet" (Lee 241). This tragedy all starts when Judge Taylor appoints Atticus for this case, but the real
reason why Atticus takes this case is that he values the truth and his conscience. Even though Atticus
foresees white people mock and gossip about him, he sacrifices himself to try his best to aid Tom
Robinson because Atticus knows that he is innocent. This is why people up in the balcony all stood
up after the trial to show respect to Atticus, who tried his hardest to prove Tom Robinson's
innocence. Furthermore, as Scout talks to Mr. Cunningham about things he cares about, especially
his son, he states, "'I'll tell him you said hey, little lady,' he said. Then he

Introduction
The Critical Race Theory emerged in the mid to late 1970s when there was a significant amount of
racial minorities and it focuses of theorizing race and the law. CRT scholars view racism and racial
discrimination as systematic and institutional and consequentially not as individualized, standard
and capable of remedy within the current constitutional and legislative framework. CRT emerged
from Critical legal studies, covers a wide–ranging collection of work and it critiques scholars of CLS
for not addressing the issue of race and law adequately. This essay aims to analyze six of the most
important aspects outlining the theoretical framework of the Critical Race Theory adapted from
various CRT scholars and its relation and application to the book, To Kill a Mocking Bird.
Secondly, this essay will address some of the criticisms levied against CRT by Marxists. The
purpose of essay is to determine, in light of CRT application, whether it was...show more content...
This statement is extremely noticeable and it becomes clear as the novel progresses that racism
among the white characters is a result of fearfulness and concern for their own interests. Examples
of this is apparent where a group of men go to where Tom Robinson is detained, with the intention
to beat him up, rationalizing that this is the right thing to do because he "raped" a white woman.
This can also be seen when Mayella attempts to reconcile herself with the fact that she will be
sending an innocent man to prison by justifying this as being a victim herself, in reference to her
social stance in society, her father's abusiveness towards her and the ridicule she would endure if she
told the

A wise woman named Jane Austen who was a woman who wrote six novels that showed her rich
storytelling once said, "It isn't what we say that or think that defines us, but what we do." And I
think that she's right. I think that words can't describe a person or an object as much as the
actions that they do. My first reason for why I think that actions can do more than words is
because actions can offer you more information about a person than somebody else's words. In a
book called, "To Kill a Mockingbird" a kid named Scout Finch hears rumors about a man named Boo
Radley that say that he's a crazy person who stabbed his father and fed on small animals like
squirrels or cats , but if she actually sees him face to face his actions would most likely

What Is The Context Of To Kill A Mockingbird
"To Kill a Mockingbird" is a book by the author Harper Lee in which the book represents the
southern ways of living in the 1930s, which was a very hard time for America considering the
Great Depression. The story takes place in a fairly small town in Alabama called Maycomb,
whereas in a small town everyone knows everyone of course, and in this small town are a family
named the Finches and they had a very respectful position in the town. Now as children of Atticus
Finch the children had many things expected of them, as their mother had died at a very young age
they never had a real mother figure other than their house maid Calpurnia, therefore they were never
given the lessons in etiquette and manners that many believe they should have been

Personal Narrative : To Kill A Mockingbird
To Kill A Mockingbird Narrative
Has anything ever happened in your life that changed you as a person? Jem, a character in To Kill
A Mockingbird, breaks his arm and it helps shape him into the person he ended up being because it
was a major event in his life. He was changed by this event because it was a major event, Bob was
going to kill him so how he overcomes it will show the type of person he is. Major things that
happen in your life help shape who you are today.
One important thing in my life is when I tore my ACL the first time in eighth grade basketball. It
was November 15, 2015, when I first tore my ACL. I was at basketball practice and we were doing a
rebounding drill. I jumped up to rebound the ball, because I can hardly jump I landed before most
of the other players and Charlie, one of my teammates, came down on my knee. I heard my knee
pop. My knee caved in and I fell, feeling excruciating pain as I fell to the ground I just saw the
ground moving closer and closer. As I fell to the ground I felt my body hit the hard gym floor. All
that went through my head was "That hurt really bad!!!!" I was really sweaty, I could smell the
sweat from the bodies, and I was tired from previous things we had done in practice but I just sat
there screaming and balling. I started screaming and balling because my knee hurt so badly. I
could taste the saliva from my mouth while I was lying there balling. One of the other players
went into the locker room and grabbed my phone, I called my dad but he couldn't make out
anything I was saying because I was still crying. My coach, Ms. Bolton, carried me to the bench
while my dad was on his way. My dad carried me out to the truck then inside to the couch when we
got home. Brock, my brother, went and picked up some crutches for me. I ended up going to the
doctor about a week later and then on January 4, 2016, I had my first surgery. Coming out of surgery
and waking up in recovery was the worst pain I've EVER felt. I came out of recovery and was
screaming in pain because they didn't keep track of when I had last had morphine so I wasn't on
track and I felt my whole leg right after surgery. Tearing my ACL was important because it made
me who I am today and made me stronger by

Martin Luther King said, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation
where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
Racism is still an issue that can be seen in the twenty–first century. Although, tons of progress has
been made over the last century, some still hold on to racist beliefs. The majority of classic American
literature demonstrates the racism that was present in the early twentieth century. By looking at the
theme of race in the American classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, it is clear that people are quick to
judge others based on their own opinions and feelings. The novel To Kill a Mocking Bird is about a
young girl named Jean Louise Finch, also...show more content...
After the jury deliberates longer than expected, they come back and announce that Tom Robinson
is guilty of all charges. Bob Ewell, who is the one who accused Tom Robinson of rape vows to
take his revenge out on Atticus a black man. It comes out in the paper that Tom Robinson tried to
escape prison and ended up being shot. During the night of Halloween when Scout and Jem are
coming home from a school event, they start to feel like they are being followed. It turns out to be
the Bob Ewell and he starts attacking Scout and Jem. Boo–Radley ends up stabbing Bob Ewell to
help the children get away. The book ends with the sheriff convincing Atticus that Bob Ewell's
death will be one that was an accident caused by himself. One of the first cases where the theme
of race can be seen is in the life of Mr. Dolphus Raymond. During the time of the trial, Scout, Jem,
and Dill sit up with Reverend Sykes in a viewing balcony for colored people. That is the only
place that the three could sit after waiting so long to sneak in to watch the trial. Scout ends up
taking Dill out of the courthouse, because he began crying about how terrible Bob Ewell's lawyer
was treating Tom Robinson. Out of the courthouse they run into Mr. Dolphus Raymond, a man who
is known as the town drunk. He reveals to them that he is only acting like a drunk person to better
explain why he has a colored family. When Scout criticizes Mr.

To Kill A Mockingbird
Critical Analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird In life, age puts our understanding into perspective. As
individuals mature, they often come to see their lives with greater vision and insight. There are a
variety of fictional and nonfictional stories of these occurrences, especially in coming–of age novels.
Many coming–of–age novels describe the transition from childhood to adolescence and from
adolescence to adulthood. Many of these novels have profound underlying themes such as war,
prejudice/discrimination, poverty, mental illness, or relationship formation/dissolution. In this paper,
there will be three sections: summary, analysis of the main character's development; moral and
cognitive, and whether the novel would have differed if the main...show more content...
Scout perceives the injustice of the world, such as a black man losing a trial for a crime he did
not commit. Another injustice would be that Bob Ewell, the father of the woman that accused
Tom of raping his daughter carried a grudge against Atticus because he was defending a black
man in court. Bob attacked Scout and her brother with a switchblade when they were coming
home late at night on Halloween in order to get revenge. When the two are screaming, Boo Radley
appears and kills Bob with a kitchen knife. Scout and her brother did not realize what happened in
the moment because it was dark. The day after, the sheriff asked Scout's father what to do. Atticus
wanted to say that Jem (Scout's brother) killed Bob in self–defense, but the sheriff said that there
was no way that Jem could have done it. The story was that Bob Ewell tripped on a root and fell
on his own knife. He knew that Boo had committed the murder, but if the word got out about what
really happened, Boo would not have withstood a trial. Since Boo saved the children's lives, he
figured the best reward was to let him keep his privacy. Scout's father was afraid to go with that
story because he feared that his children would not respect him for the injustice, but Scout
understood that making a hero out of Boo would be like killing a mockingbird which is a climactic
moment in the book. She sees the value of life despite the unfairness of what needs to be done to

Commentary On To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee
I am reading To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and I am on page 42. This book is about a town
called Maycomb Alabama, there is a little girl named Scout and she's afraid of the Radley home,
there are also some other people who stir up trouble. In the journal I will be predicting and
evaluating. I predict the kids wont meet Boo because he scares people. Boo has a scar running down
his face. Also bloody hands from eating the pets in the neighborhood. Boo also drools and drools
and drools. Boo also stabbed his dad with scissors repeatedly. He was also apart of a gang. Another
reason kids wont meet Boo because she is locked in the house. Boos parents don't let him out of the
house or to even bee seen. Once in a while people will catch glimpses

To Kill A Mockingbird Critical Analysis
To Kill a Mockingbird is a popular literary title. It's one of the most famous pieces of literature.
George W. Bush says that the book is "a meditation on family, human complexity, and some of the
great themes of American life. At a critical moment in our history, Mockingbird helped focus the
nation on the turbulent struggle for equality." (Wayne, pg. 1) President Bush could not have been
more right, To Kill a Mockingbird is a timeless classic, with themes that are still relevant in today's
world. To Kill a Mockingbird, tells the story of Scout Finch, who lives with her brother Jem, and
their widowed father, Atticus. Jem and Scout become friends with a boy named Dill who they know
from the neighborhood, and they are drawn to the...show more content...
Even today there are people being wrongfully accused of crimes based on their race. Schanberg in
The Village voice writes "On April 19, 1989, five Harlem teenagers were accused of a rape that
occurred in Central Park. Other charges included sexual abuse, assault, riot, and robbery. Under
intense questioning, they first would confess in written statements and on videotape, but then retract
everything, challenging that they had been intimidated, lied to, and pressured into making false
statements. There was no physical evidence linking the teenagers to the crime, and no blood or
semen match was present. The victim could not provide an identification of any assailant, because
the battering left her with no memory of the attack or even starting out on her jog in the park. Even
with little to no evidence, the five teens were convicted, and ended up spending 5–15 years in
prison." (Schanberg, The Village Voice) This case is a prime example of how even today there is
still discrimination against individuals because they are African American, which is why they
suspected of crimes based on ridiculous stereotypes. This discrimination is exactly what Tom
Robinson faced in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Another theme in To Kill a Mockingbird is "Don't judge a book by its cover". The character Boo
Radley is a recluse who has some mental issues. When he is never seen, the people of Maycomb
County alter

To Kill A Mockingbird Essay Introduction
To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee. It takes place in the southern, racist town of
Maycomb. The book takes place in the 1920's and follows the events of a girl named Scout. Lee
really puts you in the pages of this amazing novel. She using events that happened in her life and
adapts them to her characters. In this novel you can see racism and how bad it really was in very
southern times. Through the book you can see the horrible horrors of racism.
The book follows the events of Scout, a young adventurous girl, who is very outspoken and
funny. She has a brother named Jem who is a very wise character and likes to take dares. During
the summer a boy named Dill comes every summer. He likes to tell "stories" and how he is very
mature for doing adult things. He is the character that is most immune to racism, because he did not
grow up in a racist town like Maycomb. His character represents innocence. Jem and Scouts father's
name is Atticus. He is a retired attorney who takes a very daring challenge. In school Scout gets into
an...show more content...
We see Scout and numerous other children drop little racist sayings. In the novel Scout constantly
uses the n–word to refer to black people as individuals. She says to Atticus that "Calpurnia says that's
n–word talk". The way she uses the word lightly and constantly in the book shows that beneath
her appearance she is a racist. It's not her fault, it's the towns. The town's racist so it rubs off on
the children. I think of racism has a filthy, disgusting disease that is started with older generations
and works its way into the minds of younger generations. It's a disease that keeps going in an
infinite loop. Bob Ewell blamed a black man for something he didn't do because of his race. Tom did
not rape his daughter and is being blamed for it because of race. The children that are trapped in this
racist town are stuck and cannot escape the disease of dehumanizing and

Angie Lopez Mrs. Milon English I (H) 18 August 2014 To Kill a Mockingbird Critical Thinking
Questions– Part One Chapter 1 1.The narrator of the novel is Jean Louise, aka, Scout, who is a 5
year–old little girl. The type of narration that is used is in first person. 2.What the narrator reveals
about her family history is the only known historical is called Simon Finch, he was a fur–trader and
apothecary, and he ran away from England to leave religious persecution and went to many places
to where he ended up on the banks of the Alabama River. He created a very victorious farm called
Finch's landing. He worked really hard and died a rich man. The family lost absolutely everything
except...show more content...
In this chapter, Scout and Jem find several more items the knot–hole of the tree, some of the things
are 2 wood carved figures, one a boy that looked like Jem and a girl that looked like scout, a pack of
gum, and a spelling medal. The item they considered their "biggest prize" is a pocket watch that
wouldn't run, on a chain with an aluminum knife. 3.Previously, the children had assumed that the
knot–hole was someone's hiding place, the evidence that now suggest that the items in the tree are
meant specifically for Scout and Jem is the 2 wooden kids that looked like Jem and Scout. 4.Who I
suppose is responsible for the gifts in the knot–hole is Boo Radley, I think this person is leaving
these things because he wants to contac them in a certain way. 5.Mr. Radley plugged the knot–hole
because he said "The tree is dying and sick and when its side you must fill it with cement" 6.Jem
finds out the explanation for filling the knot–hole is false because he asked his father if vits dead and
he responded no because it full of green leaves. I do not think that is the real reason. 7.I think Jem
was crying because he wanted to know who was leaving the stuff. Chapter 8 1.In that case it was
hardly a ripple because most people in the neighborhood didn't have much of connection with

Critical Review of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird To Kill a Mockingbird is set during the 1930's
in a small, isolated town in Maycomb County, Alabama. The 1930's was a period of great change
with new ideas coming to the forefront of the Western world. America was fast becoming one of
the most powerful countries in the world and therefore its ideas and ways of living were being
copied in every far corner of the western world. Economically America was not quite so sound.
Only a year...show more content...
Examples of this included separate drinking fountains, separate toilets and separate eating
opportunities.
This relates to 'To Kill a Mockingbird' in that the black community of Maycomb live in a small area
on the edge of the town and generally aren't allowed to socialise with the white member of the
town. But the small town isn't two extreme as black people aren't beaten or murdered in the streets
as like what was happening elsewhere in America (Klu Klux Klan) and it isn't made to obvious in
the novel that black people have to eat separately and go to separate public buildings. The novel in
more concentrated on the corrupt legal system of the 1930's.
In 'To Kill A Mockingbird' Scout is the narrator, the novel is written in adult style despite the fact
that she is only six at the start; this is because she is recounting the memories of her childhood.
Despite this the novel is still written through a child's eyes rather than that of an adult. This gives the
effect of innocence and ignorance. The reader can easily understand what is happening in the novel
because it is written for a child to understand, but the reader must also try to distinguish and
understand certain things that Scout being a child can't.
Scout is a bit of a tomboy she prefers to quite boyish activities. She is

Critical Thinking In To Kill A Mockingbird
The book "To Kill a Mockingbird" is an event that took place in Alabama during the great
depression. The story is narrated by a little girl by the name Jean Louise also called "Scout" who
is a main character in the book. The setting takes place in a society that is full of people of all
personalities including lawyers like Atticus, the father of the main character. It is a society where
neighbors are supposed to protect each other. In the book, the theme of courage is evident
throughout the book. The book explores the question of harsh and innocent experience, good and
the evil that is seen from different viewpoints. The book is an accurate reflection of a society that
is unjust to minority individuals. In the book, there are scenarios where some characters used
critical thinking to make important decisions while other characters did not use critical thinking.
The focus on this paper is to examine how characters from the movie used critical thinking. Jem
was a brave and curious child, he represented the idea of bravery throughout the movie. He was
sharp in thinking, and the decision he made was very critical. He was less than fifteen years old,
and he had never did anything significant in his life. However, as the movie progressed, he learned a
lot from Atticus, and this makes him braver. One of his most critical thinking was when he and
Scout saved the life of Atticus and Tom at the jail. An angry mob decided to attack Atticus and Tom.
To keep the situation under control

Critical Analysis Of To Kill A Mockingbird
To 'Kill a Mockingbird' is a fairly long, complex novel that encompasses a wide range of issues
and universal themes. Accordingly, Harper Lee's highly acknowledged 'To Kill a Mockingbird'
emphasises the importance of people in positions of privilege to stand up and resist systemic
discrimination in order to protect the innocent. Lee has fictionalised the infinitesimal county of
Maycomb, a town set in the plot of her Pulitzer prize winning book. This piece of golden fiction is
narrated through Jean Louise "Scout" Finch, a girl whose naivety increasingly declines as the story
progresses; furthermore, her sense of morality. Her father, Atticus Finch is a lawyer who upholds
high moral standards. Atticus was given the position to defend Tom...show more content...
Less significant character relationships include Miss Maudie, Mrs Dubose, Boo Radley etc. Atticus
is a strong–willed believer in standing up for your own beliefs and distinguishing the difference
between right and wrong. His relationship with Scout impacts the audience significantly as readers
are narrated the story through Scout's naГЇve eyes, evoking a more emotional aspect between Scout
and Atticus. Atticus simply wants the best for his kids and for them to cultivate accepting the
different cultures that Maycomb has to offer. This is clearly demonstrated in Chapter 9. "'If you
shouldn't be defendin' him, then why are you doin' it?' 'For a number of reasons'...'The main one is,
if I didn't I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't represent this country in the legislature, I
couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do something again'...'every lawyer gets at least one case in his
lifetime that affects him personally'" (page 81–82). Despite Atticus' hesitation with the case, he
accepts the indictment and the consequences that follows. Atticus is aware that if he didn't take the
case he would be perceived as heartless and ultimately racist, contrary to this, the characters in the
novel felt sympathetic towards him for having to deal with this trial. "..do one thing for me if you
will: you just hold your head high and keep those fits down. No matter what anybody says to you,
don't let 'em get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a

Essay To Kill A Mockingbird
To Kill A Mockingbird Timed Essay "It's a sin to kill a mockingbird." Throughout To Kill A
Mockingbird, there is symbolism behind the title. Mockingbirds are portrayed as harmless and
innocent which relates to several characters in the passage. Although there are many characters that
can convey this symbolism, Boo Radley and Tom Robinson best fit the metaphor because they are
the most misjudged characters throughout the novel, they have not shown or caused any harm to the
people of Maycomb. The title, To Kill A Mockingbird, has a connection with the overall main idea
of the plot. It carries a large amount of symbolism in the book. According to Miss Maudie,
"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy... they don't do one...show more
content...
Tom Robinson is an innocent man, convicted for the rape of Mayella Ewell for being colored.
Tom is not guilty of this crime but the jury was afraid to speak the truth since the society of
Maycomb believes a white man's word is stronger and contains more justice than a colored man's.
Tom Robinson has testified that he helped Mayella with her labor because of his generosity but
when Mayella Ewell forces herself on Tom, he chooses to run away and not physically harm the
Ewell's in any way which allows the Ewell's to use him as an escape during the court–case.
Therefore, once Tom is killed, the truth is revealed. In the novel, Mr. Underwood submits a section
about Tom Robinson's death in the paper. In the passage, it states "He likened Tom's death to the
senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters." Through this quote, Mr. Underwood is showing how
the Ewell's killed Tom's innocence to the community. It proved that although the jury knew the truth,
they decided to take the easy way out in order not to cause any conflict and offend the large
population of Maycomb, the whites. In the process, they killed a mockingbird, one that caused no
harm to anyone through his kindness and generosity, Tom Robinson. In summation, Boo Radley and
Tom Robinson both convey the metaphor of the mockingbird best. They are both mockingbirds that
lived without being affected by the rumors of Maycomb and the rules of

To Kill a Mockingbird вЂ“ Critical Response
'To Kill a Mockingbird' is a novel cleverly written by Harper Lee to depict the prejudicial,
discriminative and racist attitudes of white society in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930's. Maycomb
at first glance seems to be a warm and gentle place. However, as the novel progresses, the backdrop
of slavery, racism and poverty as a result of the Great Depression becomes prevalent.
Lee explores various themes such as the symbol of the mocking bird as a metaphor for innocence ,
social justice issues such as racism and prejudice and the everyday attitudes of people living in small
Deep South towns such as Maycomb. She successfully uses a variety of language techniques
including irony, satire, humour and the use of metaphors and colloquial language...show more
content...
However, perhaps the most central theme is the importance of the title "To kill a mockingbird". This
concept, the senseless persecution of an innocent individual, is used to describe Tom Robinson's
court case. Mocking birds sing for people's enjoyment, do no harm to the community and are a
symbol of purity and innocence. Tom Robinson is perceived as a mockingbird when he is wrongly
convicted over the rape of Mayella Ewell because of the prejudices of white society. Lee uses the
repetition of the words "guilty...guilty....guilty" to emphasise the condemnation of an innocent man,
or in a metaphorical sense, the killing of a mocking bird.
Boo Radley may also be seen as a mocking bird. In the beginning of the novel, he is perceived as a
dangerous, manic individual by the townsfolk only because of his mysterious persona (Boo rarely
ventures out of the Radley House), though he had committed no crime. However, after Boo leaves
gifts in a hole in a tree, puts a blanket over scout when she is standing in the cold and ultimately,
saves Scouts life when Bob Ewell tries to kill her to seek revenge for the demoralisation of his
family, during the court case, Jem and Scout realise that he is actually a harmless, kind, individual.
Again, we see how an innocent man can be discriminated against by prejudice borne from ignorance.
In conclusion, Harper Lee has achieved her purpose in making us think about the way we treat others
and the effects that our

To Kill A Mockingbird Critical Essay

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To Kill A Mockingbird Critical Essay