Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a fictional novel set in Maycomb County, Alabama during the 1930’s featuring the lives of Jem and Scout Finch. Growing up in the Great Depression cannot be easy, especially in Maycomb, Alabama, where racial injustice and prejudice is often present. Although they are living through the Great Depression, the lives of Jem and Scout Finch are reasonably easy, their father, Atticus, is a well-known, local lawyer and they are considered well-off compared to the rest of the county. However, that all gets flipped upside-down when Atticus takes on a court case defending an African American man by the name of Tom Robinson who is accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a young white woman. Because of Atticus’s decision,
…show more content…
It is an effortless trait for young children but as we progress in life brutal honesty slips away as tactfulness takes over. Considering that this story expands over three years, there’s bound to be examples of honesty being better understood. The first one occurs after Ms. Dubose’ passing and Jem and Scout are questioning Atticus as to why he made him read to her even though she didn’t seem to be interested. Atticus explains, “She said she was going to leave this world beholden to nothing and nobody...she said she meant to break herself of it before she died, and that’s what she did” (148). Ms. Dubose had a morphine addiction but knew that she did not want to die with any debt. She used her best judgment and did the right thing, her demons were internal, not external, therefore they were harder to fight. Another example of doing the right thing is when Boo saves both Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell by killing him. While Atticus believes that Jem killed Bob, Heck Tate, the sheriff, believes that Bob fell on his knife and died attempting to stab Jem. Atticus says, “Jem and Scout know what happened. If they hear of me saying downtown something different happened- Heck, I won't have them anymore. I can’t live one way in town and another way in my home” (367). Atticus Finch teaches Jem and Scout life lessons using unconventional methods, but in the end, his teachings are highly ethical and leave a lasting impression on his children. He also treats his children as he expects to be treated, with respect and as adults. The final example of Scout being a better understanding of honesty is when Miss Maudie is explaining why it is a sin to kill a Mockingbird. She explains this after Atticus was showing the children how to shoot their air rifles and what they can and cannot shoot. Miss Maudie explains, "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's
It is an effortless trait for young children but as we progress in life brutal honesty slips away as tactfulness takes over. Considering that this story expands over three years, there’s bound to be examples of honesty being better understood. The first one occurs after Ms. Dubose’ passing and Jem and Scout are questioning Atticus as to why he made him read to her even though she didn’t seem to be interested. Atticus explains, “She said she was going to leave this world beholden to nothing and nobody...she said she meant to break herself of it before she died, and that’s what she did” (148). Ms. Dubose had a morphine addiction but knew that she did not want to die with any debt. She used her best judgment and did the right thing, her demons were internal, not external, therefore they were harder to fight. Another example of doing the right thing is when Boo saves both Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell by killing him. While Atticus believes that Jem killed Bob, Heck Tate, the sheriff, believes that Bob fell on his knife and died attempting to stab Jem. Atticus says, “Jem and Scout know what happened. If they hear of me saying downtown something different happened- Heck, I won't have them anymore. I can’t live one way in town and another way in my home” (367). Atticus Finch teaches Jem and Scout life lessons using unconventional methods, but in the end, his teachings are highly ethical and leave a lasting impression on his children. He also treats his children as he expects to be treated, with respect and as adults. The final example of Scout being a better understanding of honesty is when Miss Maudie is explaining why it is a sin to kill a Mockingbird. She explains this after Atticus was showing the children how to shoot their air rifles and what they can and cannot shoot. Miss Maudie explains, "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's