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To Kill a Mockingbird might just be them greatest novel of the 20 th century. This book has been recognized for numerous awards, but Harper Lee still insists it s just a simple love story. Perhaps it is the story s focus on family and social values that has made it appealing to generations of readers. Harper Lee uses the small town of Maycomb and Scout s family as the basis for describing family values. Harper Lee used the first person narrative to put the reader in the shoes of Scout, a tomboy daughter of Atticus Finch.
Atticus and his family live in the small southern town of Maycomb. Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it (pg. 5). Atticus was one of the only parents that took time with his children. Him and Scout would read everyday. Also Atticus is someone easily looked up too for his honesty and trust, which makes Atticus a great character. The novel traces the life of Scout, her brother Jem and Atticus over many years.
Harper Lee used great descriptors to try to show the values of the families in Maycomb. One of the story s greatest lessons is that social justice is not always easy to achieve. It tells the story of one Tom Robinson. Tom is a black man in a racist town who is accused of a crime that he didn t commit. Atticus believes and tries to show others that all people are created equal, at least under the law.
Bob Ewell accused Tom of beating and raping his daughter and only the black families, and a handful of whites (including Atticus) seem to believe in his innocence. Therefore his chance of a fair trial was slim. The jury s racism cuts short an innocence man s life. Unfortunately, the small southern town s social values raised white children to think of blacks as the second-class race. Case closed, Tom must be guilty, no way would a black man s words go over a white mans. The only white man strong enough to stand up for Tom was Atticus, Scout s father.
To begin with, this case should never have came to trial. This case is as simple as black and white (pg. 203). Atticus faces the racism of the town to stand up for his moral beliefs. In this story, you learn a lot about the value of friendship as shown by Scout and Jems friendship with Boo Radley.
Boo, once believed to be a horror figure, slowly overtime became Scouts and Jems friend. In an odd form of friendship, Boo leaves trinkets as gifts and even protected Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell. Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good luck pennies, and our lives (pg. 278). After Boo saved Jem s life, Scout seems to know who it was.
This forms a trust between people that have never met. Harper Lee seems to think friendship is something you need to have and tries to describe it in this novel. All of these values and lessons are displayed in this great piece of literature. It s how Harper describes how some morals and values still live today, which makes this book great.
In 1960, this book is ahead of its time because it stands up for racial equality before society caught a hold of it. Harper Lee shows Tom as a mockingbird, harmless and only living to bring peace to others. For him to be slain would be pointless to our world. To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the greatest books of this century, and it will continue one of the best books of all time.
Free research essays on topics related to: southern town, town of maycomb, kill a mockingbird, harper lee, bob ewell
Research essay sample on Kill A Mockingbird Town Of Maycomb
