Themes in To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a story about two innocent children, Jem and Scout, growing up in Maycomb, a town that is accustomed to racism. However, To Kill a Mockingbird is not just a story about racism. It is also a novel about courage, integrity, and empathy. First, Harper Lee shows that courage is when people fight battles even when they know they might not win. Second, she suggests that people demonstrate integrity when they do what is right even in difficult situations. Finally, Lee shows that with empathy, people need to put themselves in others shoes before judging them.
First, Harper Lee shows that courage is when you do something even when you know that you might not be victorious, …show more content…
In the novel, Mrs. Dubose is a good example of courage. After Mrs. Dubose’s passing, Atticus tells Jem that Mrs. Dubose was able to let go of her morphine addiction before her passing, even though nobody would have blamed her for using it: “’Jem when you’re as sick as she was it’s alright to take anything to make it easier, but it wasn’t alright for her’” (148). Mrs. Dubose is not always very kind. She yells at the Finch family for just walking by her place. After a while, Jem gets frustrated and ruins all of her camellia bushes. As a punishment, Jem begins to read to her. While Jem is reading, she has ‘fits’ (148). She has an alarm clock, and when it rings she begins her fits. The alarm clock goes off five minutes later every day. When she has her ‘fits’, Jem and Scout proceed home for the day. At first, this is surprising to Jem. Eventually, Jem starts to see that he is helping her overcome her morphine addiction: “’Most of the time you were reading …show more content…
Lee shows that integrity is the strength of a person to do the right thing even when everyone around them turns a blind eye. When the state requests that Atticus be the defence attorney for Tom Robinson, he accepts. This is a dangerous decision for Atticus. Link Deas later approaches Atticus, after he accepts the job, and warns him about making this decision: “’You’ve got everything to lose from this, Atticus. I mean everything’” (195). When the role of defence attorney is appointed to Atticus, he essentially has three options. First, he can decline and leave Tom stranded. Next, Atticus can accept the trial, but not do much to prove Robinson’s innocence. Finally, he can take on the trial, and do his best to ensure Robinson a peaceful future. There are consequences with all three of these options. When Link says this to Atticus he is referring to Atticus’s reputation, his safety, and his family’s safety. Many people in Maycomb disagree with Atticus accepting this role. This is hard for Jem and Scout. Students at their school are making offensive comments about Atticus, and as Jem and Scout walk around town, there is always someone saying something about their father. Any other lawyer that may take on this case would not do their best to defend Tom Robinson. Atticus knows this, and he feels it is not right. He believes that Tom Robinson did not rape Mayella Ewell, and he is willing
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a story about two innocent children, Jem and Scout, growing up in Maycomb, a town that is accustomed to racism. However, To Kill a Mockingbird is not just a story about racism. It is also a novel about courage, integrity, and empathy. First, Harper Lee shows that courage is when people fight battles even when they know they might not win. Second, she suggests that people demonstrate integrity when they do what is right even in difficult situations. Finally, Lee shows that with empathy, people need to put themselves in others shoes before judging them.
First, Harper Lee shows that courage is when you do something even when you know that you might not be victorious, …show more content…
In the novel, Mrs. Dubose is a good example of courage. After Mrs. Dubose’s passing, Atticus tells Jem that Mrs. Dubose was able to let go of her morphine addiction before her passing, even though nobody would have blamed her for using it: “’Jem when you’re as sick as she was it’s alright to take anything to make it easier, but it wasn’t alright for her’” (148). Mrs. Dubose is not always very kind. She yells at the Finch family for just walking by her place. After a while, Jem gets frustrated and ruins all of her camellia bushes. As a punishment, Jem begins to read to her. While Jem is reading, she has ‘fits’ (148). She has an alarm clock, and when it rings she begins her fits. The alarm clock goes off five minutes later every day. When she has her ‘fits’, Jem and Scout proceed home for the day. At first, this is surprising to Jem. Eventually, Jem starts to see that he is helping her overcome her morphine addiction: “’Most of the time you were reading …show more content…
Lee shows that integrity is the strength of a person to do the right thing even when everyone around them turns a blind eye. When the state requests that Atticus be the defence attorney for Tom Robinson, he accepts. This is a dangerous decision for Atticus. Link Deas later approaches Atticus, after he accepts the job, and warns him about making this decision: “’You’ve got everything to lose from this, Atticus. I mean everything’” (195). When the role of defence attorney is appointed to Atticus, he essentially has three options. First, he can decline and leave Tom stranded. Next, Atticus can accept the trial, but not do much to prove Robinson’s innocence. Finally, he can take on the trial, and do his best to ensure Robinson a peaceful future. There are consequences with all three of these options. When Link says this to Atticus he is referring to Atticus’s reputation, his safety, and his family’s safety. Many people in Maycomb disagree with Atticus accepting this role. This is hard for Jem and Scout. Students at their school are making offensive comments about Atticus, and as Jem and Scout walk around town, there is always someone saying something about their father. Any other lawyer that may take on this case would not do their best to defend Tom Robinson. Atticus knows this, and he feels it is not right. He believes that Tom Robinson did not rape Mayella Ewell, and he is willing