To Kill a Mockingbird was written by Harper Lee in 1960. The novel was published in 1960 and was an instant bestseller. It went to win the Pulitzer in 1961. The story centers around the main character Scout. During the course of the book, Scout develops from an innocent child to a compassionate person. The major influences for her transformation are Atticus and Calpurnia, Boo Radley, and the Tom Robinson trial.
Scout is raised by her father Atticus and their housemaid Calpurnia during the mid-1920. The mid 1920’s was a time of civil racial prejudice and closed segregated views, especially against blacks. Her father has brought her up protecting her from hate and racism. He has had a major effect on her and has been a great role model. He has taught her to think, to question and to make her own choices and decisions. However, he can’t completely protect her …show more content…
She has her first encounter of evil and racial hatred when Tom Robinson is accused of raping Mayella Ewell. She can’t understand that the jury members convicted Tom Robinson even though the evidence is clearly otherwise. This is a turning point when she starts to understand racism . Scout sees the dark side of the humanity and she has to decide how to deal with it. She learns that people can tell lies and aren’t necessarily good people. During the trial, she learns about the rules class. Scout understands that Mayella had a tough life. When she is sitting in her seat listening to Tom Robinson’s testimony, she says to herself, “ it came to me that Mayella Ewell must have been the loneliest person in the world. She was even lonelier than Boo Radley, who had not been out of the house in twenty- five years” (241). She realizes that people don’t always grow up in a united family like she has. One can prove that Scout has changed from the beginning of the novel to the end by learning how the society
Scout is raised by her father Atticus and their housemaid Calpurnia during the mid-1920. The mid 1920’s was a time of civil racial prejudice and closed segregated views, especially against blacks. Her father has brought her up protecting her from hate and racism. He has had a major effect on her and has been a great role model. He has taught her to think, to question and to make her own choices and decisions. However, he can’t completely protect her …show more content…
She has her first encounter of evil and racial hatred when Tom Robinson is accused of raping Mayella Ewell. She can’t understand that the jury members convicted Tom Robinson even though the evidence is clearly otherwise. This is a turning point when she starts to understand racism . Scout sees the dark side of the humanity and she has to decide how to deal with it. She learns that people can tell lies and aren’t necessarily good people. During the trial, she learns about the rules class. Scout understands that Mayella had a tough life. When she is sitting in her seat listening to Tom Robinson’s testimony, she says to herself, “ it came to me that Mayella Ewell must have been the loneliest person in the world. She was even lonelier than Boo Radley, who had not been out of the house in twenty- five years” (241). She realizes that people don’t always grow up in a united family like she has. One can prove that Scout has changed from the beginning of the novel to the end by learning how the society