To Kill A Mockingbird Essay On Appearance Analysis

As humans, we tend to get our immediate impressions from appearances. Although this method is extremely flawed, it’s still a major part of judging others. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout and Jem’s view of their father changes over the course of time. Atticus gives his children the impression that he’s not like other fathers, and it leaves them disappointed. However, when Atticus reveals a part of himself to them, Scout and Jem realize that they aren’t the only ones with hiding places. In our daily lives, we make assumptions of what people are actually like based on their looks. When Scout and Jem describe their father, Atticus, it truly resonates with readers because just as Scout and Jem judge based on appearance, so do they. Scout mentions that Atticus is older than other fathers, which she uses as a basis for her description of him. “When Jem and I asked him why he was so …show more content…
When Atticus shoots the rabies-infected dog, Tim Johnson, in one shot, his secret talent is uncovered. A whole new Atticus is introduced to Scout and Jem. Their previously “feeble” father has morphed into a master shooter. However, Atticus didn’t want the children to know about his skill, and Scout doesn’t understand that. Jem explains to her. “I reckon if he’d wanted us to know it, he’da told us. If he was proud of it, he’da told us.” (Lee 131). Atticus isn’t who the children describe him as at first, he has secrets that make him who he is. The tone in the beginning of the chapter reflects Scout’s disappointment with her father, but by the end, she’s awestruck over Atticus. The reader follows along with Scout’s thoughts, and is taught the same lesson the children learn. You shouldn’t jump to conclusions, because people have secrets. You can’t know everything about someone based on appearance. When the reader learns this with a character, it has a lasting effect, one that makes the lesson