A character is coming of age when they show the ability to mature, change, or grow in their mentality and or personality to their corresponding age. In “To Kill a Mockingbird”, Harper Lee incorporates many such coming of age themes. These include; it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird; life is unfair; it's polite to be ladylike; and never giving up. In the final chapters of the book, the theme: There is always more to a person when you see the world through their perspective, became more prevalent. By the end of the book, Scout and Jem find themselves in their longest journey together facing Bob Ewell. Scout and Jem were attacked by Bob Ewell because Bob wanted vengeance on Atticus, for defending against him in a court case. After the attack when
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His appearance was especially different compared to the other people of Maycomb County. Boo Radley had never come out of his house for Scout to see so he looked pale and slim. Boo Radley did, however, finally come out of his house to save Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell. Following the attack, the sheriff and Atticus coming to a decision about what to do with Boo given that he only stabbed Bob to save the kids. Afterwards, Scout offers to walk Boo home. On her way back, Scout stops and looks out from the street where Boo Radley would have seen Jem and she grow up. She recalls the seasons where they played outside but instead of looking through her point of view she sees things in the eyes of Boo Radley. She then, after watching them in the eyes of Boo, returns home to find her father reading a book. Atticus reads the book, “The Gray Ghost” to Scout. In the summary of the book the main character realizes that the so called “bad guy” was never truly bad; most people are not once you understand them and their background. Harper Lee uses creative literary devices to convey the theme that there is always more to a person when you take a walk in their …show more content…
For example, “... light from the living room windows glistened on his forehead. Every move he made was uncertain, as if he were not sure his hands and feet could make proper contact with the things he touched …,” (371). Scout’s first thoughts on what Boo looks like is highlighted with the use of imagery. Harper Lee uses vibrant pictures to describe what the mysterious and quiet Boo Radley looks like, via the eyes of a young girl. Harper Lee chooses to use imagery to describe the way Boo Radley look through the eyes of a mature Scout that now can use perspective. Descriptive words and quotes are used to describe his features bring the character more to life. “I looked from his hands to his sand-stained khaki pants; my eyes traveled up his thin frame to his torn denim shirt. His face was as white as his hands… His cheeks were thin to hollowness; his mouth was wide; there were shallow… and his gray eyes were so colorless I thought he was blind. His hair was dead and thin, almost feathery on top of his head … His lips parted into a timid smile …,” (362). The life-like and clear imagery paints a picture about Boo Radley, in the eyes of a 9-year old girl, to the reader of whom is most likely older than her. Words like hollowness, thin, delicate give a picture of a small body frame. Other words like gray, shallow, and feathery give detail of his facial appearance. Scout
His appearance was especially different compared to the other people of Maycomb County. Boo Radley had never come out of his house for Scout to see so he looked pale and slim. Boo Radley did, however, finally come out of his house to save Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell. Following the attack, the sheriff and Atticus coming to a decision about what to do with Boo given that he only stabbed Bob to save the kids. Afterwards, Scout offers to walk Boo home. On her way back, Scout stops and looks out from the street where Boo Radley would have seen Jem and she grow up. She recalls the seasons where they played outside but instead of looking through her point of view she sees things in the eyes of Boo Radley. She then, after watching them in the eyes of Boo, returns home to find her father reading a book. Atticus reads the book, “The Gray Ghost” to Scout. In the summary of the book the main character realizes that the so called “bad guy” was never truly bad; most people are not once you understand them and their background. Harper Lee uses creative literary devices to convey the theme that there is always more to a person when you take a walk in their …show more content…
For example, “... light from the living room windows glistened on his forehead. Every move he made was uncertain, as if he were not sure his hands and feet could make proper contact with the things he touched …,” (371). Scout’s first thoughts on what Boo looks like is highlighted with the use of imagery. Harper Lee uses vibrant pictures to describe what the mysterious and quiet Boo Radley looks like, via the eyes of a young girl. Harper Lee chooses to use imagery to describe the way Boo Radley look through the eyes of a mature Scout that now can use perspective. Descriptive words and quotes are used to describe his features bring the character more to life. “I looked from his hands to his sand-stained khaki pants; my eyes traveled up his thin frame to his torn denim shirt. His face was as white as his hands… His cheeks were thin to hollowness; his mouth was wide; there were shallow… and his gray eyes were so colorless I thought he was blind. His hair was dead and thin, almost feathery on top of his head … His lips parted into a timid smile …,” (362). The life-like and clear imagery paints a picture about Boo Radley, in the eyes of a 9-year old girl, to the reader of whom is most likely older than her. Words like hollowness, thin, delicate give a picture of a small body frame. Other words like gray, shallow, and feathery give detail of his facial appearance. Scout