To Kill a Mockingbird

- To Kill a Mockingbird is a masterpiece written by Harper Lee. The novel was published in 1960 and became
an instant hit. Since then, it has found inroads into schools, colleges, and libraries across the world. The
novel presents the story of Lee’s hometown, Monroeville in Alabama, her family members, neighbors, and
the events that took place in her life in fiction.

The Characters:

- Scout Finch - Scout is the protagonist and narrator of the novel. She is a tomboyish girl portrayed as hot-
tempered ready to start a dispute when somebody offends her.
- Atticus - Atticus is the father of Scout and Jim. He is represented as a good-hearted man with strong morals
and faces problems in his profession, family, and society.
- Jem Finch - Jem is Scout’s older brother and Atticus’s son.
- Arthur ‘Boo’ Radley - He is portrayed as one of the novel’s mockingbirds, a good person misunderstood
and wounded by the evil of humanity.
- Dill - Dill is a curious child who questions everything. He also questions some of the ways of Maycomb such
as bias and prejudice of the court system.
- Miss Maudie Atkinson - She is Finch’s neighbor and an old widow. She remains busy in her yard working
on her garden and also shows tenderness towards kids. She is indifferent in her behavior with the people.
- Calpurnia - She is the caretaker, cook, and housekeeper of Atticus children, Jem and Scout. She makes
positive efforts to teach them morals and values.
- Tom Robinson - He is depicted as a hardworking, honest and skillful man. Through Tom’s character,
Harper highlights the major theme of racism. During Tom’s trial, the society’s common prejudices are
exposed.
- Myella Ewell – She is portrayed as a cruel human being or the perfect example of how cruel human beings
could be. Myella Ewell exploits her advantage of being a white and accuses Tom of raping her.

The Plot:

- The story tells about the childhood of Scout and Jem Finch as their father Atticus defends a Black man
falsely accused of rape. Scout and Jem are mocked by classmates for this. Many residents of Maycomb are
racists and during the novel, Atticus is asked to defend Tom Robinson, a black man wrongly accused of
raping a white woman. Atticus takes on the case even though everyone knows he has little hope of winning.
The reader sees the trial develop through the childlike eyes of Scout, as gradually both she and her brother
learn some valuable life lessons from their father about tolerance, empathy, and understanding.

The Setting:

- The setting of the story is set in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama during the early 1930s.

The Conflict:

- The major conflict in the book “To Kill A Mockingbird” is when Tom Robinson is accused of raping Mayella
Ewell. And Atticus Finch agrees to protect Tom Robinson in his case. So, the rest of the Finch family is
 taking racial abuse because their dad is protecting a Black man. The conflict in the book is external because it
is Tom against the town of Maycomb. Since he is African American the opposite race is looking badly upon
him and anyone who is on his side.

The Theme:

Good Vs Evil:

- The theme of good versus evil is seen in every aspect of the book. Atticus Finch is driven by the belief that,
while most people may have elements of both good and evil in them, goodwill usually win out in the end.

Racial Prejudice:

- Racial prejudice is the most overt theme in To Kill a Mockingbird, as the book focuses on the trial of a black
man (Tom Robinson) accused of a crime he did not commit in a community where racism is the norm. It
explores racism within the legal system as well as the Deep South community in which the story is set.

Courage and Bravery:

- To Kill a Mockingbird emphasizes that standing up for what is right requires both courage and bravery. We
see these traits in many characters of the book, while others exhibit cowardice. For example when Atticus
and his children exhibit courage and bravery in their insistence on speaking out for justice.

Justice vs. the Law:

- The book communicates that following the law isn't the same as justice. Laws aren't perfect; sometimes
following the letter of the law does not provide a path to justice. Atticus learns that, in order to do what is
right and just, one can't always rely on the law or the legal system.

Knowledge and Education:

- The book conveys the theme that true knowledge doesn't always come from formal classroom education.

Racism:

- The theme of racism has been shown through the prejudicial view of Tom’s crime and Atticus’ assistance.
Scout and Jem, too, face difficulties at school merely because their father is helping the poor young man, a
fact that emerges from this racial prejudice.

Literary Devices:

Allegory: To Kill a Mockingbird shows the use of allegorical points as Tim Johnson has been shown as the bird dog
of the Maycomb public, Boo is shown as a recluse who shuns society, while Tom is shown as a person who is to
sacrifice himself to remove the prejudice prevalent in the society.
Allusion: There are various examples of allusions given in the novel. The first example shows the use of the allusion
to Merlin, the legendary King Arthur’s adviser as well as a magician in chapter 2.

Foreshadowing: Examples of foreshadowing in To Kill a Mockingbird occur at several places. For example, when
Alexandra warns the lawyer, Atticus, that Bob is a revengeful person and will always try to avenge his insult. It proves
that she is true.

Hyperbole: Hyperbole or exaggeration occurs when Harper Lee writes about Maycomb in the first chapter. “A day
was twenty-four hours long but seemed longer.” It is hyperbole in that a day cannot be longer than 24 hours. Yet it
seems that the author wants to stress the fact that it could be otherwise in Maycomb.

Irony: Irony in the novel occurs when Scout and Jem try to bring mysterious Boo Radley out of his hiding and
another irony is about Bob that he tries to exonerate himself but is killed in his own action.

Metaphor: The novel shows the use of a mockingbird as a metaphor for someone who makes you enjoy things and
bring happiness to life.

Mood: The novel uses a serious mood in the beginning. The mood becomes light and humorous but very profound
and somber at times when incidents of racial prejudice, hatred, and discrimination take a serious turn.

Symbolism: The mockingbird is a symbol of innocence and vulnerability, Atticus is a symbol of justice and fair play,
while Boo Radley is a symbol of loyalty and love.

Writing Style:

- The direct and straightforward approach of Harper Lee in telling a story that seems suavely deceptive. The
story, at times, uses very complex and higher-level language to engage its readers. However, once the
narrator sets the stage, she starts using a childlike narrative style. All the characters use the language that
suits them such as Scout misuses it to pretend that they are guessing its true meanings.