How Is Fear Shown In To Kill A Mockingbird
An innocent man afraid to be lynched. Children afraid of a man described with rumors. A daughter who is afraid of her own abusive father. In literature, emotions ae expressed through different characters. In Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, fear is shown through dialogue and the characterization of four major characters.
An innocent, African American man that was accused of rape and is afraid to get hurt and lynched. Tom Robinson has conflict with a white gang in Maycomb and is horrified to get hurt. Atticus made sure, “[Tom got] some sleep [so] they won’t bother [him] anyone” (Lee 155). Atticus told Tom that he would safe and would not get hurt during the night by the gang. Another example, Atticus was questioning Tom during the trial, …show more content…
Both Scout and Jem are afraid of Boo and the Radley house, “she ran by the Radley place, as fast as [she] could, not stopping until [she] reached the safety of [her] front porch” (Lee 13). They are afraid to even go past the Radley house because of rumors they have heard from their other neighbors. Jem and Scout thought as “Boo [as a] half man, half monster, all terror. [Also they thought he was] six-and-a-half feet tall, based on his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained” (Lee 13). Even though the children had never seen Boo in their lives, they use their imagination based on rumors they had heard. Judging people and talking about people that you don’t know could lead to spreading rumors that may or may not be true.
Characters are afraid of one another with conflict going on in their lives. Mayella loves her father “‘cept when- ” he is being abusive (Lee 183). She is afraid of her father because if she does or say something she might get hurt or abused. Atticus is asking Mayella about her dad, Bob Ewell, but every time he asks her a question, “Mayella [looks] at her father” (Lee 183). She is afraid that her dad would punish her and hurt her if she said the truth while she was being questioned. Being afraid of a family member can be rough for you growing
An innocent, African American man that was accused of rape and is afraid to get hurt and lynched. Tom Robinson has conflict with a white gang in Maycomb and is horrified to get hurt. Atticus made sure, “[Tom got] some sleep [so] they won’t bother [him] anyone” (Lee 155). Atticus told Tom that he would safe and would not get hurt during the night by the gang. Another example, Atticus was questioning Tom during the trial, …show more content…
Both Scout and Jem are afraid of Boo and the Radley house, “she ran by the Radley place, as fast as [she] could, not stopping until [she] reached the safety of [her] front porch” (Lee 13). They are afraid to even go past the Radley house because of rumors they have heard from their other neighbors. Jem and Scout thought as “Boo [as a] half man, half monster, all terror. [Also they thought he was] six-and-a-half feet tall, based on his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained” (Lee 13). Even though the children had never seen Boo in their lives, they use their imagination based on rumors they had heard. Judging people and talking about people that you don’t know could lead to spreading rumors that may or may not be true.
Characters are afraid of one another with conflict going on in their lives. Mayella loves her father “‘cept when- ” he is being abusive (Lee 183). She is afraid of her father because if she does or say something she might get hurt or abused. Atticus is asking Mayella about her dad, Bob Ewell, but every time he asks her a question, “Mayella [looks] at her father” (Lee 183). She is afraid that her dad would punish her and hurt her if she said the truth while she was being questioned. Being afraid of a family member can be rough for you growing